Archive of Our Own ^beta

Sapnap was one of the first on the server. 

He hears a lot of shit. Legends, whispered myths, but especially rumors. He can't help it. As much as he doesn't want to admit it...he is something of a gossip. He loves hearing what people are talking about. 

But sometimes he hears about things too often, and that leads to a certain curiosity to build. 

Case and point, one Wilbur Rivers and his flock of rebels. 

When Wilbur first came to the server it became pretty obvious that things were going to change. Because he was, one, Tommy's older brother. And two, he was an elytrian. The server didn't really have that many hybrids initially. At first it was just him and Dream being the only hybrids, himself more so than the other. Tommy wasn't a hybrid either, though Sapnap had noticed his possession of fangs and how he ran quicker than most non-hybrids, he didn't have any stand out features that led to more assumptions as to what genes might be at play there. At least until Wilbur showed up. That certainly gave him an idea. 

Sapnap didn't claim to understand a lot about genetics, his father was a demon who spawned him out of a broken blaze spawner using his magic and a random feather he found during his travels. He wasn't exactly natural, standing tall over everyone on the server with massive wings and a tail strong enough to take a small tree down. Reinforced with black scales running down his tail among the orange and grey feathers, a similar shade of orange was found mixed in his horns and eyes. Honestly wasn't even the most monstrous aspect about him, considering the general state of his legs. From the waist down he was completely covered in black scales and his legs were bird-like in shape and in terms of sharp raptor-like talons. A sharp contrast to the grey feathers around his neck. 

He's been called a demon harpy before. That breathes fire. Courtesy of Tommy. Who had never actually seen him breathe fire before. 

Yeah he really couldn't say much about genetics. He was a fucking nightmare. 

But seeing that Tommy had an elytrian relative told him a lot about the younger. It explained why he was so fond of pillaring up higher and why he was so fast. It explained his fangs. 

Having another elytrian on the server felt...weird. Just knowing that he was there. He doesn't want to say bad weird, but there was definitely this strange pull there. He probably would've spent a lot of time watching Wilbur at first when he joined if it wasn't for how busy Dream normally kept him. So he didn't get to see Wilbur often. 

And then the war started. And rumors only got kicked up more and more. 

At first it was just some silly conflict over potions and brewing stands because Dream tried to keep brewing more regulated. Sapnap told him it would be a bad idea but it definitely became a problem after Wilbur joined.

Because it became very obvious, very quickly, that potion brewing was a specialty of Wilbur and Tommy. And Wilbur did not care for the rules surrounding potions. 

Sapnap didn't really have any...problems with that, really. His problem was never with the magpie elytrian directly. He was just opposing Dream. And him and Dream were thick as thieves having grown up together on the same server.

He had known Dream for a long time. So of course he sided with the ender hybrid when the war erupted. He's been helping him plan, gather resources, scouted out recruits, and every number of things for this war. Sometimes it felt like he was running Dream's war for him, not that he minded. He was good when it came to combat and books about war were like...the few he could actually stand to read.

But all the same, Wilbur seemed up to the challenge. He too recruited people for his side of the war, Tommy and his friend Tubbo, his own son Fundy who had joined with him. Jack, Eret...and then Niki. 

Now that had been a surprise to learn that the resident avian of the server was also related to Wilbur and Tommy. And it took him an embarrassingly long time to realize that Niki wasn't just an avian, but also an angel. Considering he was a demon you would've expected him to pick up on that sooner but no. He had been a little more distracted wondering how the fuck they were all related because Tommy looked almost completely different from Niki and Wilbur. Niki and Wilbur he could see it in their faces and assumed one of them had dyed hair. But he was asking himself if Tommy was adopted at that point. 

Confusing family dynamics aside...he really shouldn't think too hard about it...

Wilbur was proving to be quite the tactician. Building walls around his budding country (which were actually quite useful since Dream can't teleport in without line of sight and George was human) and using his skills at potion brewing to arm his small army. The walls acted as a good deterrent since they would likely get noticed trying to break in or dig under. And he had seen Tommy and Tubbo on top of the walls armed with bows keeping an eye out for aerial attacks. Which was smart, if they managed to hit him in the wing he would not be fucking happy about it so he'd rather not risk it. 

The general idea he was getting was that Wilbur was very smart, and despite maybe not having the best idea about how countries and borders work...he did know how warfare worked. He was a tough opponent. One that Sapnap wasn't keen to underestimate. 

...One that he started to notice that Dream was also surprisingly intimidated by. 

Dream wasn't easily intimidated by much of anything. It took a lot. Whether being faced with something like Sapnap himself, something monstrous and powerful or...something more otherworldly. 

He knew Wilbur was a cunning, clever wordsmith. He knew he was an elytrian which did make him something rare and unusual, but Dream had grown up with Sapnap. So he didn't think it was the elytrian aspect that had him bugging out over it. 

Sapnap heard a lot of things that happened on the server with his heightened hearing. And there are a lot of rumors about Wilbur that float around the land. 

He just never got his answer until a chance encounter late one night...

Dream was weird about instincts and things involving the instinctual and unusual. He normally didn't like it when Sapnap did...anything really when it came to his instincts. Granted, his instincts were weird as shit because he was like...three things jumbled into one freak of nature. But he really couldn't help it. 

Sometimes he just needed the relief of something all three sets of instincts could agree on. 

And that was hunting. The urge to dig his talons into something and rip. Despite how Dream looked at him whenever it was he stalked off into the forest to go deal with the urges, nothing could beat that rush. 

Sapnap would admit that...he became a lot more...feral...when he hunted. Which might be one of the reasons why Dream gives him weird looks. But he knew how he got. Knew that after a while of tracking something through the forest to feed on he'd go non verbal and lose himself to the instincts that ravaged his mind in a constant dull roar.

For him it was routine. He'd go into the forest, hunt down a cow or a pig or some kind of animal like that, and once all the urges were out he could go back to camp and relax until the next morning. Dream and him never acknowledged what transpired in the forest and George never cared to ask, either always sleeping or so fucking drowsy he just never noticed. 

That night there was a deviation from his routine. A snap of a branch in the trees above made him look away from the prey under his talons and distracted him from the fresh blood on his tongue. He looked up, scanning the canopy no doubt with orange eyes ablaze and pupils sharpened into slits. 

He saw a similar glowing gaze from above staring back at him. Right eye blue, left eye teal with slit pupils. 

Sapnap's ear feathers flicked as the gaze moved, shifting in the tree before starting to lurk down the trunk. Slowly revealing brown hair, a freckled face, and the wings and tail of another elytrian. 

It didn't take him long to realize it was Wilbur who had crawled out of the tree. He was the only other elytrian on the server after all. 

Wilbur moved closer, staying low to the ground much like how Sapnap himself did when he was instinctive. Wilbur didn't have the same legs that he had, but he moved like he did, the sharp talons that made up his fingernails digging into the ground as he moved closer. 

Slowly pulling out of the shadows so he could be seen better, tilting his head curiously with his ear feathers perked up and his tail swaying from side to side. Wings relaxed. 

Non threatening. Just curious. 

Sapnap growled when he got a little too close. Causing the other elytrian to chitter back at him with a clicking rattle in his throat. 

The taller elytrian knew for a fact that he couldn't make those same noises. His voice didn't hit those higher pitches that other bird hybrids used to communicate. But he relaxed his tail and ear feathers, matching the other's wing posture. 

As long as the fucker wasn't trying to steal from him or anything they were good. 

Wilbur tilted his head to the other side now, eyes darting back and forth between Sapnap and the kill under his talons. It was nothing serious, just a pig that had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. He growled again but the other just gave him a kind of exhausted, amused look. Eventually sitting down and curling his tail around his legs. 

Just watching him. 

It was a little irritating but if the bastard wanted to sit there and traumatize himself watching the demon hybrid eat that was on him. These kinds of nights were specifically for him to cut loose and not worry about pleasing everyone when it came to his instincts. He wasn't going to stop just because somebody was idiotic enough to watch.  

