Tommy drifted his eyes over the group of people in front of him. He’s been getting used to his new life, even if seeing all his loved ones as strangers was weird, along with the fact that he wasn’t sixteen anymore, instead twelve years old. He’d awoken in the forest, covered in rags that shouldn't even be called clothes, along with his blonde hair almost a deep brown from the amount of dirt in his curls. 

It was honestly a huge surprise for him to have been stumbled upon by a man. A familiar man. His instinct had been to run to his brother, part of his head supplying that the safety he brought meant everything to Tommy, but he had to remind himself that they weren’t technically brothers anymore. He had to think back on the plot of the book: the villain was the royal’s brother, having been conceived by Lady Death without the king's knowledge due to her magical restraints, but Techno and Wilbur wouldn’t know that, making him a stranger. The pink hair the man carried was a clear sign of calmness to him, showing that his big brother still looked the same despite the new world he found himself in.

Tommy had been here for around a month before Techno had stumbled upon him. He hadn’t been expecting it, even if he’d heard rumors in town that one of the princes planned to scour the forest for the monster roaming inside. In a way, they had been right. The prince had found his monster, but he couldn’t recognize it. The blonde had been very careful with his new body, able to shift and change from a large snake-like form in moments to the appearance of a young boy. It was in this small form that he’d been stumbled upon, quickly being confronted by the previously mentioned man. 

When Techno had spoken, his heart had stopped. He never thought he’d hear that voice again, low and behold, his big brother was right behind him. He turned and froze like a deer in headlights, the tall man pausing at the sight of him as well. Tommy had hoped for a moment that he’d be recognized, that he wasn’t the only one who’d been pulled into a new environment, but his hope was shattered swiftly. Instead of recognizing him, his brother had ordered a knight to check on him. It wasn’t hard to see that Techno had wanted to make sure the child was unharmed, but he also knew it was because the man believed he scared kids. 

Tommy had let himself be checked out, staying quiet so as not to give himself away in any way, even as a female knight asked him where things hurt. Nothing was hurting; he was a big kid after all, despite how certain they seemed to be that he was harmed. It took a glance for him to realize that it was because his clothes were drenched in a decent amount of blood. He knew some of it was his own, but most of it was from animals he’d caught himself. 

Despite this, he was being looked over, everything short of being stripped, which was when Techno intervened. So here he was, 5 months since being dragged to the castle, standing in front of his big brother with the rest of the royals in their seats. He recognized everyone in the castle at least in passing. Ranboo was Techno’s accountant in this world with Tubbo being an apprentice mage. Phil was a king, which was a role his dad didn’t fit into, even in this world, with his brothers being princes. 

He had been spending the last months eating well and being kept out of the forest despite how badly he wanted to return. He loved his family, and he’d do anything to protect them, but in this new world, he wasn’t here to help them. Tommy was destined to ruin them, destined to kill them, but he refused to cause his family any more suffering, even in a world he didn’t know. His eyes drifted over all of them, memories of laughter and joy hitting him roughly as he watched them. 

It hurt to have all his loved ones looking at him, every one of them completely oblivious to his connection and the desire he had to be back with them. He was learning to handle it, learning to recognize that even though it wasn’t the same, he’d managed to bond with each of them. He’d managed to get closer to the copy of his eldest brother. Techno and Tommy were one hell of a duo in this new life. His brother had taken the child into the forest and decided to keep him as a knight in training. At least, that's how he always explained it. The blonde had a feeling there was more to it, maybe their mom had visited him in a dream or something considering, in the book, Techno’s character had been known to have heavy connections to the divine. 

Even with all of this in mind, he still felt this sense of connection to them. These last 5 months have been wonderful, learning the differences and similarities each copy had to his previous life. Either way, he knew those connections wouldn’t change the current predicament. To keep his family as safe as possible, he’d broken into his memories, trying to convince Techno of the impending attack that was planned on the kingdom. He wasn’t one for reading, so he didn’t remember the specifics but knew enough to know the danger would be coming soon. It was one of the few events not caused by his character; instead, a neighboring country had sent assassins to take his father's life. 

