Dream a Nightmare

TommyInnit was distraught. And terrified.

So, naturally, the first thing he did was cry to Tubbo.

Dream found it strange how panicked he was over the discs, but Dream supposed that everyone needed something to keep them grounded. Attachments. They were what kept many people sane. Without them, people drifted. Or, wore often, set their course the wrong way.

Something about that scratched at Dream's memory, but he couldn't say what. It was strange, how he didn't have the memories of his old life. If he could talk to others, he should probably try to find someone to help him. Was there someone who went through something like this? There had to be, right?

Whatever. That wasn't important right now.

Dream focused back in on TommyInnit and Tubbo. They were whispering together in hushed voices, trying to figure out what the best way would be to get them back.

In the end, they decided to try negotiating. They met with the other Dream peacefully, though Dream didn't miss the rather obvious armor that they were wearing, or the weapons that they were fidgeting with as they talked. It quickly became clear that the other Dream wouldn't accept anything.

When Tubbo suggested a trade, the other Dream turned his face toward him, and Tubbo shivered slightly, though to his credit, he didn't shrink down.

"What could you possibly have that I would want?" He spoke derisively. His mind was quite plainly made up already.

TommyInnit and Tubbo exchanged glances, both at a loss. Dream suspected that they hadn't planned for this to get this far. Maybe they hadn't even expected the other Dream to show up.

"Tommy has a netherite chest plate," Tubbo said, wracking his brain to think of things that the other Dream might want. Dream could sense his mind shooting off.

The other Dream turned his head toward TommyInnit, slowly. Dream hovered behind TommyInnit, and watched as those two black spots of paint turned towards them. Soulless, a part of him whispered. There was only emptiness there. No light of life in the mask. Just cold, hard.

Strangely, the other Dream didn't do anything. He just stood up and walked out. TommyInnit sat there, anxious, watching the other Dream leave, then he jolted up and dashed after him.

"Dream!" TommyInnit shouted. "Wait, Dream!"

The other Dream turned his head slowly to face TommyInnit. Then he turned his body around.

Dream could feel TommyInnit's fear. It pounded at his skull, forcing him to grit his teeth under his mask to resist crying out. This was harsh fear, powerful and present. Not like a distant, dull thumping. Strong. He could almost hear it screaming at TommyInnit to run, to get away, to escape. This was the voice of a predator.

"I don't have the discs on me," the other Dream said. Each word fell from his mouth like an anvil, heavy and inevitable. "You're not going to get them back through some half-thought-out plan like you did last time. Give me the chestplate, or I burn your discs. You have twenty minutes."

Then, just like that, he turned around again and walked away. TommyInnit called after him, but he didn't follow. Tubbo came up behind TommyInnit and put a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll get them, Tommy," he reassured TommyInnit. "We won't let him have them."

Dream watched the other Dream walk away, and he started to think.

Naturally, just killing the other Dream wouldn't work. Or, at least, it wouldn't work well. Obviously the other Dream wasn't an idiot. He had lost one of the discs last time because he had kept it on him. He wouldn't make that mistake again. And getting distracted by one ally, leaving the other one to search, wouldn't be happening either. Maybe the other Dream let himself get tricked once, but it wouldn't be happening again. After all, anyone could learn from their mistakes. The definition of insanity is trying the same thing multiple times and expecting it to work, after all. . . .