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Dream looked back at the two hunters before him from within the protective circle etched in the ground. He could feel the sweat forming on his hands as they watched him, “Alright Dream, we’re going to start the ritual. We’re going to get this Dreamon out of you.” Tubbo started as he ushered Fundy around the circle to the other side. Fundy’s fox ears twitched before he started walking. Dream nodded slightly. His mask had been knocked to the side of his face and his green eyes stared back at Tubbo.
Tubbo’s blue eyes looked unflinchingly back at him, only looking away to check if Fundy was in his position across from him. So many thoughts swirled through Dream’s mind as the two conversed among each other: Will this work? How did this Dreamon possess him? What had he done that he doesn’t remember? Did he hurt anyone? Dream clenched his fists, glancing back at Fundy, then looking back at Tubbo, “Are you ready Dream?” Tubbo asked at last, “Yes, I’m ready.” Dream answered, his voice quiet from misuse. Tubbo nodded to Fundy, “Repeat after me, Dream.” He said.
“I am one; a soul, a higher power. I wish for this no more!” Tubbo chanted and Dream repeated in his strongest voice. As the chant went on, the corners of his vision began to darken. He could feel his heart speed in panic, what was going on? His hands suddenly unclenched. He hadn’t done that. He looked down at his hands as the darkness creeped further into his vision. He could feel a presence in the back of his head, something he didn’t recognize. Just as the presence began to become more known, Tubbo called out, “I will be fixed!” Dream looked up at Tubbo as he shouted the words after the young boy. The two threw eggs at him and promptly turned away from him. His mind went blank after that.
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Fundy and Tubbo turned back as Dream’s body crashed to the ground. A huge grin spread over the two’s faces, “We did it, Tubbo!” Fundy exclaimed in excitement. Tubbo nodded, “I can’t believe that actually wor-” He was suddenly cut off by the sound of tnt detonating. Fundy and Tubbo’s eyes widened as they watched Dream’s body launch into the air. Tubbo stood frozen in shock as Fundy backpedaled quickly to get out of the sudden blast radius.
He watched as Tubbo and Dream’s bodies disappeared. His mind reeled as he scrambled to pick up the other two’s belongings, his heart thumping practically out of his chest. He collected as much of their stuff as he could hold, dumping what he had to in a chest so it didn’t disappear as well. After a few moments, he saw the two walking back over to him. By that point, his heart had settled into a dull thud. He was still unsure what had happened. Was Dream okay? Did the ritual actually work? He shook his head to clear his thoughts as the two joined him, “Here are some of your things. The rest is in that chest.” He explained as he handed items over to the two, gesturing with a cock of his head at the wooden box nearby.
Dream looked at each item as Fundy handed it over. His mind was fuzzy, and he could feel how unsteady his feet were. Something wasn’t right, and he wasn’t sure what exactly. He looked at the two after everything was taken care of, his eyebrows raised, “Well? Did it work, Dream?” Tubbo asked. Dream blinked, “Did what work? Why am I here?” He asked. Fundy and Tubbo exchanged a glance, “The ritual. With the Dreamon.” Fundy replied as he lowered his head a little, “The what? Why were you performing a ritual on me?” Dream exclaimed as his green eyes widened and his voice shot up a couple octaves.
“He doesn’t remember anything, Fundy! Let’s jog his memory!” Tubbo whispered to his partner under his breath and Fundy nodded. The next couple of minutes were spent trying to get Dream to remember information about the world. Dream watched the two talk, something itching in the back of his head. The information was slowly beginning to seep its way into his brain as they recalled it to him. Something was still off though, and he wasn’t sure if he should relay it to his friends or not. He pulled his mask from the top of his head down over his face, “Thank you guys. I remember now. Does that mean everything worked out with the ritual?” He responded after a moment. Tubbo glowered, “I think so!” He nudged his partner, “We did a pretty good job, Fundy! We should do this more!” Fundy nodded and smiled, “I agree. Will you be alright, Dream?” He asked as he looked at the male across from him.
Dream nodded, fluffing his sweater briefly, “I’ll be alright. Thank you Fundy, Tubbo.” He responded with a dip of his head, “Let us know if you ever don’t feel right again, Dream.” Tubbo spoke as Dream turned away from the two, “I will.”
He started walking away from the two, a sudden lightheadedness hitting him. He stopped walking for a second to collect his barings. He felt so off all of a sudden. Like he was no longer who had been previously. He glanced back at the two, which had also started walking off, clearly conversing amongst themselves. He narrowed his eyes and turned away once the lightheadedness had passed. He felt for the wooden grip of Nightmare, resting on his back. Once he touched it, he retracted his hand. It felt so familiar, but so different at the same time. Like it didn’t belong to him, but he kept it regardless.