In the main plot, Wilbur interrupts the attack and loses his life in place of the king. As much as he hated this version of his brother, Tommy couldn’t find it in himself to allow the man to die. Maybe, by preventing this tragedy, he could throw the plot on its head and remove his destiny as the villain. 

____________

Everyone’s eyes were burrowing into him, heavy gazes with a mix of emotions that he couldn’t disturb. He knew of the laws, someone couldn’t speak before them unless asked to so he had to wait as Techno explained the situation. He’d told him a lot of things, seeing him as the only trustworthy member of the royal family right now. He listened to the prince speak, hearing as he went over Tommy’s own words and his investigation that he’d done at the blonde’s request. The king was listening calmly, taking all of his words with open arms along with Ranboo, but… Wilbur was having none of it. His lack of care of obvious, and Tubbo seemed more intrigued by how Tommy knew of this attack. 

He was uncomfortable with the mix of emotions they all carried together, but at least his family acknowledging him was enough to send his heart rushing with joy. Tommy glanced over, Technoblade’s eyes meeting his, and a stern but gentle smile gracing his lips long enough for him to catch it before it returned to the stoic expression. “I’ve inspected his claims myself, and I trust Theseus enough to recognize his worry, Father.”

The older man was silent for a moment, taking his time to digest his son's words and judge his claims. With a hum, he stood, black wings hiding his throne from view as he spoke. “I recognize your worries Prince Technoblade, but the words of a random orphan aren’t justifiable for concern. No offense to your prodigy, son, but I have no reason to worry about my life.” Phil’s words stung, but he had to admit that he’d been allowed an audience at all was enough for Tommy. 

He watched as the blonde man went to sit back down, but something in the back of his head began to scream. The child turned, standing from his bow quickly and looking toward the right. A huge window was letting sunshine into the court, but that wasn’t what had grabbed his attention. Hidden, just out of a regular person’s sight, the younger blonde found his eyes landing on the shape of a human. He could hear voices rise, mostly Wilbur’s, before a hand landed on his shoulder. His head was pounding as he turned and looked up at the person who’d touched him, red eyes locking with his blue as he recognized what was going on. 

Tommy could feel his skin shift, his small body growing in size, and his legs turning to a long, thick tail of scales. He towered over the group in front of him, using his tail to trap them in the area as he pulled them towards his body. The blonde could smell their fear in each tongue flick he made, feeling as an arrow was embedded in his muscles where the king had once been sitting. He hissed, looking back at the window with his pupils no doubt slits. 

His ears flooded with blood, his hearing muffled within seconds as he shakily let his eyes drift toward the most active person in the room. His eyes landed on brown hair as he swiftly pounced, scooping a tall brown-haired man up and pushing him into his mouth without hesitation. He could feel legs squirming past his lips as human voices muffled the air around him. He drenched the arms and fabric in saliva, wanting to make sure he was well-coated so that the journey down was easy. Tommy swallowed, feeling the squirming past into his chest as he turned to look down at the little humans again. He found the one he’d swallowed tasted rather gross, but that wasn’t his main focus. He moved his hand to steady himself, pinning the pink-haired man down in the process as he locked his eyes on the blonde. 

The naga knew he needed to make sure everyone in the room was tucked away somewhere safe, so his brooding pouch would be the best idea. He could feel the small weight settling down into the space which was enough of a sign for him to grab the other man, shoving him into his mouth. The man’s wings were annoying, but he knew to be careful, licking at the chirping king with more careful laps than he had with the first. Tommy was purring loudly as he went ahead and swallowed him down too. 

It took him another swallow to get the king into his esophagus, licking his lips as his eyes drifted to see the two shapes tucked against part of his tail. He could tell the smaller of the two was standing in front of the taller one. His eyes were settled on the bee hybrid, scooping them both up with one hand before he carefully used his fingers to push the tiny one into his maw. He was gentle with his teeth, trying not to let them scratch at the 13-year-old’s clothes or body. 

He tasted like honey, causing him to drool a little. He’d always had a sweet tooth before being pulled into this new world, so being able to enjoy honey again was very appreciated. He was letting his hissy purr keep up, softly lapping at Tubbo since he could fit the small teen in his mouth completely. He could feel the squirm in his hands, gazing down at the one on the floor. He smiled a bit, recognizing that Technoblade was the one he had held down. The blonde swallowed, pulling his mouthful down in a moment before he swiftly stuffed Ranboo’s upper body onto his tongue, lapping at them with ease as Tommy swallowed some of his saliva.

