"He still there?"

"Yup."

"What's he doing?"

George places a hand to the glass, pressing his forehead to it. "Honestly, I couldn't tell you. It looks like he's trying to twist his body into a pretzel. Oh, and now he's yelling. And now he's rolled onto his back. And now he's...crying? Wait, no, he just got dirt in his eyes."

"I'm surprised you haven't gone out to help him yet," I say, pulling apart the cushions from one of the sofas. "He sounds pretty pitiful."

"Yeah, he is. But this is a mess he got himself into, so it's on him to get himself out of it."

"How cold," I muse.

George turns from the window and shrugs, "that's just how our friendship works. Besides, I'm more invested in L'Manburg right now, as its Co-Vice President—is that even a real position, by the way?"

I give a light laugh, "yeah, no, it definitely isn't."

"Hm, I thought not."

Something smokey reaches my nose and my smile immediately drops, my expression turning serious.

"Do you smell that?" I begin walking quickly to the door, following the foul scent. It smells unnatural.

"Smell what?" George frowns, following after me. He looks confused by my sudden change in mood.

I step out onto the garden grass, eyes narrowed and searching. Sapnap I notice has gone still, his gaze directed to the cliff edge, in the direction of L'Manburg. And I soon discover why.

An angry black cloud of smoke blankets the sky over the small nation, blocking out the sun and souring the wind with its chemical taste.

"No way..." George utters beside me, his mouth agape.

The L'Manburg flag burns with the brightness of the sun, hot and fierce. The colourful cloth is barely visible beneath all the smoke, and I watch as large chunks fall away and flutter to the ground, shrivelled and black.

Thankfully, it seems to be the only part of the country set ablaze.

"Damn. That's a lot of damage." Sapnap marvels, momentarily forgetting his unfortunate predicament.

"At least it's just the flag," George says, raising a hand to shield his eyes as he watches the inferno blaze.

"Yeah. I guess..." I agree, my hands clenching and unclenching. How did the flag even catch fire in the first place? Did Schlatt decide to remodel while I was away? Or is it a declaration of war from Dream? Did he sneak into the borders, knowing I was gone? Did George tell him? Or maybe Sapnap was a distraction after all.

As if I weren't strung tight enough, a shrill scream of anguish snaps whatever's left of my thread.

Niki. That was Niki's voice!

Sapnap yelps as I charge straight over him, sprinting to the cliff edge and the precarious set of steps that connect it to L'Manburg.

I almost jump straight off in my urgency, catching myself at the last moment.

Right. I can't do that anymore.

Instead, I take the stairs two at a time, leaving George high up on the cliff with what is probably now a cursing Sapnap, complaining about getting stepped on.

I spy Niki just outside the walls, her short hair whipping about in the ashen wind. She's doubled forward, her hands clutching the front of her shirt. She's still crying out in grief, and it shatters my heart.

Ignoring the last few steps, I vault the railings, skid down grassy banks, and sprint to Niki's side, so fast I almost barrel straight into her.

"Niki?!" I exclaim, unable to hide the panic in my voice.

Is she hurt? Did someone injure her? Who would dare make her cry out like this?!

She jumps, and spins around to face me, for a moment terrified. But then she realises it's just me, and her expression folds back in on itself, her bottom lip popping out, her eyes growing watery.

"Ares...my- my fl-flag." She blubbers, doubling forward again to release a strained sob.

Without a word I engulf her into a hug, pressing her face into my shoulder where she continues to blubber. Her hands reach up behind me and tug at my yellow top. My own eyes begin to prickle as I run a hand over her head, smoothing it out, shushing her softly. All the while I fix my gaze to the burning flag, wondering what could have happened. And how I can fix it.

"You made the flag?" I question, though I've already guessed the answer judging by her extreme reaction to its destruction.

She doesn't say anything but nods her head. I can feel my shoulder begin to grow damp with her tears.

"I'm sorry," I mumble, my hand continuing to caress her silky hair. "I'll find out who burnt it."

"I-" Niki hiccups, struggling to form words as she tilts her head back to make eye contact with me. Her entire face is red and streaked with tears. "I al-lready kn-know."

I wait quietly as she sucks in a few breaths, trying to calm herself long enough to reveal to me the arsonist.

"It was...it was Fundy-"

She squeaks right at the end of her declaration, and lapses back into a wave of sobs. But she said what she wanted to say. And it leaves me at a loss for words.

Fundy burnt the flag down?! But why? What on earth would he have to gain from doing such a thing, other than to upset Niki? The only one who would benefit from its destruction is...

"Schlatt..." I mutter aloud, realisation finally dawning. From running against his father, to chasing Wilbur and Tommy out of the country, to even requesting a place in the Cabinet. This is Fundy's final show of loyalty to the new President. The burning of L'Manburg's symbol. Of the country's 'darkest era' as Schlatt had described it. He burnt his last bridge associating him with Wilbur. Literally.

Fundy is one of us now.

------------

More fanart ;)

Thanks pretend2byn001 for our first chibi drawing! So cute!

And of course it wouldn't be a chapter without more art from Escitora_san

Also, can someone please help me convince HateTheSyn that they are good at drawing XD Just look at this awesome fanart!

And now for what is probably the BEST art I have ever seen! Prepare to be blown away! I give you stick figures by Beluga_Whale42!

o7