Concordia: Dreamnoblade Oneshots and Songfics

Pride and Arrogance

"On the stage that overflows with stardust, a magnificent flower of love shall bloom!"

The switches are flicked on, and the show begins. The stage is set, and beams of light dance on the pale yellow cobblestone imitation that makes up the floor. A man stands at the foot of an obsidian tower, clad in a deep green military jacket and dark brown pants disappearing into black combat boots. A hand with fingerless gloves come up to secure the clasps of his porcelain smiley face mask, and he wields a dark axe with a surprisingly thick blade end.

"Student of the 99th cohort, Dream!" He swings his weapon, and it roughly cuts through the smoke beginning to surround him. He puffs his chest out, bellowing his declaration with all his might. "You will all gaze upon my Starlight!"

"The glow of the moon and the love of the stars..." A deep voice rumbles from above, and the spotlights follow it. Dream's emerald gaze does the same, and his eyes widen as he catches sight of pink hair jostled by gentle zephyrs and a flowing velvet crimson cape.

"The brilliance of the heavens... I shall gather it all to deliver that glory to your heart." The man continues as he descends from the sky on a platform depicting flowing lava, and he jumps down onto his own stage with all the grace and elegance in the world. He adjusts the boar skull mask perched on the upper half of his face, hiding his crimson eyes behind the hollow eye sockets. A golden glow is cast upon him and the maroon bricks of his towering fortress, and he puts a hand on his weapon's hilt as he walks slowly near the open edge right above Dream.

"Student of the 99th cohort, Technoblade." He unsheathes his sword and raises it, the blue metal glinting in the stage lights. A smirk makes its way to his face, showing off his canines as sharp as his blade. "I bring my radiance to you tonight!"

"Techno...!" Dream gasps and smiles, before he comes to a realization. He steels his expression even though no one can see it behind the mask, and his grip on his weapon tightens. He doesn't think he's quite ready for this, not yet. He's not sure if he can do this.

"Well then, we will now begin the third day of the audition..." The host announces loudly to an empty stadium, to rows of seats occupied by nothing but air. There's no one to witness their battle, no one to gaze upon their performance. "For this Revue of Pride."

The lights dim and the hum of machinery fills the silence as the stage pieces are being moved around and the actors are repositioned. Piano notes drift throughout the space as a single torch is suddenly lit ablaze right in the middle of them, just barely illuminating their faces. Dream and Techno stand across each other on the level battlefields made of grass, and both of them raise their weapons in front of closed eyes.

"I should be able to see..." Dream starts the song, his voice gentle and hopeful.

"No, you should not see..." Techno chimes in, his tone firm and resolute.

"The view from the top of that tower..." They both sing in tandem, walking forward in sync and reaching out their hands only to pass each other and switch positions. As they drag on the final note, anticipation builds for their nonexistent audience. A beat is spared, and a breath is taken.

"What lies in your heart?" Dream strikes first, turning around swiftly to swing his axe only for it to meet Techno's vigilant blade. He keeps going forward, never relenting. "What do your twinkling eyes seek?"

"I still can't reach that star..." Dream keeps up with his lines, backing Techno into a corner and yet he cannot make him yield. The other strikes back with equal fervor, pushing him back until they both stand at the center again. "But for the sake of that promise, I'll keep on charging ahead!"