His tail shifted, blocking the window again as another arrow shot through it, embedding in between two scales and causing him to hiss in pain. He wasn’t happy with that, also unable to tongue flick as his mouth was full. He swallowed, pulling the enderman hybrid into his esophagus. He gulped again, and then once more to force the wiggling shape deeper. He leaned forward, protecting his face as he pulled his hand away from the pinned man, and his tongue flicked out. He could taste the fear in the air, noticing how the scent was mixed with worry as well before he dipped his head further down, his chin resting on small hands as the man cradled a bit of his weight. 

His pupils widened a bit, being able to focus on the prince in front of him now that he had felt as though the people around him were safe. He watched the nervous smile creep onto Techno’s face, his big brother glancing around a small amount as his gravelly voice hit his ears. “You don’t mean to hurt any of us… I trust that Theseus.” Tommy’s gaze didn’t shift, eyes locked onto the man's pointed ears and the golden bands that decorated them. He purred as a hand carefully ran over his nose, a soft hiss escaping his lips before the sound of shattering glass shocked him from his calm stupor. 

He growled, the tip of his tail flicking around like an annoyed cat, before he ended up opening his mouth, pushing Technoblade’s upper body into it as his older brother snorted in alarm. Tommy didn’t acknowledge it, knowing he needed to get him somewhere safe so that he could handle the intruders and keep his family safe. He was working on coating himself in saliva, hissing a tad as the assassin entered the throne room. The skinny man got a better look at him, eyes widening at the sight of a royal member sticking out of his mouth. 

The teen smirked to himself, swallowing Techno down quickly while staring just past the small man. He let his eyes drift over, pupils narrowing significantly as his gaze landed on a tiny form. He’d been prepared to attack, angry at the humans for attempting to harm the people he deemed to be protected, but a sharp call in an unknown language was enough to startle him out of the instinct to attack. Tommy’s blue eyes widened, his pupils filling out once more as he realized that the intruder wasn’t alone. 

The naga shifted his large body, ignoring the six assassins, to bolt out of the throne room instead. He needed to make sure nothing risked their safety… so this fight was unnecessary, yeah… this fight wasn’t scary. He just needed to keep them safe. 

____________

Something about Theseus had struck a chord with him, and that was something that Technoblade couldn’t explain. That was what it had been at first, at least, before the gods had supplied an answer to his confusion. He’d had a feeling that the orphan wasn’t human, but a dream walk with his mother had made him feel as though he’d bitten off more than he could chew from an overcooked steak. Being told that this random kid was his full-blooded baby brother had been surprising enough, but Lady Death had also added that the boy was more than just a demigod, as he and Wilbur were. 

His mother had claimed she shouldn’t share more, saying that the blonde child should be able to share his secrets at his own pace. He’d agreed only after being reassured time and time again that Tommy meant none of them harm. He’d had a few more boundaries with the child in the following days, trying to process his feelings without accidentally harming him in the event he accidentally fell victim to the Voices once again. He’d learned over the months of awareness that they truly were in no harm in regards to the kid. 

Tommy could be a bit sporadic and loud, maybe a little chaotic, but he was a good kid deep down. When he got bedridden with the flu for around a week, the child had been parked right outside his door keeping better guard of him than the guards that were supposed to be watching over his room. He’d always understood why his knights were more lenient when it came to keeping him safe, since Techno hadn’t had an actual need for them since he first picked up a sword. Despite this and the knowledge of it, Tommy had remained inside his room at his door for five nights and four days, which had been a welcome presence when he’d escape his fevered haze. 

The boy’s request had been unexpected. Other than seeking some time in the garden, he’d not uttered a word about anything concerning his needs. The prince could easily grant any of his wishes since his soft spot for the boy had grown after his dad indulged his whim to grant him shelter in the castle. Asking for an audience from the king wasn’t something he ever expected to leave his mouth. Tommy had been stern with his request, but not enough for it to sound like a demand. 

