Chapter Text
Tommy POV
It was a seemingly peaceful morning with Tommy chatting away to his mother about his plans for the day, a gift bag sitting on the kitchen table next to him as his mother prepared breakfast for themselves, listening and chuckling at his antics as she did so, her golden hair pulled up into a ponytail.
Today wasn't like any other day, if Tommy would say so himself. Today was special.
Today was one of his best friends, Purpled's birthday and Tommy along with their friends, Aimsey, Eryn, Freddy and Bilzo was planning a little party for him, with the help of their parents and Purpled's older brother: Punz. They all put so much work into making this day the best day ever, all for Purpled.
Looking over to the purple gift bag sitting on the kitchen island on his right, Tommy couldn't help but feel a buzzing excitement for when he finally gives Purpled the gift inside. You see, the present was a Orbeez gun, which stuck out of the bag so it was pretty obvious what it was.
The week before Tommy and his mom had been shopping both in store and online to find something that Tommy thought would suit Purpled. At first he thought that he should get Purpled a baseball bat, seeing as his friend played the sport but Tommy already knew that Eryn was going to get Purpled a bat for his present. That along with the fact that the violet-eyed boy had a huge collection of baseball bats.
Tommy had thought about it for a while, remembering that he felt lost until he remembered that Purpled also had an massive Orbeez collection so why not get his friend an Orbeez gun?
Suddenly his mom placed a plate of delicious-looking pancakes in front of him, causing Tommy to cut off his train of thought to turn to look to her. His mother smiled down upon him as she holds her mug of coffee before saying.
"Why don't you start eating your breakfast now Tom's? You don't want to be late for school and be hungry until lunchtime."
Tommy rolled his eyes playfully, grinning as he grabbed a nearby fork as he answered.
"Yeah, Yea-"
A suddenly loud banging seemingly from the front door cut Tommy off, causing him to jump with a surprised, embarrassing squeak. Tommy looked from the door to his mom, confusion and slight terror flickering though his sky blue eyes.
It didn't help that she looked just as confused and almost as panicked as he did.
"Thomas, come to me." His mother ordered, voice going hard, and he did so, quickly sliding off of the kitchen stool he was sitting on and ran towards his mother, hugging her.
The bang that followed was deafening and he felt his mom crouch down to pick him up and run, unaware of the bright red blooming on his mothers shirt and present forgotten.
~~~~~~~~~~
Tommy awoke with a gasp, his dream of the past burned into his mind.
Tommy didn't even know if it was a dream, nightmare or simply a memory. It could be D. all of the above.
Tommy's face was damp with tears from not only the memory of his mother but also from the dawning realisation that that day was Purpled's birthday. He had completely forgotten about it and it didn't help that that was the day everything decided to go to shit.
With his mind still occupied by the realisation and his body on auto-pilot, Tommy unconsciously tries to lift his hand to brush way the tears. Key word being tries.
When he tried to lift his arm, Tommy soon realised that he can't move his arm. Actually, he can't move at all.
Quickly panicking, Tommy lifts his head to look around and he is quickly met with yet another realisation that doesn't help with the panic at all, his breathing turning ragged and his heart racing.
He can't move. At all.
Looking down, Tommy see's that he's laying down on one of those first aid beds that he usually see's at his school's first aid room. However, unlike the subtle feeling of safety he feels when lying in those beds, he is trapped, strapped down and unable to move or feel anything but unsafe.
Suddenly Tommy heard the sound of a door opening loudly, making him flinch slightly.
Fear flooded his body like a tidal wave and he suddenly felt half of the very uncomfortable hospital bed lift up to a tilt. Tommy can now see the room he was in but also who, or rather what came into the room.
"Greetings Thomas Innes." The man, no the thing said, because that can't be human.
It can't be because no one spoke like that, like they couldn't decide whether they wanted to sound like a man or like a broken Alexa speaker, glitches and all so they decided to do both.
It looked normal enough, with blue eyes and sandy blonde hair but those eyes that glowed was so eerily blank and the blonde hair somehow didn't even look real. The thing also had wings. Giant black wings that seemed to drag behind it on the ground. Black wings that reminded Tommy of a crows, except the wings shone weirdly in the light and looked fake.
Tommy stared at it fearfully, not only because of its unnatural appearance but also because it seemed familiar? Like Tommy has seen this thing before but he can't remember when.
"W-what do you want?!" Tommy shouted, tensing and trying his best to mask his fear as something else.
The man-thing tilted it's head before smiling a smile that made a shiver go down his spine and his eyes start to tear up.
"I'm here to offer you something I know you can't refuse, Thomas Innes." The thing spoke, still smiling eerily.
Tommy was confused. What could this...whatever it is, want with him? What was this so called 'offer'?
Tommy knew that he probably shouldn't have but he voiced his thoughts, his curiosity getting the better of him.
The man? Bird? Seriously who or what even is this? Anyway, it imply cocked it's head in a bird-like fashion, smiling that same eerie smile before answering.
"Well, Thomas Innes." Tommy cringed slightly at the usage of his full name. "I can grant you the power to do whatever you want."
"Whatever I want...?" Tommy asked, watching the thing pushing a button that was on the wall beside it. Wait, was that button always there?
"Whatever you want, and all you have to do is let us have you go through some...things before having you get them."
Tommy felt a tinge of hope bleeding through his child-like curiosity. What if he could find his friends again? What if he could find his Aunt-
The man-bird-thing cut off his train of thought with his next sentence.
"All we need you to do is give you something oh so special before that happens."
'Wait, we?' Tommy thought, his confusion clearly written on his face. What did it mean we, and what was the thing it wanted to give me?