He leaned over and continued eating, ignoring the curious gaze of the other elytrian. After a few minutes he heard a chirp from the other's direction, lifting his head to meet the other's gaze. 

Wilbur...didn't seem bothered. His tail swished to the other side as he chirped again. It was a friendly noise, and his pupils weren't as sharp as they were previously. Still slitted, but no longer knife-like. 

Sapnap tilted his head at the magpie and the other just made a rumbling noise in his throat in response.

There was something in his mismatched gaze that made the taller pause and consider. And that was a sense of...recognition. Taking in the entirety of the other's expression only added to that. 

It was as if he was saying 'hey, I do that, we're kinda similar'. 

The partial demon relaxed his wings, letting the feather tips brush the ground slightly. After a second or so of curious staring he returned that rumbling noise. It was easier for him than the chirps. 

A previous tension that he hadn't noticed in Wilbur's posture vanished then, the other giving him a fanged grin as his tail tip flicked up and down. 

For a few moments they simply shared each other's space. Shared that bubble in the forest. Wilbur was relaxed, occasionally checking in with another chirp or some other friendly noise. As if he was asking if it was still okay for him to be there. Each time he got a responding noise to assure that he was fine. It wasn't like he was being a bother or judging him. He was just...there. 

As if fascinated to see someone else like him on this damn server. 

Then again, maybe he felt something of the same way. 

Eventually there was a noise further in the forest that caused both of their heads to swivel in that direction. The hooves of some animal hitting the ground, too light to be something like a cow but heavier than the pig he was through with eating. At that point he was just cracking bones between his fangs to get at the marrow inside. 

He heard Wilbur hiss in delight, turning his head to see the other stalking off in the direction they heard the sounds coming from. 

Sapnap would admit to staring. Watching until the other elytrian was completely out of his view. Looking at the way his wings moved and how his tail stilled as he clawed his way back up into a tree as opposed to just flying up. Watching him glide from tree to tree until he was well out of view. 

Part of him wondered if the other was a good hunting partner. If they'd have synergy or not. 

The elytrian half of him purred at the thought. 

He had to resist the urge to follow after the magpie. 

Sapnap always dunks himself in a lake multiple times before coming back to camp. Always scrubs himself clean of any blood he can see and then some. Takes time to preen himself and make sure he gets all the bird, blaze, and demon vocalizations out of his urges. 

And yet every time he comes back to camp he always feels like Dream is glaring at him from behind that mask. Always feels like the other can see blood on his talons as if he hadn't made sure to scrub every layer of dirt and grime off his hands. 

Normally as a result he retreats to a tree to sleep as opposed to talking. 

Tonight however, he plopped down on one of the logs surrounding the fire the masked enderian was sitting at and stared at him over the roaring flames. 

"... What?" Dream asked, his head tilting just slightly to indicate that he glanced around the area. "Is something wrong?" 

"What the fuck is up with Wilbur?" Sapnap responded, blunt. "You act weird about him. I've never seen you get this finicky about shit unless it's something like me, or something otherworldly." 

"Where is this coming from?" The other deflected. 

"I was thinking about it earlier," which wasn't a total lie, he was, but it wasn't why he was asking right now. "Now answer the question. How do you expect me to fight someone if I don't know why the fuck you seem so intimidated by them?" 

"I'm not intimidated-"

"It's 'cause Wilbur has some freaky future sight ability," George pipped up, making Sapnap jump to his feet as the brown-haired human sat up from behind a log. 

"Where the FUCK-... okay never mind, no, I'm not questioning that," the partial elytrian hissed, sitting back down with his tail lashing. "What the fuck do you mean future sight?" 

"George-"

"When Wilbur first came to the server Tommy started screeching about how he can see the future so there isn't a chance of Dream ever getting his hands on anything valuable to him ever again," the shortest of the three replied lazily, yawning a bit before he continued. "Dream said that was bullshit, so Tommy pestered Wilbur to read Dream." 

He jabbed a thumb at the masked enderian, "Whatever that meant. But Dream thought he was bullshitting so he sat down with Wilbur. Slowly Wilbur accurately recounted Dream's past, his present at the time, and then went into great detail about his supposed future. I think... there were these cards. A person carrying some swords, a tower crumbling, and a card with a person tied up and blindfolded surrounded by a bunch of swords. Wilbur said that Dream-"

"Enough," the second tallest of the three hissed, cutting him off. "That doesn't matter." 

Sapnap thought for a minute before snapping his talons together, "He did a tarot reading. My dad used to tell me about those." 

The other two gave him a look then, causing the hybrid to raise an eyebrow in their direction. 

"What? He's literally a demon, of course he knows this kind of shit," the tallest rolled his eyes a little. "Bad told me that tarot cards can hold a lot of power in the right hands. That certain people can see things in those cards that others can't. And that, yes, they can be scarily accurate. The future is always subject to change, but a tarot deck can show you the most likely path you'll go down. He tells me that if the meanings of the cards hold any kind of significance to you, then that's a sign. And that if you saw something in there that you didn't like? That you need to make changes fast."

"And what if it's not just the cards?" George prompted, pushing his goggles away from his eyes to give the elytrian a look. "I've heard rumors that he sees visions." 

"Then I don't know what to tell you," Sapnap shrugged. "We've gotten ourselves into a fight with an oracle who probably knows what we're doing well before we do." 

Despite not being able to see his face, Dream and George shared an obvious nervous look. 

Sapnap got his answer, getting up and flying to one of the tall trees near their camp and finding a sturdy branch to lay on. 

No wonder so many people were starting to follow Wilbur. 

He closed his eyes and thought back to an hour previously in the forest with the other elytrian sitting across from him. 

...If he got a reading, what would his cards say? 

The candles were acting strange. 

Weeks had passed since the war began in earnest and they were doing pretty good for themselves all things considered. 

But the candles were growing and flickering when there was no wind and kept pointing in a specific direction. Reminding him of how the winds would shift and change when Phil was coming home. 

Wilbur eyed the dancing candle light, trying to think. 

It couldn't be Techno because Techno wasn't fire aligned. Niki? No, she was in camp already. Tommy and Tubbo are on the far wall where the candles are pointing, so maybe them? 

But why would they be pointing them out? They were already here. It felt like the fire was hailing the arrival of someone. 

The elytrian's tail and ear feathers flicked as he remembered a week ago in the forest. 

Why would he be...?

Wilbur opened the door to the van, spreading his wings and flying across his territory to the far wall, his tail whipping in the wind as he approached. 

Tommy was the first to pick up on his presence, turning to give him a look, "What's the word, big man?"

"Either we've got incoming or we'll have a visitor here soon," Wilbur explained, starting to hover next to the two teenagers. "Sapnap should be heading this way. If it's not him then I don't know what the hell is going on with the fire right now." 

Tommy snorted, "So keep an eye out for the fire breathing demon harpy. Gotcha. Is he hostile?" 

"Not sure. It doesn't feel like it but if he comes in here packing TNT or spitting fire everywhere you have permission to shoot him down," Wilbur said. "If he seems disarmed and just here to talk, go ahead and send him my way. I'm going to alert the others and tell Niki to be ready to give you back up or escort him to the van." 

Tubbo shook his head, "You're never wrong so I'm going to assume he's coming for a visit. Gods know why." 

"Maybe he's finally realized he's working for a whiny little bitch ass loser," Tommy cackled. 

"Well just in case I'm wrong, be ready to shoot him down. Aim for his wings, not his tail or chest. His wings don't have the scale protection he's got almost everywhere else," Wilbur stressed before turning and flying to go find Niki and spread the word around camp that they might have a fight on their hands. 

Or a guest potentially. 

Sapnap wasn't sure what he was expecting when he flew into L'manburg airspace. Just that they would probably be expecting him. 