By this point, his head no longer felt fuzzy. As a matter of fact, it felt clearer than it ever had in his life. His lips pulled upwards as he walked through the buildings and streets, glancing around as he did so. This was all his, this was his land, his world, his creations. Everyone else was merely a guest to his treasures, and they ought to know their place. The Dream SMP was his.
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Dream walked through the forest outside of L’Manberg, his hands in the deep sleeves of his cloak. Things were no longer peaceful in the nation he had graciously given some of his land to. Wilbur and Tommy had to be hidden around here somewhere. His slitted eyes surveyed the wooded area from under his mask. He was sure that people were confused as to why he no longer showed the others his face, but he truly didn’t care. They were merely his pawns, his puppets to toy with. As were Wilbur and Tommy. And with Wilbur’s fragile state of mind, he knew that he could get the man to see reason, to see that his plan was important. He smiled a dark smile that no one would see as voices drifted downwind to his ears.
“Psst. Dream.” A whisper cut into his thoughts and he glanced over. The brunette in question peeked out from around an entryway dug out of the dirt of a hill, “Ah, Wilbur. This is where you’re hiding now.” Dream greeted as he turned to face the male. His shaggy blond hair drifted in front of his mask briefly before settling in place again. Wilbur smiled at the other, but it held no warmth, “Allow me to be your vassal.” He greeted as he stepped out of the doorway, and into the open air. Tommy followed behind him, looking distraught. Dream folded his arms across his chest as he contemplated the man’s words.
“Manberg and Pogtopia will be no more, Dream. I will make sure of that.” He added, “You’re saying Manberg.” Dream observed as he looked at the man with the wild fringe, “I do want Manberg and Pogtopia to be nothing more.” Tommy furrowed his brows as he looked at Dream, “Why do you want L’Manberg? You’re the reason we had to make L’Manberg.” He spoke up. Dream shrugged and he focused his gaze on the boy, his eyes practically glowing through the eye holes in his mask under the moonlight, “Schlatt is ambitious, and that’s a bad thing. He wants power, he wants land, he wants to expand. You guys having your own little server where you frolicked around in the flowers is fine with me, I don’t care.” He responded, his gaze never leaving the blond boy.
Tommy flinched slightly at the older male’s gaze, but didn’t respond. Schlatt was every bit a worse leader than Wilbur had been, and he was intent on encroaching on his land. Wilbur let out a laugh suddenly as he looked at Dream, his brown eyes suddenly wild, “Dream, this has made me ambitious. Dream, if I’m taking power again, then I will be ambitious. Let me blow it up.Let me destroy it all” He exclaimed. Tommy looked on in horror at what his brother was saying, “Wilbur, Wilbur, no this isn’t right.”
Dream cracked a smile, “You were never in charge, Tommy. You were never in charge.” Wilbur cut him off, “Give me the tnt, Dream.” Dream shouldered the satchel and handed it to Wilbur, looking pointedly at Tommy as he did so, “Thank you. I’ll do you proud.” Wilbur responded as he turned to walk back into the entryway of Pogtopia, “Wilbur, Wilbur.” Tommy called after him, “Hand me the tnt.” He added as he drew back his bow.
Dream stepped in front of Wilbur, reaching for the handle of his axe, looking every bit the hesitant meat shield, “I-I’ll have to step in.” He spoke, “Yeah Daddy Dream!” Wilbur shouted in excitement, his brown eyes shining from behind Dream’s cloaked form, “Wait no, scratch that one. Leader Dream, brother Dream…” Wilbur added afterwards, making a face. Tommy slowly drew back his bow again, pointing it at Dream and then over to Wilbur and moving between the two hesitantly.
Dream began to back away from the two as they moved closer to argue. Dream watched with a barely concealed smile-his plan was going exactly how he wanted it to, “Dream, thank you very much. I very much appreciate it. I will do you proud, I will rig it up, I will completely set the place up to detonate.” Wilbur spoke after a moment of the two going back and forth, focusing on the man in green.
"If you need anything else, let me know, because I can help.” He answered, sounding as sincere as possible. The two spoke up some plans quickly as Tommy watched, staring back and forth at the two, a barely disguised scowl on his face. Dream nodded at last and turned to walk off. The two watched as he disappeared back into the thick foliage, a quiet chuckle floating through the wind.
Dream unlatched the handle of Nightmare and let it loose, flipping it over both of his hands idly. Somewhere deep in the empty spot in his mind where his human soul had resided, he felt a twinge of guilt, but he laughed it off. Human Dream was no more, and he would never return again. These puppets thought the real Dream was among them, but he had become the real Dream in the process. He was the leader of this world, and he forever would be.