Being reasonable, Techno had asked him why and his answer felt too real to be true. He had Ranboo search the matter, which granted enough proof for him to believe that the boy was correct about the assassination attempt. After talking with the child, they agreed that meeting as soon as possible was the best thing in this situation. 

The audience hadn’t gone as the prince wanted, but he at least set the idea into his dad’s head. He felt uncertain about slightly manipulating his dad, but it was the safest thing to do in this situation. He’d noticed how sad the pre-teen looked, planning to reassure the blonde after this that he’d bring it back up with the king when he had a chance. Theseus’s sudden disrespect to his father, standing without permission, wasn’t something he personally saw fault in; he was a member of the royal family, even if they lacked proof of it. He noticed how the boy’s eyes were set on the horizon. 

Wilbur was pissed at the disrespect, snapping at the child quickly. Techno waited for Tommy to reply, planning to take his side regardless of the reasoning behind his actions. What he didn’t expect was for the boy to ignore what his brother was spouting. The blonde seemed to be completely gone, his eyes scanning for a moment. Worry flashed across his face for a moment, being enough for the man to act. The crown prince reached over, hands settling onto too-small shoulders as he turned. His red eyes settled onto baby blues, and the emotions shared in one glance shocked him since he’d not seen such vulnerability in the child as recognition settled in. 

Theseus’s pulled away from him, his pupils having turned into slits as the 12-year-old hugged himself. He had no idea what was going on, but the pain on his face was enough for the prince to worry. “What in the…” He started only to cut himself off as he watched the boy change. His body almost seemed to convulse, his form shifting unnaturally, his hands looked too big, and his ears grew pointed, with more of his body following the change. His legs turned into a thick tail, scales lining the area and further up the boy’s torso fully dissipating just below his navel. The pattern and color on his... lower body matched the morph of a blue adder. Wilbur was quick to make his fear known, screaming as he began to back up, but Tommy’s tail coiled around their area, trapping every royal official in the room. 

The sound of a flying arrow pulled him from his shock, the attack landed on part of the naga’s scales, his red blood obvious on the pale blue of his tail. Techno’s eyes were wide with a mix of shock and concern as he looked up at Tommy. His hand hovered near his hip, his sword settled in its sheath as he kept his eyes on the giant child. “Theseus-” He started to say only to have Wilbur interrupt him with the amount of malice he’s come to expect from his brother. 

“This is exactly why I didn’t want you to take in some random orphan! This is why you shouldn’t be the crown prince-” The brunette’s rant was quickly stopped as he watched his younger brother get pinned under two hands, lifted swiftly as he was forced to look at Tommy’s back. He started to rush forward, only for those hands to move to the giant's face. Techno’s breath caught in his throat as he watched his brother’s form disappear past parted lips. He froze as the other prince screamed, yelling angrily instead of pleading, before a thick swallow caused the noise to stop. 

Anger flooded him momentarily, and he stepped closer as his head flooded with voices. He recognized some of them, the familiar sounds of swearing and calls for blood, but the soft hum of safety made him hesitate. This moment of pausing was enough for sharp eyes to land on him, quickly followed by the sudden weight pinning his body down. He looked up as the kid’s palm pressed against his torso, trapping him to the ground despite his attempts to push it away or squeeze out from under it. His head lay back, trying to look at the others in the corridor, seeing how the two other kids backed themselves into a corner. He could see the worry on Ranboo’s face; his accountant was frightened, and their multi-colored eyes were wide and teary. 

“Everything is going to be fine, just stay still,” Techno told them quickly before his eyes finally made their way back to the creature above him. His eyes widened at the sight of black feathers and legs sticking to and past it’s lips. He felt his heart drop as a purring sound seemed to leave the naga, sounding pleased as a swallow interrupted the constant hum. The prince was shocked to see his dad disappear, not sure what to do or say now that the man was gone with the few stray feathers grabbed with a simple lick of the lips. 

He followed Tommy’s gaze, taking note of how it landed on the other children in the room. “Tommy, stop! Don’t-” He started to call out, being ignored in favor of scooping them both up. Techno watched as Tubbo was nudged into the naga’s maw, Ranboo screaming in response to the near-perfect view of the creature’s mouth. The prince found himself pausing as he noticed how careful the giant was being, watching how he took care not to let the buzzing human touch his teeth or even get near them before he closed his lips with a hiss. 