His curiosity got the better of him. He just...had to know if it was true. If Wilbur could really see the future. If he could really perform those terrifying tarot readings that his father always spoke of with both apprehension and awe. Besides, now he had caught Dream rambling to himself about cards and smoke. The enderian seems to have had a few nightmares since their talk. He had to see what the hype was about at this point. 

The second he came within view of the walls he had two bows pointed directly for his wings. He felt an eerie shiver go down his spine as he realized that they had been waiting for him. He could see it in Tommy's smug expression and Tubbo's firm grip on his bow. 

"Slow down there harpy," Tommy called. 

Sapnap did, slowing down as he came closer, holding up his hands as he began to hover. 

"Should you really be calling him a harpy?" Tubbo questioned. "Considering Wilbur and your dad are both elytrians?" 

"I'll call him whatever the fuck I want," the human snapped back before turning back to look directly at him. "You hostile?" 

"No," the elytrian responded. "I'm here to see your brother." 

Tubbo laughed, "I swear, your brother is the only person who worries about being wrong with his visions." 

"He's never been wrong once," Tommy snickered back. "Alright Sap, come in slow and land on the wall. Drop any weapons you've got before heading inside. Niki will take you to Wilbur." 

There was that shudder again. 

They really had been expecting him. 

Slowly he flew in and perched on the wall, unclipping his sword from his belt and handing it over to the young blond. 

"That it?" Tubbo asked, poking him with the flat end of his strung arrow. 

"I didn't see the need to bring anything else. I swear, I'm just here to talk to Wilbur," he promised. 

"Any particular topic?" Tommy prompted. 

Sapnap paused before turning his head to give the younger a look. 

"You wouldn't be here without reason," he shrugged. "I'm curious." 

The elytrian snorted, his tail curling at the tip as it flicked to and from. 

"I've heard that he can predict the future," Sapnap responded. "I want him to do a reading for me." 

Tubbo actively fucking cackled at that point as Tommy snorted. 

Wing beats approached and the younger of the two turned to wave at the pink-haired angel that was flying over, "Niki! He wants Wil to do a reading for him!" 

Sapnap shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot as Niki got closer, a sharp grin of amusement on her face. 

"Oh you poor thing," she cackled. "The last person to get a reading from Wilbur ran with his tail between his legs." 

Sapnap raised an eyebrow, "Dream, I'm assuming?" 

"Hit the nail on the head," Tubbo commented, equally as amused. "Have fun with that. He'll call your ass out with those damn cards." 

"Tarot doesn't give a shit about your feelings," Niki added. "But I doubt anything we say is going to deter you. Wilbur saw that you were coming." 

"I can tell," the elytrian nodded. "So it's true then? He sees the future?" 

"He can predict it, see it, interpret random shit in nature," Tommy started, counting off on his fingers now with his sword tucked under his arm and bow hooked on his belt. "He receives signs from the stars, he can tell things are going to happen before they do. Honestly kinda freaky, and I grew up with his ass." 

"Eldritch bird," Tubbo huffed. "Alright, go on now." 

The goat hybrid shooed him off, so he flew off the wall and started to follow Niki. 

He kept a good distance away from the angel of death, however. Flying just far enough behind her to not be too close to her airspace. She scared the shit out of him, honestly. He's heard the rumors about her draining flowers of their energy. 

"You sure you want this?" Niki asked suddenly, causing the partial demon to jump. 

His ear feathers flicked, "Yeah. I'm too curious for my own good. I blame the elytrian bits." 

"Yeah, elytrians have a reputation among our family," Niki chuckled. "Our father was always curious about the various worlds he could travel as an angel. And Wilbur... yeah he definitely got that desire for adventure. He's a curious little shit. Probably one of the few reasons you're being allowed in." 

"So what, he can't see what I'm here for?" Sapnap asked, filing away that information that their father was also an angel. 

That meant Wilbur had to have some minor divinity, same as his sister. 

"Oh if he did some scrying he probably could've figured it out," the crow avian laughed. "But he likes being surprised. And he only got the sign a few minutes before you arrived. Enough time to let everyone know you were coming though." 

They swooped down, Niki tilting her wings before flapping and folding them in as she landed. Sapnap landed next to her, following her further into their camp. 

"Any particular reason you chose now?" The angel asked. 

The taller's tail thumped against the ground as it flicked, "Dream has been rambling all paranoid to himself for the past few days since I asked what the hell is up with Wilbur. My dad used to tell me about tarot readings and the power those cards can hold. So I want to see what Wilbur can tell me about my future." 

"Hope it's better than what he got for Dream," Niki shook her head. "The Tower and Eight of Swords is not a good combination." 

"George mentioned there was a third card," Sapnap hummed. "But I'm assuming it was more than those three." 

"Yeah those three were the end of the reading, a warning for your friend," she explained. "Wilbur can tell you a lot about them if you want him too. He loves getting to gush about his cards. But the first one, I remember, was the Seven of Swords. We like to call that card the 'compulsive liar' card. It's all about deception and trickery. The Tower usually signifies a complete upheaval of somebody's life. Everything coming crashing down so it can be rebuilt anew. It's not always the most negative card, but usually signifies a lot of chaos and destruction of what was known previously. And then the last one... Eight of Swords symbolizes being trapped, for the most part. Being stuck, stagnant." 

"... Damn. That is a huge warning," the elytrian whistled. 

"Basically telling him that lying isn't going to get him anywhere," the shorter shrugged. "You can ask Wilbur about it more. He's the divinator of the family for a reason. Water aligned bastard." 

They eventually came up on the van that started it all, Wilbur leaning on it waiting for them. 

"Alright, here's your guest," Niki said dismissively, waving her hand in his direction. 

"Thanks Niki," Wilbur smiled, something fond in his expression as he looked at his sister. "Hey, before you leave, do you want to spy on Techno later?" 

Sapnap nearly choked. 

The fucking war god!?

The angel cackled, "Oh hell yeah. You think he's doing one of his sky battles again?" 

"I hope so, it's hilarious watching him decimate those poor people," the shorter elytrian snickered back. "But I figured it's about time we check on him." 

"Yeah probably," Niki shrugged. "Have fun you two." 

And with that she spread her wings and took back off. 

Leaving Sapnap alone with Wilbur. 

"So," the magpie started, his tail curled neatly at his side. "What do you want? I'm assuming this isn't really a social visit. Did Dream have another message for me?" 

"No, nothing like that," Sapnap rubbed his arm a little in nerves. "I heard you can... see the future, right?" 

There wasn't even a second of hesitation in the other as he nodded, "I can. I've been reading cards and scrying with water since I was a kid." 

"Right... well..."

"You want a reading?" Wilbur guessed. 

The taller of the two glanced around before nodding. 

"Dream keeps... mumbling about it since last week. And I'm curious. I want to see how accurate your cards can really get," he admitted. "I want to see what the hype is about." 

The magpie elytrian snorted a little, starting to grin, "Alright. Follow me." 

Sapnap blinked as the other turned around and entered the van. 

"Wait, just like that?" He asked, following the other into the van and having to duck down to even get inside. 

Once inside he saw Wilbur rummaging around through the chests, clearly looking for things. 

"Well it would've been better if you'd come at night," Wilbur commented, gathering a blanket, a candle, and a box of cards in his arms before turning and handing them to the taller. "And less windy. I prefer doing my readings outside but I don't want to risk my cards blowing away so we'll have to settle in here. Which is cramped and not that nice." 

He turned back to the chests before pulling out a nice cloak, dark blue in color with little gold constellation patterns all over it. He clipped it over his shoulders after fitting his wings through some slits in the back, his tail swaying happily as he donned the garment. 

It looked gorgeous on him, now that he looks. Matches the colors of his eyes and the blues of his wings perfectly. A lapis clasp holding it together over his shoulders. 

Sapnap shook his head, glancing away as the other took the blanket from his arms and took it into the back of the van, still talking. 

