#fallen!dream

How many times has he been here? He's visited it frequently since his brothers death but that was never the main reason for them anymore, honestly he's starting to wonder if it's even about Nightmare at all. He's been dead for over twenty years now, things change the world has moved on. Everyone except him- always everyone but him.

Blue passed years ago, a hero died a hero's death.

He doesn't see much of Ink anymore, Dream can't tell if he's just too busy nowadays or if Ink just didn't value their friendship as much as he did. He doesn't know which is worse

Sometimes he still sees Berry but they are no longer the friendly but mischievous child they were....an adult with adult problems and just didn't have time for their "lame uncle".

His work is no longer just about helping people either, the one thing he liked to do...the thing that had been his purpose and calling for years he feels like he's barely doing. Guardian of Positive and Negative emotions has to be the most exhausting title alive, he's being pulled in every which direction, he can't easily draw power or energy from either set of emotions because he needs both now, he was hardly thanked for when he strictly worked to spread positivity across the multiverse and now he's ridiculed for just trying to maintain balance.

And he has to maintain balance. Always has to maintain balance. No one else to do it. It has to be him. Always him. It's never easy.

He picked an apple. Not the first, second or even the third one has eaten. He hesitated though only barely, he knew better. When the tree regrew he knew he had to be careful. Why the tree of feelings regrew at all post Nightmare's death was still a mystery and he never touched those cursed black apples but the golden ones.....what was the harm?

It had just been one bite and truly it only had been one bite then it turned into two. Then half an apple eaten. Then a whole one. Then a second one and....the golden side of the tree suddenly was dwindling more and more. But at this point was what he expected to do? He'd wake up numb best case scenario...worst case was this overwhelming feeling of intense sadness or being so tired he could barely think.

He was not....himself if he wasn't happy.

He already took a bite, savoring the sweet taste and the warm feeling in his bones, a brief break from the endless exhaustion of his long day. But the memories of it would come back, the screams of hatred at him for things he hadn't even caused purely because he allowed such horrible events to happen and he HAD to allow them to happen because apparently too many places full of too many people enjoying themselves is a bad thing.

He's already taking another bite and another, you'd think he was starving and he was but not for nourishment just for an escape from the pounding in his head. From the endless stress of it all.

What even was the point of all of this? Everyone keeps telling him that balance is important and that bad and the good need to coexist- but why? Things were going well then something horrible happened that ruined everything. Wasn't that how it all started? He always felt bad for his brother and blamed himself honestly more than he should at times over what happened all those years ago, but at this point he doesn't blame his brother.

Being forced into a role to only bring misery? Who'd want that?

He's eating so fast he's barely chewing the damn apple he's consuming.

In a fucked up way....maybe the villagers were onto something....a creature brought only to ruin you.....no, he stops that thought. It's not fair to Nightmare. He deserved to be happy. He was still a good person- at least he used to be. Everyone deserves to be happy. His brother shouldn't have been punished just for existing.

There's a final crunch as Dream realizes he's bitten through the very apple core itself, he's stunned by the realization and how the fruit was reduced to a few oozing golden bits of fruit in his palm yet all he could focus on was jamming his messy digits into his mouth to savor that delicious golden juice.

He didn't even hesitate when he reached for the next apple.

Truly these apples are the only thing that make sense, he ate them and for however brief he was his old self....or at least close to it. The happy Dream, the carefree silly Dream, the one who people questioned if he was truly a thousand year old man with his youthful attitude, the one everyone could trust to have a hopeful outlook, the man he needed to be, the man he wanted to be.

He kept chewing, eating, swallowing. The rush grew and he felt better- so much better, he was alive. He was Dream. Was he anything if he wasn't happy?

Suddenly, the skeleton stopped halfway through the second one. He laughed, it wasn't the usual giggle he gave it was something extremely high pitched and deranged, a sound no one would even think of coming from Dream of all people.

"I was made to be the guardian of positive emotions!" he exclaimed as if he was telling a joke, he was smiling to the point it actually hurt his face but he couldn't stop especially as he took another bite with the strange golden liquid dripping from his mouth. "Yet! How much time have I spent being miserable?!"