Tommy's questions were answered immediately as the metal door slid open, revealing probably the most horrific thing he's ever seen in his life, which is impressive considering he watched his mom... ok, lets not think about that.
Anyway the now-open door revealed another thing so similar to the bird-man also oh so human to Tommy.
The thing- no the woman looked like she had once been so pretty, and don't get Tommy wrong, she still is with her dyed pink hair that has not a hair out of place and most likely took a long time to get done when she was still normal looking. That beauty is ruined by the metal torso, metal legs and her eyes seemed to be replaced with a white pupil-less gaze that held so much yet so little emotion, as well as the... fish parts?
The woman had a metal shark-like tail, gill flaps that covers her ears and metal sharp shark-like teeth the poked through from under her top lip. Tommy wouldn't be surprised if the woman had gills that he couldn't see, given the fish theme.
"What happened to her...?" Tommy couldn't help but ask as a cascade of thoughts ran through his mind, turning his gaze towards the man-bird.
The man-bird tilted it's head in a bird-like manner like it was trying to seem questioning but all it came out as was eerily black and mocking, eyes emotionless.
"She's now her best self, Thomas Innes, you see Cyborg-013 now has everything she's ever wanted with her life, all she did was pay the price for it."
Tommy's horror only grew at the words, looking back towards the woman with new tears falling down his face. The woman called Cyborg-013? Whatever name that is, Tommy had a feeling it's not actually her's. Looking at her now she seems so human. Not like the man-bird with its mimicry of emotions.
No, Cyborg-013 seems to be emotionless as well at first, but looking into her eyes Tommy can see so much pain. It's like she's holding something back and as she looks back at Tommy, blackish tears fall from her eyes.
"There is some more fixes to be done for her however, but don't worry Thomas Innes, you can soon become your best self just like her."
"No way!" Tommy exclaimed, now frightened and panicking. "You're not turning me into that!"
"Oh but you must, if you want our help with anything you want." The Bird-Man said, like it was trying to be comforting but that thing, that monster is anything but. "Besides, you won't feel a thing, right Cyborg-013?"
Cyborg-013 nodded in response but to Tommy it looked forced.
"See, Thomas Innes, everything will be fine, Cyborg-013 agree's as well, no need to resist them." The bird-man said, stepping towards him almost jerkily. Tommy closed his eyes in fear, feeling a unnaturally cold hand wipe the tears from his cheek.
It was like how his mom used to do when he cried, but also not the same. The horror that has settled in his gut suddenly gave way to a sick feeling.
"I won't, I won't, I won't, I won't." Tommy chanted to himself. He won't become like the woman.
"You will." Then bird-man stated, sound so sure of itself.
The bird-man suddenly stepped back, stiff in it's movement as it nodded towards the woman and left the room.
Tommy let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding as the woman gently unbound him from the uncomfortable hospital bed, fluid and and natural in her movement before escorting him back to his cell.
Tommy took the chance to look around the building, noting on the other rooms and later on cells as they walked, the white, sterile environment hurting his eyes.
Tommy suddenly felt a folded up piece of paper get forced into his hand, causing him to look towards the woman in surprise.
Cyborg-013 seemed as emotionless as before, pink hair perfect and her white pupil-less eyes blank. However she was now muttering something quietly. Luckily for Tommy, he was close enough to catch what she was saying.
"Don't breathe in the red smoke" Cyborg-013 was muttering over and over again. Tommy didn't know why but it worried him.
'Red smoke? What does that have to do with anything?' Tommy wondered.
Cyborg-013 suddenly stopped at a large white door, much like the other doors in the building. Next to it was a USB port, guarded by a glass case which is prominent among the otherwise blank wall.
Tommy looked over to the woman as she pulled out a red USB flash drive, her eyes blank yet filled with sadness, her blackish tears still running down her face.
Tommy didn't think before he acted, but he found himself hugging Cyborg-013. He just felt like she needed it as he felt he body stiffen. The USB drive was now limp in one hand as Tommy clung onto her, the body in his hold a mix of natural warmth and cold metal.
Tommy didn't know how long he stood there for, hugging the woman with all his might, but at some point she whispered.
"Go, remember the safe space can be found hidden. Go and remember what makes you human." The woman sounded pained, like she was forcing herself to speak.
Tommy didn't know why but he listened, memorising her words and clutching onto the folded paper in his hand, not wanting to lose it. Cyborg was trying to tell him something, Tommy knew that much and he needed to listen.
Cyborg-013 let go, out of the hug he gave her and sending him a strained yet grateful smile. Tommy couldn't help but wonder what's going to happen to her as he watched her leave.
Looking away rom the retreating figure, Tommy focused his gaze on the opening door with an army of thoughts running through his head and a new goal in mind.
Once the door was fully open and Tommy numbly walked back into the cell, he felt a heavy weight crashing into him as the door closed, forcing him to tumble over onto the cushioned floor.
Now with his train of thought derailed and feeling stunned, Tommy was surprised to look up to find both Tubbo and Lani hugging him, pulling him into a vice grip.
"Where the fuck were you?!" Tubbo yelled into his ear, worry and anger bleeding into his voice.
'oh shoot, he said a swear word. I'm screwed.' Tommy immediately thought, tensing a little as he heard Lani mutter "Language" under her breath. Lani then looked up to Tommy, looking like she's been crying, before asking.
"Have you been crying?" Lani asked, concern filling her voice.
"I'll tell you guys later." Tommy said, wincing as he gently pushed the siblings off of him and held up the folded piece of paper.
"We need to leave."