"But we can make this work. I love doing readings for others, y'know? I like seeing what cards they pull. Last person who got a reading from me was Dream, how's he doing with that by the way? You mentioned he keeps mumbling about it," Wilbur said, pushing some brewing stands aside on the counters and moving them around so he could drape that blanket over where they had previously been resting. 

"Um... not... all that well from the looks of things," Sapnap shifted the candle and cards to one hand so he could scratch behind his head. "He seems to be trying to ignore it. Or otherwise avoid it." 

"Not very smart of him," Wilbur commented, hopping up on the counter next to the blanket and gesturing at the open space on the other side of that dark blue fabric. 

"You really like the color blue," the partial demon mumbled, setting the cards and candle down on top of it before hoisting himself up to perch like how the magpie had. 

"I'm water aligned, it comes with the territory," he shrugged, taking the box of cards in his talons and opening them up. "That and the color just looks nice on me. Now then, what kind of reading do you want?" 

He began to shuffle the cards between his talons. 

"Erm... I don't really know what kinds there are? My dad used to tell me a lot of stories about tarot but I've never learned a lot about it myself," Sapnap said. 

"Well there are success readings, luck readings, love readings, and financial based readings," Wilbur listed. "There are also more general readings and different spreads for different questions. Some spreads are used for decision making, some can be used specifically to communicate with certain deities, and there are quite a few spreads used for self reflection. There are spreads for looking a week ahead, to a few months ahead. There are also spreads specific for your Zodiac sign or for interpreting any dreams that you've had." 

He shrugged, "Honestly you can do a lot of things with tarot cards. It just depends on what you want. If anything we can always just lay cards and see where it takes us." 

"So... what do you want to know?" 

Sapnap thought for a few seconds, glancing at his talons. 

"I guess... I want to know what's going to happen in the future. Not really concerning the war, but what happens after, no matter who wins or loses. But... you mentioned that there are spreads for self reflection too, yeah? I could probably use one of those. I've been... thinking about my priorities lately," he admitted. 

"Alright, I think we can work something out," Wilbur grinned, the cards gliding between his talons like it wasn't even difficult for him. "We'll go for some cards that represent you, your goals, what's influencing you, and their advice for you. After that, we'll look at three cards to give us a general overview of your future." 

The partial blaze nodded in agreement to the idea. That sounded like it would work. 

"Okay then," the shorter pulled all his cards back together before gently rapping on the top of the cards with his knuckles three times, then flipping them over and doing it again. 

He flipped them back over and gently blew over them before flipping them around to do it again. He then did another set of rapping, five times on top and five times after flipping them over. 

Wilbur then passed the cards to him. 

"Shuffle," he said. 

Sapnap blinked in vague confusion before he listened, beginning to shuffle the cards between his talons. He wasn't nearly as fast or skilled as Wilbur was, his talons more getting in the way than anything. He couldn't do some of those more complicated shuffling techniques that he had seen the other do. But he did the best he could to move the cards around before passing them back to Wilbur. 

The other snorted a little in vague amusement before he began to speak again, "So, for context on how I specifically do my readings, I read the cards how they appear facing towards me. So what's reversed for you, is upright for me, and what appears upright for you is reversed for me." 

"You say that like I have any idea what's going on," Sapnap deadpanned. 

The magpie elytrian chuckled, his ear feathers flicking in amusement as he did so. 

"I give everyone the explanation, whether they understand or not," Wilbur said, setting his cards down on the blanket before drawing the first one and flipping it over. "Ten of Wands." 

He set the card down on the blanket, "This card represents who you are right now, of course it's a fucking wands card." 

Wilbur laughed a little, as if he had made a joke that the taller didn't understand. 

"What does that mean?" Sapnap asked, tapping his talons against the counter. 

"Well wands is the suit most associated with masculinity and fire, so it fits you pretty well," the magpie snickered. "Anyways, as for the card itself..." 

He hadn't noticed it until now, but there was a new glow to Wilbur's eyes. His pupils slit like they were that day in the forest when they first made eye contact. 

"The Ten of Wands is all about burden, extra responsibility, hard work. It symbolizes someone who's taking on a bit more than they can realistically handle. It means that you're making things harder on yourself than it needs to be," he began. "However, this is only temporary. Notice how the figure in the card is within sight range of a town. Their job is almost complete. You're taking on this extra responsibility because you know it's only temporary. Even if it's too much for you right now, it'll benefit you in the long run. Or because you know you're appreciated for the effort. At least that's how you're viewing it." 

Sapnap thought about standing at Dream's side during this war. About taking on most of the responsibilities when it came to gathering the resources needed and keeping things in working order. War was his bread and butter, it was something he was good at. Even if it all felt like too much sometimes he felt like he could handle it. Couldn't he? 

"Sometimes this card likes to appear when you're taking on extra responsibility unconsciously. Doing little things for others without realizing how much they're piling up on you," Wilbur continued, his tail flicking back and forth like a writhing serpent. "You might be feeling a little burnt out. A little exhausted. This card is usually a sign that you should reevaluate and reprioritize what you're doing. Figure out what's most important to you and what little things you can drop to make the weight you're carrying lighter. You can't help anyone if you can't help yourself after all." 

"... Huh," Sapnap mumbled. 

"Orrrr it could be telling you that you're in the homestretch now," the other grinned. "You just need one last little push to cross the finish line. But we'll see if the rest of the cards surrounding this one tells you something similar." 

"Alright," the taller nodded, giving the magpie elytrian his full attention now. "What's next?"

"Well, let's look at your goals now," Wilbur hummed, drawing the next card from his deck. "Six of Wands! I'm starting to get the feeling there will be a lot of wands in this reading." 

He chuckled as he placed the card down, "This one represents success, public recognition, progress, and self confidence." 

"This tells me that your goal is, in essence, to win," the magpie elytrian had that amused look on his face. "I think that's almost everyone's goal right now. But I digress. This card appears when you have reached an important milestone, or achieved a significant goal. This is the victory card, returning home a hero. Being recognized by your friends and your family for your hard work. You harnessed your strengths to bring a happy outcome in your endeavors. This card shows that you've achieved what you set out to do by focusing on the task at hand. Which pairs well with the Ten of Wands." 

"Yeah that makes sense," Sapnap admitted, scratching at the scales on his neck. "It would be nice to be acknowledged for all the shit I do." 

Wilbur nodded, "Recognition is a powerful motivator. And this relates back to the Ten of Wands. You're taking on all these extra burdens because you want to be recognized for those efforts. You want to carry everything, even if you can't, because you feel like once you manage it? Once you cross that final hurdle? You feel like you'll be more successful. You feel like you'll finally get that recognition you want. The Ten of Wands is all about the completion of your Herculean task. The Six of Wands is about the aftermath, what you want to achieve once you finally cross your finish line." 

"Is this a tarot reading or a therapy session?" The partial demon joked. 

The shorter shrugged. 

"... Fuck does that mean?" Sapnap asked. 

"It can be both. The cards tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear," Wilbur explained, stretching his wings out and relaxing. "Let's look at a negative influence in your life now. Keep in mind, this could represent anything from a person, to an emotional struggle. I'm just here to tell you what the cards mean and how they might apply. It's up to you to interpret exactly how they apply to you." 

He flipped the card and frowned at what he saw. 

"King of Swords Reversed," the magpie said. "Quiet power, inner truth, misuse of power, and manipulation. This card represents how one might not be the loudest in the room, but can hold the most sway." 

Sapnap felt his tail wind around his leg as Dream flashed through his mind. 

Wilbur didn't seem to notice, however, continuing just like he had done earlier. 

"The King of Swords Reversed is a card all about power from within. Being stubborn and unwavering in one's beliefs even if they might be in the wrong," the shorter explained. "Drawing power and strength from those beliefs. People represented by the King of Swords Reversed are committed to their own truth, marching to the beat of their own drum. This comes with the drawback, however, of struggling to listen to others. Maybe you're so set in your ways that you aren't listening to the advice of others around you. And it often leads to the misuse of power." 