He was frustrated, yet he didn't feel it. It was refreshing. He could never recall being able to speak so freely, not even when he was alone with only his brothers remains buried several feet underground. Now....nothing was stopping him. He would be heard. Even if he had an audience of only his brother. Even if his brother couldn't listen- but he wouldn't have even if he could....would he?

"Why is it always me cleaning up your mess? Aren't you the older one!?" he laughs again, he goes to take another bite of his apple but it is gone and he doesn't have to reach for another one. Another golden fruit falls of its own accord and he catches it naturally, giggling and nearly frolicking around the tree as he takes a bite. Not the first time he's eaten one of these golden apples but it is the first time he's eaten this many all in one setting.

He should stop.

But he does not want to.

And for once- its about what he wants.

"What is even the point of all that brother? I knew all your tyranny didn't make you happy, thousands dead, monsters enslaved and worlds ruined yet you were always the same bitter old man!" another bite and another, he feelings like dancing. He is dancing around the tree. "Truly I pity you brother....you never knew how to be happy."

He's already finished this one, there's a fire inside his rib cage and he wants more of it. He can't stop smiling. He can't feel his face anymore. He has another apple.

"And honestly! Neither do I! As long as negativity exists in the world I fear we're all doomed to misery....look at me! LOOK AT ME!" he's cackling like a mad man, worlds muffles he can't stop devouring his current apple and just like that he's already eaten all of it. "There is no such thing as....balance...."

Another apple. And another. Two in each hand as he alternates between them. Eating and savoring. Soaring. Flying. He's never felt so alive. It's the happiest he's been in his long long life.

"And why should anyone.....have to feel bad?"

Yellow eye lights took the shape of stars, a rare sight that came when he was utterly overwhelmed with joy but now they pulsed with a strange light, there's a throbbing pain in the back of his skull but he doesn't care. Especially when he has the perfect thing to help him get rid of it.

Another apple, another apple, another. And another. Another! More more more more more more more more! He needs more! He wants more! He will have more! He will not be denied more! No one should be denied more.

Laughter continues to erupt from him, it's a good thing he doesn't have lungs because at this moment it was impossible for him to even breath. He was happy. So happy. He didn't want this to end. He can't let it end. It shouldn't end. For once despite all the endless titles thrown around he truly feels like a god in this moment and it's a moment he wants to share.

Everyone....should feel this good. No one should have this taken away from them. This is how it was always meant to be it.

"I get it now."

Another apple. The last one. What happened next was a ragged scream, it was painful but he felt it for only a moment. A sharp pain in his back and a burn feeling in his eyes as he was rendered completely blind only able to see jet white and....

"So beautiful...." he muttered collapsing to the ground, a sickening crunch as one wing popped out and then the other. Body altering and changing. It should hurt more. But he can't feel it. He is untouchable he is- "Is this enlightenment?"

It made sense now. It made so much sense. His vision returned slowing and he blinded with a strange new outlook on life. He never had to uphold the title of both guardians. There didn't need to be a negative guardian at all. What fool he had been what a fool they had all been- all this needless pain when they could have been rid of it years ago and right now he has to do what he's always done.

Clean up his brothers mess.

Flying is clumsy at first, he shoots up to the air and spins with a giddy laugh. It's far from graceful but he eases into it, soon everything comes naturally as he laughs. It's a laugh of triumph. Victory. The joy of a man who has finally figured it out. Someone who has seen the light after so damn long.

Everyone deserves to be happy.

And he will rid the world of the curse that is negativity.

He doesn't even hesitate as his bow is summoned and then drawn, eyes wide and grin even wider. His magic is more of a hellish orange rather than the soft golden yellow that frequented him...no one will ever feel miserable again on his watch. This is where he'll start.

A storm of light rained down on the tree of feelings, the golden apples from it all picked and the black ones destroyed in a glowing mess of red as the tree crumbled. He walked away with only one mission.....

A scream echoed through the lab, Baggs stood there both horrified and in awe. It had been days, weeks, months he's fairly certain and the skeleton before him remains unmoveable. Anything they do to him seems to not matter, how one monster has enough determination to rival the most stubborn of humans is beyond him.

It's....fascinating in a sense, that urge to dissect and study grew inside him. To understand this odd creature....he had 1 HP didn't he? He should be dead.

Killer shudders, he lets out a ragged breath. Held up by his wrists and ankles....electrocution was the choice of the day. Wear him down, hypnotize him, if he doesn't stay like that then you repeat the process. And he never stays like that for long. Never.

