click.

click

click

the buckle adjusts into place and Dream lets his hand fall. He stares into the cracked mirror of his ally's tower and a man covered head to toe in armor stares back.

This is the final day.

This is day his plan will finally come into place. All the little puzzle pieces that he' gathered, dragged, wrenched and begged for will fall together and his goal, he can't believe it, The /Plan/ will come true.

So why did he feel like he lost?

He looks to a table to his rift. A mask lay there, cracks spreading from the center like spider webs. He runs a finger across it's surface. "I am Dream. You put me in hell. I suffered for months on end. Now it is your time to pay."

He closed his eyes. "I am the villain that destroyed your lives. I am the monster that lives under your bed. Believe it. Believe me"

His voice is barely a whisper at the end, carried off with the wind. For no one to hear.

He looks at the mirror again but someone else stares back. It's him, he's ragged, thin and weak. Obsidian dripping purple behind him and tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock of the clock. His reflection stares at him helplessly at him, blood leaking from his mouth. Then he's standing on top of bodies, proud and arrogant and stares at him coldly, a sneer playing at his mouth. Then he's looking ahead, full of determination and anger, head tilted up, a leader.

And finally, /finally/, he's young. The community house is behind him in the sunny day. The trees rustle and the water glitters and laughter and voices come from the house. His reflection smiles softly and Dream's heart aches. Oh, how it aches, like a yawning void, stretching ever wider and consuming it. Where is it? Where is his happy ending?

"Is this what you really want?" His reflection asks, voice coaxing and eyes gentle. Was he really like this once? All he can remember is pain and war, nothing but suffering and cold calculations made on lonely nights. In the prison, he had held on to the fleeting memories of happiness, of warmth, friendship, smiles shared in the dark and hands held tightly together.

But nothing compared to seeing it in front of him. The mere fact that something existed like this in his past, this, /this/ was like a dream. It felt surreal. This is what he is working towards. This is what he'll make come true. They'll be together in the end. The server united. This. /This/. Exactly like this. Like, like-

Like one big happy family.

"You can't" His reflection says. "They'll die, you know they will. They'll all die. Die, hating you."

"Then we'll die together"

His eyes become glassy and a tear leaks. His voice breaks when he speaks, "Don't do it. It's not too late for you."

Dream clenches his fingers. Murky green eyes meet his reflection's grass green one he laughs. Bitter, hating, scornful. Because isn't it ironic? It's too late. From the moment the first spark of steel against the lemon wood, his journey to the end had begun. Could he have stopped it? Was it fated, a cruel prophecy, the moment he became admin, the moment code flew from his fingers to form this server (his home?), hell, from the moment he was born?

"It is always been too late"

His reflection draws back, eyes cold now but he still sees regret in them. Pity, in them. When he looks at Dream, the expression is more familiar. "You disgust me" and then he's looking at himself again.

Another person to hate Dream. Himself.

-

Punz finds him looking at the mirror after a long time. His only ally (friend?). His voice is confused, even concerned when he speaks "Dream?"

"I'm ready."

Punz purses his lips and nods and turns to walk downstairs, to his position in The Plan, the giant chessboard, where everyone is sacrificed. The pawn looks at him and tries for a smile, "I'll be there. We're finally going to win."

Another pawn looks back and this time, it can't stop itself, "I-Thank you Punz. Thank you. For everything."

This time, the smile is bright an genuine and Dream can't stop the pang in his heart. A giant chessboard, where everybody was hurt. Pieces lay scattered across the board, cracked. Dream stands in it, the lone piece to fulfill the prophecy. His fate.

"You too Dream. We'll do this together." and Punz walks away.

Together. That's what he wants. Together.

A hand reaches out and collects the pieces, being mindful of cracks. It polishes them and gently (oh, so gently) puts them in a box, no lines dividing them. Just...together. Dream watches them from the board. He wants to reach out but he has a move to make.

Just one more, One final one.

And then they can rest (right?).

Dream takes the mask in his hand and the leather feels familiar. His mind goes to the younger him.

/It's not too late for you/

He puts the mask on his face and looks at the mirror for one final time. Two dots stare back and a mocking smile.

Is this what he wanted?

He doesn't know the answer.

He picks up his axe and walks out of the door, down the stairs and into the sunlight. A nether portal stands there, the purple whirling and whooshing.

He's ready (is he?).

He takes in the world for the last time. So many memories, good and bad, so many scars. If he closes his eyes, it feels like he's back at the beginning, new and not knowing what to do. Scared.

When he's gone, the server will remain till someone stumbles upon it. Will they destroy it and start anew? Or will they preserve it, a part of history?

He moves his fingers and a rock rises from the ground. He settles and and carves in it with his admin abilities.

'Dream' it says.

'May he be in peace'

He hesitates, but finally etches it into the stone. It will be here forever.

'Together'

He lays the grave on the ground, and the place blooms around it, poppies and lilies and roses, a canvas of colors, a final salute from the server to it's admin.

He gets up and turns to the portal with a lump in his throat and walks his funeral march.

One big family, he thinks.

The portal whooshes and the world around him changes and he's looking at the faces of the people who hate him.

One big family.

(Dream moves across the chessboard and world is blinded. The chessboard cracks and shatters and a hand picks Dream up, cradles him like a mother. It puts him together with the others and finally, they are at rest. Together.)