"You may have accumulated significant power and authority, but it's gone to your head. Your ego is now running the show rather than your compassion. Maybe manipulating others to get what you want. Using intellect to make others feel inferior or disadvantaged." 

Sapnap felt like there were weights on his wings drawing them down the more he listened. 

"Again," Wilbur added. "This could be someone in your life, or it could be a personal flaw. It could be a warning to not let power go to your head, or to watch out for people who have let power go to their head. Be aware of when you might be being manipulated. This card is usually always a warning. That this king may be intelligent and alluring, but can only do harm." 

He looked up from the cards at the other then, his ear feathers pulling back at the expression the partial blaze was wearing. 

"Are you alright?" Wilbur asked, reaching over and gently resting his talons on the taller's shoulder. 

Sapnap looked between the talons on his shoulder and the card on the blanket. 

"I... sorry. I just. That's a lot," he admitted. 

The shorter blinked at him for a minute, "Do you want to take a break? Want some water? Have you eaten today?" 

Sapnap took a breath, glancing back at the cards. 

He wanted to keep going but...it might be good to take a breather. But...he also needed to head back to Dream and George before-

His eyes fell on the card again, able to see the image clearly of a king on a throne with a sword in his hand. 

"Maybe something to eat would be nice," he relented. "Just... can't linger around for too long." 

Wilbur's eyes narrowed slightly at that, not that the taller elytrian noticed how his gaze sharpened. 

"You take all the time you need, we can always continue this on another day if you need to leave," the magpie told him, his tail flicking over to brush against the partial demon's own. "Let's go get something from Niki. She bakes as a hobby. Maybe the sweets will do you some good." 

Sapnap's wings felt a little lighter as he followed the other out of the van for a small break. 

The fresh air helped. 

Flying around for a few minutes helped him clear his head. 

Getting something on his stomach helped. 

He was feeling a lot better. 

...He felt even better racing around the walls against the other elytrian. 

Wind whistled in his ears as he shot forward, dipping down with Wilbur right on his damn tail. 

When it came to speed, Sapnap knew he was unmatched. He was the fastest flier on the server and he was proud of that fact. 

He heard the crack of Wilbur's tail whipping against the wind as the magpie made the sharp turn with ease, shooting past him because he had to slow down. 

But racing around the walls meant sharp turns. Turns that he wasn't as adept at making. But damn did it feel good to get wind under his wings and fly for fun. He didn't get to do it nearly often enough. He adored the sensation of flight when it was for fun. 

The sun was starting to set, so this was their last lap before they finished up with the cards inside the van. 

What he wasn't expecting was for the other members of L'manburg to get so invested in their race. Tommy and Tubbo shouting after them on the walls, Eret and Jack marking where the finish line was to note when they've made a full lap. Niki and Fundy running commentary whenever they'd blow past. 

Every time he passed Wilbur he could see a wide fanged grin on the other's face. One he knew he was probably mimicking. 

This was their last lap so Sapnap threw himself forward the second he was past the corner. 

On his way by he brushed his wing against Wilbur's, causing the other to laugh as the partial demon shot past him and slammed into the ground. Sliding to stop as he landed past the finish line. 

"Annnnd it's Sapnap! Coming in for a landing!" Fundy announced. 

Sapnap turned and watched as Wilbur landed, elegant and smooth just like most things he does. That's one thing he was starting to really notice about the other. Wilbur was really nimble, elegant in everything. From the way he shuffles cards to the way he curls his tail as he stands. 

The magpie elytrian breathes heavily for a few moments before Niki tosses a bottle of water at him. The other drinks before shaking out his wings as his feathers fluffed up. 

Fundy sprinted over to him and handed him one as well. 

"This isn't blessed is it?" He thought to ask. 

Fundy snorted, "No, we don't go around making holy water or shit like that. I'd be more concerned about it killing Dream than you." 

Sapnap couldn't stop the sharp laugh that escaped him then, wings flaring out as he cackled. 

More accurate than they thought, considering Dream's enderian nature. Holy water or no that shit would burn him way more than it would himself. 

"Having fun?" Wilbur asked, walking over with a happy flick in his tail. 

"He was asking if it was blessed," Fundy explained. "I told him I'd be more worried about it killing Dream than him." 

Wilbur snorted at that, shaking his head in amusement. 

"Alright, we should probably get back to that reading now that we've gotten to spread our wings a little," he said, walking closer to him and brushing their wings together. "You need anything else before we start again? Food? Water?"

"Nah I'm good," Sapnap snickered, taking a quick swig from the bottle in his talons. "Let's get back to it. I'm interested to see what the next cards will be." 

Wilbur grinned, nodding before turning to the others and waving at them before leading him off. 

"You have a good flock," Sapnap commented as they walked away and out of earshot of the others. 

"I'm lucky to have them," the magpie elytrian responded. "Though I'm always on the lookout for more potential flock members." 

"Yeah I get that. Demons are surprisingly social," the partial elytrian chuckled. "You wouldn't be able to tell that from looking at me and my dad but... yeah. Demons usually live in massive packs." 

He didn't really notice the way Wilbur was looking at him then.

"The heavier the nest the happier the bird," the shorter hummed happily, tilting his head away. "It's a shame I can't really maintain much of a nest right now. I'd love to shove everyone in this country into a big one." 

Sapnap purred, his tail happily swaying, "That sounds nice. It's been a while since I've been able to have a good nest. I kinda just have to make due." 

"Let me guess, you and the others move around a lot?" Wilbur prompted. 

"I need to stop letting you guess," the hybrid laughed, nudging him. "That reminds me though... last week in the forest, what were you doing out there?" 

That caused the magpie elytrian's tail to still as he glanced behind them. After a few seconds, he answered. 

"I'm assuming same as you," he said. "Hunting." 

"Do they... not know?" Sapnap prompted. 

"Well they know I go out into the forest to hunt. They just... don't know how. They assume I kill with a bow and arrow. I think only Niki and our dad knows exactly what happens in the forest when I sneak away," Wilbur responded. "Why? Does Dream know all the gory details?" 

"No," the taller said, his ear feathers pulling back. "He doesn't know all the details... but he knows I don't really... hunt like a human does." 

The magpie elytrian huffs, his tail lashing. 

"Figures," he rumbled. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sapnap questioned, raising an eyebrow at the other. 

"Just that I'm not surprised. Your tone tells me he disapproves, even if he knows it's not something you can control," Wilbur shakes his head. "It isn't something we can help. I don't think anyone in this camp would judge me for it but I keep it private for my own personal reasons. Not because I'm afraid of disapproval." 

That made him pause for a second before he felt the shorter's tail brush against his own. Keeping him from drifting. 

"But hey, you already know my opinions on Dream," the magpie snorted, brushing their wing tips together like their tails. "You didn't come here to hear my criticism of him or to hear me shit on him." 

The partial demon let his gaze drift across the territory, observing the few farms and small buildings they were starting to construct. The high walls that kept them safe from almost everyone except himself. 

"George and Niki both mentioned that when Dream got his reading from you... there were three cards," Sapnap started, not meeting the other's gaze. "What did they mean?" 

There was a beat of silence before he looked over again, seeing how Wilbur's gaze had locked ahead of them with that glow in his eyes again. His pupils slit as his demeanor shifted from friendly and welcoming to something much more...

Clinical...

It was much...much different from what he had seen earlier. 

"The Seven of Swords, The Tower, and The Eight of Swords," the elytrian growled. "Betrayal, deception, getting away with something, acting strategically. A card that implies trickery and going behind the backs of others. If the person is lucky, maybe they'll get away with it. But if unlucky? Others will find out. It's a warning to be aware that any time you use cunning or deception you are always at risk of being found out. The Tower... oh The Tower." 

Wilbur shakes his head. 