The man wasn’t surprised to hear a faint gulp, seeing how the naga’s throat bobbed but the squirming form wasn’t sent down. He watched as the child’s eyes drifted over the room, his pupils widening as they landed on him before another gulp showed he forced the mage away. Tommy didn’t seem to hesitate, his eyes barely glancing at the window before he shoved the enderman into his maw as well. He could see how his ward swallowed what was seemingly saliva.

Theseus’s entire body tensed, hand pressing on him a bit tighter; if the man hadn’t been blessed by the gods, he probably would have been crushed under the giant’s strength. His tail shifted, raising a bit as he lowered his head with the pain on his face rather clear. He could see the anger and pain on his face, feeling his heart crushed at the sight. He never wanted to see such a look on the boy’s face, looking away just in time to miss how he forced his assistant down. 

The weight pinning his form suddenly left, allowing his lungs to heave like they were supposed to as Techno changed his focus. Tommy seemed worried and uncertain now, not as pained as he had been moments prior. He watched his tongue flick out, face getting closer as the pre-teen seemed to look solely at him. The prince moved his hands, feeling a chin nestled into them. He couldn’t help the soft smile that graced his face. Tommy seemed to be very happy with whatever he’s done. He trusts the kid enough to understand that whatever he’s done isn’t going to cause anyone pain. 

Technoblade took a deep breath, trying to keep the uncertainty in his voice hidden as he spoke up. “You don’t mean to hurt any of us..” He whispered, “I trust that Theseus.” He admitted as a quiet hiss escaped the young boy. They stayed like that for what felt like forever but was truly a few seconds, before the shatter of glass seemed to shake Tommy up. The low growl that left him sounded far too inhuman for a person to make, which seemed rather on brand at this point, considering his little brother was currently the size of a building. The preteen gave him no warning as his lips parted and his mouth was forced open. The boy leaned his head forward and used a hand to shove him closer. 

The prince gave a stangled snort at the action, his inhuman side squeaking out at the sudden motion. His arms were in front of him, slipping on the slick surface below him as he tried to brace his impact. It didn’t work very well, leaving the piglin sprawled out on the boy’s tongue. His legs felt cold compared to the heat that seemed to surround his upper body, lips tight around his waist as he barely managed to prop his head up. His eyes were quick to dart around, taking in his environment just as swiftly. There were large white columns that seemed less imposing than they should. Techno had considered that being surrounded by teeth would be life or death, yet he couldn’t help but feel content where he lay. 

He groaned as a glob of slime drenched his braid and forehead, forcing his eyes closed as he tried to keep saliva out of his sight. The muscle below him was shifting as he felt the head connected to the mouth he was inside move. Technoblade would have attempted to get Tommy’s attention, but the way the deep red muscles in front of him opened quickly told the prince that he wasn’t going to get a single word out. There was a distinct lack of tonsils in the area he could see, but there were pale sacks that seemed rather redundant until the sight of a striking snake hit his mind. He shifted his torso as the tongue lowered, feeling distinct teeth against both sides of his waist, enough to convince the man that they were fangs. 

The loud swallow wasn’t nice to hear, but the slick noises of moving muscles made him cringe. He found himself trying to pull away from each wall, only to be shoved down with one more gulp. The tight chute he began to fall through was pulsing him deeper as they moved, and louder sounds began to interrupt his thoughts. The sound of the wind was a surprise, but a heave of his chest was enough to allow him to understand the cause: lungs. He was passing right by Tommy’s lungs. His eyes were wide as another noise hit him, almost like the banging of a drum, as he assumed the boy’s heartbeat added to the bodily symphony. There was a mix of squelches and groans, things shifting naturally yet so unrealistically as his path suddenly opened into a wider sack. 

Techno was shoved into some kind of pouch, hearing quickly as multiple voices hit his ears and not the kind he was used too. His eyes lifted and landed on Ranboo as they moved to help him sit up. “W-what should we do?” They asked, their voice shaky as they shifted to pull Tubbo to their chest. 

The prince took a deep breath, feeling things move as the large body gave an uncomfortable gurgle. He let his eyes settle on the roof above them, feeling how everyone’s gazes bore into him.