Chapter Text
Welcome to Sands of Time!
Here’s How You Play…
“Being the sandkeeper is no fun.” Dream complained. He needed the forceful reminder of spectator mode holding him in place to refrain from crossing his arms.
“If we’re ever on the same team for MCC ever again, I’ll make sure you’re not the sandkeeper. Until then, all you need to do is survive, you absolute dumbass.” Sapnap huffed.
“I’ll hold you to that, Sapnap.” Dream chuckled light heartedly. With the scoreboard being as it was, they were so far ahead at this point they’d need to absolutely tank the last two games to even have a shot at not making it to dodgebolt.
“Bad, look under that tunnel. The blue key is there. You just have to swim.” Dream advised. “The tunnels are lined with colors. Just follow the blue. The–The dark blue, not the light blue.”
“I know, Dream.” Bad chuckled gently. “I want you out of this as much as you want out. I’m not going to ruin the game for us.”
Dream swallowed. “And–George is colorblind, so Sapnap, you go for the red one. George, just try to get as many coins and rusty keys as you can, okay? I’ll just keep filling the timer with sand as long as you bring it.”
“Hey buddy, I’m starting to think you’re getting a little panicky. We know how to play the game. Don’t you worry a gorgeous blonde lock on that pretty head of yours.” Sapnap teased
Dream felt his face grow warm. “I’m not panicking. I just don’t enjoy being stuck here with the sand is all.”
“Whatever you say.”
Illumina: No cheating this time, alright Dream?
He felt his stomach drop. His performance in build mart obviously still was on peoples’ minds. Not to mention the amount of times they’d been called out for the lack of a stream from anyone on the team numerous times. He wondered if he’d have to explain himself. What would he even say?
“Untilt yourselves. We’re the four muffinteers, yeah? We’ve got this.” Sapnap added reassuringly.
Dream cracked a small smile, and he only wished the characters representing his friends weren’t so emotionless.
“I didn’t mention this, but it’s kind of strange seeing how big Minecraft characters really are. I always thought they’d be much smaller than this.”
“Are you calling me fat?” Sapnap gasped incredulously.
Before Dream could respond anything at all, the chimes blared through the game hall and indicated the start of the game.
The four of them split up and ran, Dream using his iron shovel to scoop up some sand laying on the staircase.
He ran (avoiding the rusty keys; he was fairly certain he wouldn’t get tetanus, but wasn’t keen on risking it) around the arena, picking up coins and more sand as he went.
“Should I…open these dispensers?” He asked aloud as the wall of machinery loomed over him. He knew something good could be inside, but the risk of the undead leered at him regardless.
“No. Why would you do that?” George scoffed as if it were the dumbest question he’d ever heard.
“It could help us win. Remember, if I just had to finish the tournament, I’d be cowering in the corner the entire time. But we have to win. ”
“And we’re already so far ahead, you muffin. It’s not worth it.” Bad chuckled.
Dream glanced at the translucent bar displaying the scores. The coin scores were rapidly increasing for his teammates, but he was sure that the rest of the teams faced the same fortune. Besides, none of them were playing at a disadvantage of a full player.
He flicked the lever. Coins. And again, more coins. He allowed himself to relax after the fourth lever and only coins, when he was met with a moaning zombie barely three inches from his face.
He yelped and leapt backward, the undead creature slowly trailing after him. He white-knuckled his shovel before smacking the mob atop the head with it, and it exploded into small particles, with some coins for his troubles.
“Holy shit those are a lot scarier in real life.” He panted.
“What is? What did you do?” George asked.
“Zombies. But I got us some coins.” Dream chuckled, abandoning the rest of the dispensers as he listened to his friends’ cries in his ears.
“You are an idiot.” Sapnap snapped, with more bite than he had earlier.
Dream shook it off and began loading the hourglass with the sand he had, while also scooping up some more on his way there.
While loading in the sand, he heard the echoing opening of a chamber door from an indiscernible direction, and he flinched.
“Fuck, that was loud! I didn’t expect that to be so terrifying!” Dream swallowed.
“Relax, you baby.” Sapnap huffed, still clearly ticked from Dream’s earlier disregard to his warnings.
He didn’t respond as he continued to look around the main arena for more sand.
A few moments later, he came face to face with the largest spider he’d ever seen in his life, and he actually let out a scream this time. He was already not fond of spiders, and the blocky texture didn’t make these any less horrifying.
“What? What is it?” Bad asked as Dream hastily drove the spider through with his stone sword. “Are you hurt? Do you need help?”
“No–nope. Just a spi–...” He trailed off as he caught side of the sidebar.
Your Coins: 0
Your Team Coins: 493
“Hey, wait a minute, what happened to my coins? Why did they disappear?” He asked angrily. “All the other games kept my score just fine. Why isn’t this one?”
Console whispered to you: Oh, you won’t be needing those.
“I…wait a minute, what the fuck? Can you hear me?” Dream gasped. “Have you been able to hear me the entire time?”
“Who? Who can hear you?” Sapnap asked.
Dream didn’t reply to him.
“Why the fuck are you doing this to me?! Let me out of here!”
Console whispered to you: You know exactly why. You should be dead by now. You won’t be winning this tournament. I only figured with how theatrical you are that you’d enjoy…going out with a bang.
He heard a hissing sound behind him and it took him several seconds too long to realize that it wasn’t a spider again.
The bang from the creeper left his ears ringing, and sent him careening to the ground, sliding across the hard concrete floor and scratching him up.
“Ugh~” He groaned, his vision blurred.
“Dream! He got hit with a creeper! Guys, we have to help him!” Dream barely registered Sapnap shrieking.
“Bad, you keep going with the timer, get us as much time as you can. Sapnap, you help Dream, I’ll keep getting coins.” George said calmly.
“How am I supposed to help him! I can’t even bend over to examine his wounds. Also, how in the world are you even thinking about the game right now? Clay is dying!” Sapnap accused.
“Nick, the best thing we can do is to get him out. We have to keep playing.” George answered calmly, attempting to soothe the younger man.
Dream could practically see Sapnap’s seething face in his mind.
“How are you doing, buddy?” Sapnap asked quietly.
“Whoever is doing this can hear us. Or…at least…hear me. They’re trying to sabotage us.” Dream choked out.
“Huh?” Sapnap asked.
“They’ve been whispering to me in game. They saved my life once, but I don’t know why, especially if they’re going to actively be trying to kill me.”
“Show yourself!” Sapnap yelled. “Let him out!”
The only response was a simple:
No.
It was all Dream could stand before succumbing to the looming exhaustion from the impact to his head.