"The Tower is a bad pull usually. There are very few circumstances where that card can mean something good. Even if it's usually for the greater good," he explained. "It represents sudden change, upheaval, chaos, revelation, awakening. You must expect the unexpected. Divorce, death, financial failure, health problems, natural disasters, job loss. Anything that shakes you. Anything that will change you. Spiritually, mentally, or physically, sometimes two or all three. Change is coming, it's coming and you can't stop it. It'll tear up everything around you. Reign chaos until your only chance is to weather the storm until it passes. The Tower represents destruction." 

"And when it was paired with the Seven of Swords... well... the logical conclusion is that the lie was discovered. The secrets were revealed and the people around you have reacted negatively to what was discovered," the shorter sighed deeply. "Eight of Swords... the punishment. Negative thoughts, self-imposed restriction, imprisonment, victim mentality. Being trapped by your circumstances. A prison of your own making. There might be a way out, simply by changing your thoughts. Changing your beliefs. Removing the blindfold and freeing yourself from bindings that you created. But when paired with the others..." 

Wilbur's wings spread as he tilted his head up to watch the clouds, "He didn't believe me... so I showed him. There are many... many forms of divination besides just methods involving the cards. I helped him scry through smoke. Showed him his fate." 

"Dream ran. And from what you've said, he's running from the fate he witnessed even now." 

...

Sapnap was silent all the way back to the van. Keeping his wing tips brushed with Wilbur's as his mind lingered on the reversed king that was still laying on the blanket when they reentered. 

"Alright!" Wilbur clapped his talons together as he hopped back up onto the counter. "So when we left off, we were on your negative influence. I'm not going to reshuffle the cards since they stayed here the entire time and nobody has touched them since. Your next card will be a positive influence in your life moving forward, the antithesis to this negative influence." 

The partial blaze nodded, sitting down on the opposite side just like he had previously as Wilbur drew his next card and flipped it over. 

And suddenly the shorter began to giggle. 

"What?" Sapnap asked, looking at the card the other was placing on the blanket. 

"This is The High Priestess," the magpie explained with an amused look in his glowing eyes. "Normally this card shows up as a representation of myself in my readings." 

"What?" The taller repeated, looking from the other elytrian to the card below. 

"This card," Wilbur began, tapping it with his talon. "Represents intuition, sacred knowledge, divine feminine, and the subconscious mind. She is the guardian of the subconscious mind and the teacher of sacred knowledge. Hidden mysteries and things beyond our control. Having an innate ability to travel between the conscious and subconscious, the physical and the mystical. All with little to no effort. She teaches you that the world is not always what it seems and more profound influences are often at play. She ushers you through the veil of awareness, offering you a deep, intuitive understanding of all things magical." 

He smiles, "This is your positive influence. Something in your life meant to help and guide where that negative influence can be a vice or something that will come to harm you. And usually this card represents me in my readings. So I just find it a little hilarious to see it here. Maybe it's representing me again, maybe I'm someone you'll come to rely on in the future. Or maybe it means that you'll have an awakening of your own into something more magical. Something more... otherworldly." 

"Again, these influence cards can represent people, ideas, thought patterns, anything that can influence you." 

"... Oh," Sapnap muttered. "You... think it might be you?" 

Wilbur shrugged, "It could be. Or it could be something entirely different. I'm here to interpret the meanings of the cards and how they can potentially apply to you. Sometimes with a bit of unofficial talk therapy on the side. It's up to you to figure out what these meanings imply about yourself and what's happening around you." 

"But there's a chance it's you," the taller blinked. 

The other elytrian snickered. 

"Maybe we'll get to know each other a lot better in the future." 

...

And the more he thought about it? The more he thought that he might like that...

"The next card?" Sapnap prompted. 

Wilbur nodded, drawing the card from the deck, "This is my cards' advice concerning your present and your priorities." 

He flipped the card and laughed again. 

"Queen of Cups Reversed," the magpie grinned. "What I like to affectionately call the 'shut up and take care of yourself' card." 

The taller elytrian squawked, his feathers puffing out which only made the other laugh harder. 

"Inner feelings, self-care, self-love, and codependency," he explained. "You need to draw your attention inwards and focus on your emotional well-being. You're great at taking care of others, now it's time to take care of yourself. This card suggests emotional drainage because you're so focused on supporting others that you aren't remembering to take care of yourself. You need to set firm boundaries. Of course you love the people you care about, but you can't help them if you can't help yourself first. You aren't responsible for their emotional bullshit or their baggage and problems." 

"This card also implies the presence of codependency. Maybe you're relying on people too much, or maybe they're relying on you too much. Either way, you need to step back and focus on yourself for a while. Not other people." 

"And this brings us to the end of the first part of your reading," Wilbur nodded to himself. "The next three cards will give us insight into your future." 

Sapnap curled his tail around his leg, taking a deep breath, "Alright. So... to recap, right now I'm taking on a lot of shit that I really don't need to. I'm doing this because I'm dead set on winning and gaining the recognition of those closest to me. My negative influence is... a warning against either someone manipulative or letting power go to my head. My positive influence is something of a more spiritual nature. Possibly being you. And... the advice is... self-care." 

He looked over at the other, earning another nod from the magpie elytrian. 

"Remember," Wilbur reached over with his wing, brushing his shoulder with his flight feathers. "It's up to you what these cards mean to you. And no matter what you see in your future cards, the future is always subject to change. If you want things to change for yourself the first step is to always look inwards and see what differences you want. Do you want to be a kinder person? A stronger person? Do you want to be more than you are right now? Do you want to connect with parts of yourself you feel disconnected to? Only you can truly dictate what the cards mean as they apply to you. Even if they seem... pretty blunt about certain things." 

"Yeah they don't exactly pull punches, do they?" The partial blaze chuckled. 

"They never do," the shorter grinned. "Now then, let's see what your future holds." 

He pulled his wing back and pulled the next card off of his deck, flipping it over. 

"Death," he announced. 

Sapnap choked, coughing for a second as the other started laughing again.

"Not literally!" He clarified, reaching over to pat him on the back as his wings flared out in surprise, the feathers around his neck getting all puffed out. 

"Death is part of the major arcana, like the High Priestess," Wilbur explained, giving him a reassuring look. "It doesn't mean you're going to die." 

"Gods above can you not give me a fucking heart attack Wilbur!?" The taller snarled, giving the other a glare. 

The magpie elytrian put his hands up in mock surrender, still smiling at him. 

The partial demon shook his wings out, ear feathers pulling back as his tail flicked, "Alright. Fuck does that mean then?" 

"Death is the herald of change, representing endings, change, transformation, and transition. New beginnings or the start of a new cycle," the oracle began. "Death represents the end of a major phase or aspect of your life that you realize is no longer serving you. Opening up the possibility of something far more valuable. The closing of one door to open another. Putting the past behind you and embracing new opportunities and possibilities. It can be difficult, obviously. But nothing worth doing is ever done easily. Maybe you're letting go of something that's been hurting you, maybe you're moving on to simply something better." 

"No matter how much you cherish this old part of your life, sometimes it's better to simply let go. Resisting these endings will only cause you pain in the long run. It's all about clearing away the old to bring in something new to your life that will benefit you and be better for you." 

"Oh," Sapnap mumbled. "That's... a lot more positive than I was expecting." 

"It usually is," Wilbur said with a warm grin on his face as he gazed at his cards. "While The Tower is the sudden upheaval of your life and everything you know, Death simply represents a time of change and transitions. It can be sudden, yes, but it's letting go of old cycles, not completely ripping them apart. And it's something to welcome. In this context? I see it as a very good card for you. Know that when the future comes, things will change for you drastically. You may not even recognize yourself in the future. But that it's ultimately a good thing. It may be hard, it may be difficult, but you will be a better person for it." 

That made something warm grow in his chest, his wings lowering in relief as his ear feathers perked back up. 

"So... next card?" He prompted, eager to know more about this future. 

