“I’m, uh, not really doing anything.” And then he realizes that this is probably a polite way to exit the conversation. “Oh, um, yeah, sorry, of course. Yeah. I can, uh, go… home…? Or I can pick up and put down grass blocks… over… there…? Or I can talk to people! I’m going to leave now. Goodbye.”

They are both so good at gracefully exiting conversations.

Jingyan goes to sleep, because at this point, nothing good is going to come of having more of this day.

Yeah, that's... fair.

When he wakes up, the results are in. 53% of the viewers supported exiling Tommy.

They also have some assorted feedback, of varying helpfulness:

ehehe TOMY EXILE

if you plan 'okay we're going to 'technically' 'exile' you but visit and help out and try to get dream to chill enough to let you come back' that seems like it might mitigate the impact but also might have Other Problems

secretly gather resources to fight back against dream and save him once the walls are down, communicate about your plans at least a day ahead of time, check in and communicate regularly about progress?

pogchamp pogchamp pogchamp

I dislike the idea of exiling Tommy alone, because thatʼs been done, but there are other options besides picking a fight youʼll likely lose.  You just signed a treaty for what happens if Tommy steps out of line you could try to enforce, for example.  I also feel like Tommy would feel less betrayed about the exile if Tubbo were to step down and join him, and that might be better for LʼManberg than going to war would be.

ask phil whether he thinks technoblade might help against dream without attacking, if you communicate clearly

exile everyone in L'Manberg

So that's what the watchers want.

...

There is maybe some merit to exiling Tommy and working to get him out, to supporting him as best they can from a distance, but it still sits wrong.

Exiling everyone has its advantages except for the fact Dream would almost certainly not go along with it.

The mood is... Tense.

Quackity, Tubbo, and Fundy are huddled near a stone building the majority of which is slightly off the ground; they seem deep in discussion. Ranboo is hovering nearby. Tommy isn't out and about, which is unusual for him; neither is Nihachu, but it seems less unusual for her. Philza's silently working on the architecture. Ghostbur's wandering around cheerfully, oblivious.

Tommy being missing is... concerning.

He goes up to the larger group to see what's being discussed.

Apparently things happened last night which everybody except Quackity missed! Specifically, George was dethroned as King of the Greater Dream SMP and Eret was reinstated. Quackity and Sapnap were upset and confused and defended George; Dream responded by threatening them as well.

Tubbo and Fundy are laughing intermittently. It's not a particularly happy laugh; Tubbo's especially verges on the hysterical.

An enemy nation being in shambles is-- useful, but also does increase the general amount of chaos going on. Which this place did not need.

"Do we have better relations with Eret than with George?"

"It doesn't matter, Jingyan. They're both--approximately neutral, I guess, but--Dream's the one who crowned George in the first place. It all-- Dream just--" He laughs again. "The only reason we're in this situation is because George was king."

"Dream is the actual power on this server and George was-- was an excuse?"

"Yeah. Yeah, pretty much."

"So this doesn't change-- whatever our plan is."

Tubbo takes a deep breath. "No. No, it doesn't. It just-- I almost can't believe he did that." Another deep breath. "Okay. We need to talk before Tommy arrives, just so like... 'Cause some people might not want to say stuff to his face. Like, what we think about what is gonna have to happen today, quite possibly."

"Yeah. Okay, so... My point of view is, what happened with Tommy, and what Tommy did, with Spirit, is, it's something I respect him for, because it takes courage. And I respect him for that! For getting that courage and going against Dream. Because, like, fuck Dream. But at the same time, um, we're all being put in jeopardy as well. Tommy didn't strategize, he just--does things impulsively. And Dream, Dream's holding all the strings right now."

"Yeah. You're right. We can't--we don't want to show any sign of weakness today, okay? No sign of weakness. Either way. Because--it is, it is still our choice. I don't have to do what the viewers want."

(Tommy is religious, half of his mind says. Tommy will do almost anything for his viewers. You were trying to get out of a hard choice, when you suggested asking the viewers, but you were also thinking of him. Of how he'd want the decision to be made.

Tommy is your best friend, the other half of his mind says. Tommy doesn't want to be exiled, no matter what they say. He's going to beg you not to. He cares about you more than he cares about the viewers. Aren't you supposed to care about him too?

Tubbo tries to ignore it all. It doesn't matter what anyone wants. The only thing that matters is what's best for the country.)

"I would say we should not exile Tommy. But I am one person, and not in the cabinet at that."

"Here’s what I’m thinking. Everyone is telling me that we try to stage it, right now. Everyone is trying to tell me that, that we should try and stage an exile, but Dream is too smart for that. We can't rely on a plan based around Tommy keeping his mouth shut, I think he proved that pretty thoroughly."

Quackity sighs. "But the issue here is that we cannot just keep pleasing Dream, negotiating with him, letting him tell us what to do."

"Yeah. It's not-- it's not a good situation. Our options are, I'm gonna be honest, they aren't good."

"We should not just leave Tommy out in the cold."

"We shouldn't put the rest of the country in danger either. We're going to have to do something we shouldn't."

"I know what I would choose. But I also know it is not up to me."

"Right." Sigh. "And now we're just--now we're just waiting on Tommy."

As if on cue:

<TommyInnit> guys?
<TommyInnit> Tubbo?
<Tubbo_> on our way
<ItsFundy> where are you
<TommyInnit> community house

And with that the cabinet heads towards the community house, accompanied by Ranboo, Ghostbur, and Jingyan.

...Tommy is probably at the community house for good reasons? Hopefully?