"....fuck....you....." he breathes out, he doesn't have a lot of energy left. Yet the exposed soul glows brightly, as if to actively mock Baggs and his efforts.

The scientists' expression was one of weariness, contentment, frustration.....something almost like regret. "I detest this as much as you...if you just...." he doesn't finish the thought, just give up? It'd put an end to this. To all of this. He can do the work Dream promised him not this elongated torture.

A truly unhinged cacklee came from Killer, "I ain't stupid....what lies after this is death or a fate worse than death..." it's clear he decided, he'd rather die than become another pawn in some fucked up game.

Another knight in chains to a god that will never appreciate or care about him.....his chest aches and not just from the fact pure literal voltage was pumped into his bones for hours on end.....

He misses Nightmare.

The switch was flipped, the machine turned, another scream came from Killer. Baggs watching, remaining firmly detached as the scene unfolded before him. It was only interrupted by the door opening, Baggs didn't need to turn to see who it was.

"Ohohohoho! How is our little protect doing?"

Baggs continued to face away from him, the "angels" hypnosis never worked on him, but that grin and those eyes would unsettle everyone. He continued to keep the machine on, it was very clear that Killer even when he wanted to die was not easy to kill.

He cleared his throat,

"No real change in behavior. He stays under the trance longer now, but he always comes out. Always. The moment he's out, well," various screeched out swears came from Killer, "He is far from complict."

"But progress is being made."

He only hears what he wants to hear, and Dream raised his hand. Baggs complied, and the switch was flipped off, Killer's entire form slumped only held up by his bindings. He want panting, he had no longs but his chest cavity felt like it was on fire.

Dream stepped forward, the labs harsh lighting casting his face in shadow as he approached their victim. Killer didn't even bother to look at up at him.

"Why....do you.....persist?" He words it simply as if talking to a confused lost child, "All this suffering....it could so easily be fixed, just one look and it'd be gone. It'd be gone forever. Isn't that nice?"

"Y'know....for someone so hellbent on happiness....sure are causing a lotta misery..."

"It's nessecary!" A sentence of pure delusion, one Dream believed in entirely. "Just think....with me you'd never feel anything bad again, this? It'll all be a distant memory. A bad dream if even that! You've been through so much....let me help you!"

"Shut up."

"My brother treated you poorly, didn't he? You were the most devoted and loyal...yet..."

"I said shut up!"

"But listen, I'm not like that, darling! You'll know nothing but joy! You'll be adored by all! Everyone will love you. I'll give you everything you could ever want!"

"I want you to let me go."

"Only for you to roll around in your own misery? I think not!" The condescending nature of his tone never ceased, it only increased. "Look at me."

"No."

Killer wasn't even allowed that defiance, Dream reached a hand out to grip his jaw. It was firm, not painful, but as Killer resisted, it turned violent as Killer was forced to lift his head up. Unable to avoid those eyes.

"Don't you fucking dare-"

"Shhhhh...." The light was all consuming. It burned a bit at first, but after the past several hours, it was a sweet feeling on Killer's abused body. "It's alright now."

Baggs looked away. Killer was under. And for a while. He'd be fine. But the cycle repeated. Killer would get free, and they'd break him all over again, the methods ranging and faltering. An endless onslaught on an unmoveable spirit.

It became another day. It became another week. Another month. Two months. Three months.

....four months.

And Killer gave up.

He remembers the unadulterated squee of pure joy as Dream discovered Killer, the trance never leaving, no more resistance, he barely spoke. He just obeyed, listened, and smiled. Dream cooing at him like he was a god damn shelter dog. And Dream treated him as such. He followed Dream constantly. He obeyed without question, everything from what he wore, what he ate, where he stood was all decided by Dream.

Meanwhile, the angel wasted no opportunity to show off his success. Baggs only looking away uncomfortable when he could.

"Oh, you know I always wanted a pet." Dream would proclaim, "I see why my brother kept so many."

Baggs said nothing. He had to do it. Dreams deal with him was clear, his world would be left alone....Baggs just had to help him in whatever endeavors he chose. This was nessecary. His home was safe, his friends were safe, his brother was safe....

He could never look Killer in the eye again.