The magpie elytrian plucked another card from his deck and flipped it over on the blanket. 

He cooed then, the sound sweet and bird-like. 

"Ace of Cups," he purred, an actual real purr in his chest. "I love this card." 

"You do?" Sapnap questioned, tilting his head at the shorter. 

Wilbur's tail started to sway happily, "This card represents love, new relationships, compassion, and creativity. Divine love and compassion are pouring through you. You are a vessel for deep, spiritual love. You're overflowing with it, letting it spill into the world and to the people around you. You receive love, you give love, you are love. Your heart is overflowing with joy and compassion. It hails the perfect moment to open up and experience all the emotions available to you. You are more receptive to creative opportunities, loving connections, and deep compassion for other living beings." 

"Being that this card is an Ace, it takes the form of an invitation. You can refuse this love, or you can accept it. But know that if you do, it'll make you feel emotional fulfillment unlike anything you've ever experienced. It's an open door for new relationships to form, maybe in the form of new friends, new connections in your family, or even the potential of a wonderful romantic relationship. It can be a sign that you're open to creativity and new ideas. It could show a more generous and compassionate nature shining through." 

The other's wings spread out. 

"It's a beautiful card," he purred, a happy chirp bubbling from his throat. "I love this card. It's one of my favorites in the deck." 

Sapnap felt his own tail happily swaying back and forth, his feathers ruffling in a more pleased manner than earlier. 

"That's... that's really nice," he admitted. "I like that. I like how this is going." 

"Let's see... and your last card... oh!" 

Wilbur smiled at the next card in his talons, placing it down, "Four of Wands! Oh that's wonderful!" 

He clapped his talons together with a happy chirp actually breaking out, "You have a wonderful future to look forward to!"

"What does that mean?" Sapnap asked, leaning closer. 

The shorter's wings fluttered, his feathers puffing out, "Celebration, joy, harmony, relaxation, homecoming. It's the community card, the family card, the celebration card. It's all about blissful happiness and appreciation for the good things in life. Maybe commemorating a significant event or milestone, celebrating something important with your family, or even the potential of a wedding! It's about bringing people together and simply just letting your hair down to enjoy things in life. Maybe a return home to familiar places or people who make you feel safe and supported. Or perhaps you're changing things within your own home for the better. After a series of rapid growth and expansion it's time to pause and celebrate what you've achieved." 

"It's another beautiful card," Wilbur purred, his purring now something rapid and constant. "Gods it's been forever since I've seen such a happy future reading. And with this paired with the Ace of Cups... maybe you're going to get married to someone in the future!" 

The magpie elytrian reached over, taking his talons into his own, "This is wonderful! You've got something really good to look forward to. I can't tell you exactly how far into the future this is, and yes, unfortunately this can change depending on what you do with this information. But this is the most likely path. My cards always show the most likely path. It's an amazing reading. One of the most positive I've seen since getting to this damn server."

The other's grin then turned to something fanged and teasing, "Y'know those last two are really romantic cards depending on the context. I didn't take you for a romantic." 

Sapnap stuttered a little, shaking his head, "What? No no definitely not I'm not-... gods you serious about that marriage connotation?" 

"Yes!" Wilbur chirped, his tail lashing so wildly in his joy. "Marriage! On this damn server! Gods that makes me so happy! The last reading I did was Dream and his cards were terrible I hated having to read them!" 

"But there's... there's no way," he shook his head again. "I'm not really... I don't know I'm not really a romantic person. Like there's no way that could mean marriage I'm not marriage material." 

"Nonsense!" The shorter declared. "And you shut your damn mouth! I want to predict at least ONE good thing on this server! And even if it's not marriage it's still so good! I'm hoping it's marriage though. I love weddings. You better INVITE ME." 

"You know what? Fuck it, we can find out right now," Wilbur had this feral grin on his face as he grabbed the candle he had plucked up earlier. "Sapnap have you ever done scrying before?" 

"What even is scrying?" The partial elytrian asked, stunned a little and still trying to process that. 

It couldn't be marriage. He was a nightmare lumbering around in barely human skin. Nobody was going to marry this if they valued their sanity. 

"Scrying is the act of seeing what will happen in the future via looking through a medium. My main form of such is water, gazing into water and seeing what will happen. But for Dream I let him scry using smoke," the magpie elytrian explained. "We'll do fire for you. So light the damn candle." 

He held out the item in question, an expectant look in his gaze as he gathered up his cards with his free hand and put them back in the deck. 

Sapnap glanced between the shorter and the candle. 

"What if I don't want to?" He questioned. 

"Then I'm not going to force it onto you," Wilbur responded. "If you want it to be a surprise don't worry. I get it. But if you're curious... well... I can show you. And I'm really curious to know if it's marriage or not. Normally marriages don't happen in the middle of a war. Usually. So it's just... it'd be nice. I like predicting nice things. So I want to know what exactly this positive thing is going to be. Even if it isn't marriage." 

He shrugged, "But if you don't want to know... then your reading is over and you're free to leave whenever you want. Just collect your sword from Tommy and be on your way." 

"How did you know Tommy had my sword-"

"Sapnap we were literally just with everyone else earlier," the magpie elytrian stared. "He had it clipped on his belt. It's way too big to be one of his." 

"Right," Sapnap looked away. "Right. Sorry." 

"You're fine," Wilbur huffed, his tail flicking over to brush his again. "And hey, if you don't particularly feel like leaving yet or scrying, we can always just... hang around for a while. Believe what you will, but you're pleasant company. It's... nice having another elytrian around." 

He looked back at the taller, and he saw an expression that was genuine. Open, easy to see, not hiding behind a covering of some kind. No goggles that obscures his eyes, no mask that hides his expression. Open honesty that made it hard to deny or doubt what he was being told. 

Is that why they all followed him? 

Because of that honesty? Because he didn't feel the need to hide what he was and what he could do? 

...Did he want to know?

The partial demon's gaze lowered to look at his talons. Long and curved, not all that different from the shorter's own. 

Did he want to see what was in his future? If he was really...?

His attention briefly wavered to the candle still held out to him in Wilbur's hand. An offer. 

Death, Ace of Cups, Four of Wands. 

What did it all mean? Could he really see what it meant? 

Was Wilbur really that powerful? 

Sapnap...he knew what he wanted. His gaze traveled out the window briefly to check the position of the sun. 

"How... fast will this be? If I agree to the scrying?" He questioned. 

"That depends on you," Wilbur responded with a shrug. "The visions will show you as much or as little as you want. It depends on you. If you feel like you've seen enough it'll move on. Or we can focus specifically on what you want to see. Like if you want to see if you get married the vision can focus on romantic endeavors moving forward." 

"Alright," he responded, considering. 

Did he want to focus or...

No. 

The Death card flashed through his mind then, making his gaze sharpen slightly. 

He wants to know what changed. 

"Let's do something with broader strokes," the taller settles. 

"Very well then," the oracle nods, holding up the candle. "Go ahead and light it up." 

Sapnap looked him right in the eyes before blowing a small stream of fire onto the candle wick. A certain air of smugness about him as Wilbur's eyes lit up. 

"So you do breathe fire," the magpie grins as his tail sways. "I don't think any of us have ever seen you do it." 

The partial demon winks then, "Don't tell Tommy." 

That earned him a bubbly laugh from the shorter, nodding as he moves his blanket and cards before setting the candle down between them. 

"I won't," he agrees cheerily. "Keep the gremlin guessing. Now give me your hands." 

Wilbur offers his talons on either side of the candle, pulling the taller's closer once he gives them to him. 

"Fire scrying is different from smoke and water," the other elytrian begins to explain. "With smoke and water I simply channel the magic through the medium. With water it'll act like a mirror would. Showing the person reflections of what will come. Smoke takes vague shapes, swirling around a person and consuming their vision with what is to come. Fire... fire isn't my element. So it's not exactly a practice I'm skilled at. I'll admit that. I channel through the person who is connected with fire rather than through the fire itself. So it'll feel like you're slipping under a trance almost." 

