Chapter Text
Tommy let out a yelp when his right ankle entangled with a petrouding root. Tommy tumbled down the hill, rolling to a stop on his side. His blond hair was tousled and coated with dirt, twigs and leaves. He let out a groan, pulling out the debris out his hair. Tommy straightened his t-shirt and shorts and stood wobbly on his feet. His right ankle was definitely twisted. The teen let out an annoyed grumble as he dragged his foot behind him as he walked. Tommy’s hand brushed against one tree in particular and flinched when it felt cold and..metallic?
“What the..?” Tommy uttered, inspecting the tree before him. It was painted to look like a natural tree but when he looked closer, he could see the rust that collected over the years. Tommy pried the metal door open with his fingers, gritting his teeth when he did so. Tommy grew a toothy grin when he succeeded. His eyebrows furrowed when he spotted the rusty levers. The blonde shrugged and flicked them back and forth. He flinched and swore when he heard a mechanism open up behind him.
He turned his head, falling to his hands and knees to explore the compartment, he pulled out a dusty old book. He raised an eyebrow at the smiley face that had been embedded onto the cover. Tommy brushed off of the dust and coughed when he breathed it in. He opened the book and cringed at the yellowed paper. “This looks older than Phil,” Tommy grumbled, smiling fondly when he thought of his father. Tommy brushed his fingers against the paper, raising an eyebrow at the author’s name that had been torn out.
Tommy let out an involuntary cry of shock when his vision was enveloped into white. Flashes of a brunette man wearing a trench coat and a beanie played before him. But his face was scribbled out and staticky. As quick as it came it had gone. Tommy fluttered open his eyes, he was on the ground with the journal in his arms. Tommy shot up into a sitting position when he heard his name being called. “Tommy!?” Tubbo’s voice echoed from the top of the hill. Tommy turned his head to the source of the sound and saw his brothers. Tubbo's face was scrunched in a concerned expression while the pinkette hybrid was more subtle.
“Tommy are you alright?” Techno asked, walking down the hill to his younger brother’s side. Tommy rubbed his forehead and temples, groaning at the aching pain. Leaving the book in his lap. “Did you hit your head?” Tubbo asked, coming up behind Techno, putting a hand on his back. Tommy blinked, memories of what he had seen fled his conscious mind. “No, I don’t think so.” Tommy replied, rubbing his head. “Maybe it’s aching from how stupid ya are.” Techno snorted and Tubbo smacked his older brother on the head.
Tommy glared playfully at Techno before grabbing the journal and rising to his feet. “What did you find?” Techno questioned, eyes locking onto the decrepit book that the blond held. Tommy shrugged, “A book. It's really weird, look.” Tommy said, raising it to show to his brothers. Techno snorted, “Looks like it’s gonna put a curse on us.” The piglin hybrid remarked. “Oh c’mon, it has a smiley face on it! Like that would curse us!” Tubbo protested optimistically. Tommy and Techno shared a glance.
Techno shrugged with a smirk, “It’s your funerals, I guess.” Techno sighed, “What’s in it?” Techno asked. “Bunch of magic shit.” Tommy answered nonchalantly. Techno sifted through the pages, examining the findings and chronicles on each mentioned being. “Who wrote this?” Tubbo chimed in, curiously. “We don’t know. The name’s torn out.” Tommy replied, turning the pages back to the first. “That’s weird,” Techno mused and the trio read the book together.
Eventually they reached a page that had ‘TRUST NO ONE’ scribbled onto the yellowed paper. Techno began to read the hardly illegible writing aloud. “Unfortunately, my suspicions have been confirmed. I am being watched. I must hide the book before he finds it. Remember, there’s no one here you can trust.” Techno stopped reading, eyeing the page with unease and suspicion. “He? Who’s he?” Tubbo whispered, raising an eyebrow.
“More importantly, why is this lunatic saying that you can’t trust anyone?” Techno huffed, subconsciously putting his hands on both Tommy and Tubbo’s shoulders. Techno tore his stare from the book and gazed at the darkening sky. “It’s getting dark, guys. Phil’s gonna have my head if we’re out past dusk.” Techno huffed, raising to his feet. Tommy hummed, “I think this is tellin’ the truth.” He mused to himself, reading through the pages as the siblings walked home. Tommy felt like he had something missing but he hoped that the journal and whatever came with it would fill that void.
“Yeah it looks cool, Tommy!” Tubbo grinned. Techno shrugged, “Looks interesting. Do whatever you want, just don’t get hurt.” Techno answered half heartedly, pondering the book and its dangers. “Aw are you worried for me?” Tommy teased, but internally touched at the piglin hybrid’s concern. Techno snorted, ruffling Tommy’s hair. “‘Course I am, stupid. Now let’s get back so we make sure you don’t have brain damage.” Tubbo smirked on how Tommy’s cheeks blushed in embarrassment even under the low light.
Tubbo bounced up onto the porch, opening the door to the gift shop for himself and his brothers. Techno grabbed a spare flashlight off of the counter and walked back over to the brunette and blonde. “Alright, keep your eyes open.” Techno advised, clicking the flashlight on and shining it into Tommy’s eyes. When his pupils constricted properly in both of them. He was satisfied and turned the flashlight back off. Tommy blinked, rubbing his eyes in hopes of ridding the dark spots that plagued his vision.
“You enjoyed that,” Tommy grumbled after he crashed into the counter. Techno and Tubbo both laughed, “Whatever fucking winnings I get from this thing. I’m not giving to either of you.” Tommy groaned as he rubbed his knee he had slammed into the furniture. “Yeah right, the only winnings are gonna be the medical staff when you inevitably break something.” Techno grinned teasingly, Tommy balked at his elder brother. “Ok Technoblade. When I get all the women you won’t be talkin’ like that.” Tommy retorted with a glare. Techno rolled his eyes, “You hearing this?” The pinkette asked the brunette.
Tubbo snorted, “ I am.” He affirmed. The blonde’s glare softened into a small grin. “I’m excited for what we can find with this,” He admitted with a smile. Maybe then I will be as good as him, he thought dimly. “Yeah, looks like there’s a lot of things you can explore with that thing.” Techno affirmed and Tommy’s eyes lit up, “Really?” He murmured quietly. “Yeah. Thing’s long as hell.” Tubbo commented. “True, true.” Tommy replied. “Will you explore this with me?” The blonde asked optimistically. “Of course,” Tubbo replied with a grin. Techno gave his youngest brother a smile, “Yeah. Someone has to make sure that you two don’t end up dead.”