"Okay," Sapnap nodded, trying to not let it show how much that freaked him out a little. 

"I want you to focus on the flame at the end of the candle," the oracle hums, his voice starting to lower. "Breathe in, breathe out." 

The taller did so, trying to force his wings and tail to relax. 

"Don't look at me, you keep looking at the fire. Your hands are going to start getting warm here in a minute and you might feel a bit tingly. Relax, you know how magic works I'm assuming." 

He nodded again, keeping his gaze focused. 

"Good. You're doing great. Breathe in, watch the flame get higher, breathe out, watch it get smaller. Remember this is your fire, but my magic. This isn't the first time I've done this and you're in safe hands. Just relax." 

Sapnap blinked. 

He breathed. 

He didn't notice the way the lights in the van began to dim. He didn't see the way Wilbur's hair seemed to get darker as magic tingled through his hands and up his arms. Didn't see the glow in his eyes getting more intense as something powerful hummed in the air and shrouded the area in hushed silence. 

Sapnap blinked. 

He wasn't in the van. 

Sapnap walked forward with many others at his side. Some he recognized, some he didn't. 

He saw Tommy and Tubbo in front of him. 

He saw Dream in front of them.

They were in a dark room, and on the walls of this room were framed item after item. Each one seeming to pull different reactions out of different people. 

It didn't take him long to realize that they were all, in a way, like Tommy's discs. Based purely on other's reactions. 

This place...this vault made him feel sick for some reason. Disgusted even. 

Looking at Dream only made that feeling worse. 

Dream was backing away from them, subtle tilts of his head telling Sapnap that he was searching for a way out. Gauging the possibility of escape. That mask tilted again, eyes locking on him, then George, and a few others in the crowd. His posture was desperate, but he was surrounded. 

Everyone held some kind of weapon. Glares on the faces of everyone present. 

It felt like the entire server was there. 

Except...

He didn't see Wilbur there. 

Where was he? 

After a few seconds it became clear he wasn't going to get that answer. Something in him telling that this was a lot more important than that. 

And it only became more obvious as Tommy started to advance on Dream. 

It all felt strange. Like he was there but he wasn't. Watching as his best friend-

And something recoiled at that. 

Something screaming that Dream was not his friend. And hasn't been his friend for a long time. 

It was all so...so strange. 

Was this what Death referred to? His turning point? 

What made this his turning point...?

Things were being said. Dream was pleading with Tommy. But Sapnap couldn't hear. 

The only thing he did hear was when someone behind him mentioned working on something. 

A prison. 

...Dream was being arrested. 

...

The vision changed. 

He was no longer in that dark vault. Instead he was walking forward with another man holding onto his arm and walking with him. When he looked, he saw a brown-haired peacock avian. A beautiful colorful tail, not the kind that elytrians like him and Wilbur had, but rather what you'd expect from a peacock you'd see in the wild. 

He wore this colorful sweater, which didn't make sense since they were walking in a desert for some gods forsaken reason. Though it did make him realize neither of them were wearing armor. 

The man had this rounded face and a bright grin, a spring in his step as they approached a massive city in the distance. 

When they arrived at this shining beacon in the middle of the desert wastes, two other bird hybrids were waiting for them. 

A man with black hair that went to his shoulders and a vicious looking scar down his face. One eye brown and the other grey, clearly damaged by the scar. He had black, white, and grey wings on his back and a gold fang in his mouth. He had this sharper look about him. Something confident despite shorter stature. 

And next to him was Wilbur. 

Wilbur, dressed in that pretty blue cloak of his. 

The peacock avian that was hanging onto him ran forward and tackled Wilbur. Wrapping his arms around the taller's shoulders as Wilbur caught him. Sapnap couldn't hear what he was saying, but could somewhat read his lips. 

Thank you. 

Over and over again as Wilbur's gaze softened. 

The black-haired avian approached him then, holding out his hand to him. A hand covered in rings, but no talons. 

That sharpness Sapnap had noticed about him earlier faded as he looked up at him. Something remorseful in his gaze...but hopeful he thinks. 

The taller elytrian takes his hand and lets him lead over to Wilbur and the other avian. A sense of joy starting to light in his heart. 

...

The vision changed again. 

It was night now, stars shining high above the city as glasses were clinked together with no sound. 

Sapnap looked around and it looked like he was in the middle of some kind of festival. Sat at the head of a table with that black-haired avian from his last vision sat between him and Wilbur. Turning his head, he found that same peacock avian leaning his head on his shoulder. Looking at him lovingly. 

On the table was a massive amount of food. A mixed selection for all the different guests he saw sat there. 

One thing he also noticed was the almost ceremonial feel of it all. Finding himself and the hybrids all next to him dressed in complex but beautiful looking garments. Each shining with jewelry that had many of the other guests staring. 

But what really caught his eye was one of the rings he was wearing.

He was surrounded on all sides, not by enemies, but by wings and tails and so much love he felt like he couldn't get the damn grin off his face. 

And when he lifted his hand to look more closely, it was a wedding ring on his left ring finger. No doubt about it. 

The fire flickered out. 

Sapnap blinked. 

Holy shit. 

"Well?" Wilbur asked, using his magic to set the burnt out candle away. "What did you see?"

"You didn't-" Sapnap began. 

"No!" The other responded, looking a bit offended. "I don't pry into other people's visions I just guide them and provide them with the magic needed to have them. I didn't see what you saw. Now tell me, are you getting married!?" 

The shorter elytrian grabbed his shoulders and shook him a little. 

The partial demon blanked for a second or so. Just staring at the oracle in front of him as he processed. 

...All three of them...?

They were all at the head of the table...they were all the most glamorous and stunning...

He remembers the blue robes Wilbur was wearing and the silver jewelry that framed him so perfectly. Sitting so elegantly with amusement in his eyes. 

He remembers the peacock avian in deep purples and a few green accessories. Looking colorful and beaming so brightly against his shoulder. 

He remembers the shortest of them...that confident grey-winged avian decked in passionate red and glittering gold. The grin on his face something proud.

That...looked like a wedding reception. 

"What the fuck I'm getting married," Sapnap muttered, feeling the blush come to his face. 

To THREE partners. 

"YES!" Wilbur sang, hopping up off the counter and dancing around the small space in the van. "FINALLY I predict something GOOD is going to happen!" 

He couldn't believe it. Him. HIM of ALL people!? 

How the fuck did he score two avians and the only other elytrian on the server!? Where was that!? How far in the FUTURE was that!? Wilbur didn't look much older-

Wait what the fuck he's going to marry Wil-

Sapnap was dragged out of his thoughts by the magpie grabbing his talons and pulling him off the counter to spin around, happy chirps in his voice as he flutters about the space. 

"Sapnap I swear to all the fucking gods in existence you BETTER INVITE ME!" Wilbur demands. "I better be invited. You better invite me. I don't even give a shit if Dream is there you better let me come to the wedding!"

The partial elytrian felt himself soften looking at that happy expression. Those blue and teal eyes. The way his feathers fluffed up. 

Warmth coursed through his veins as he felt his heart pound. A sense of utter fullness in his chest as he gazes at the shorter. 

"Yeah," he agrees. "I'll... I'll remember. Do you... want to know? Who it is?" 

"No no no no," Wilbur shakes his head. "Don't tell me! I want to guess! I want to be surprised! But if it's Dream I'm judging you. Hard." 

Sapnap snorts, "Gods no, it's not him. But... there's three of them. Three partners." 

The oracle gasps, covering his mouth with his talons. Probably to stop himself from screeching or something. 

If he didn't want to know...he wouldn't tell him...

But he couldn't help the way he looked at the other after that. Couldn't help the way he smiled at Wilbur as the shorter gushed over the idea of him getting three partners. 

Wilbur was excited for him without even knowing...

That made him all the more endearing in Sapnap's mind.