MUSHROOM STEW // DSMPxOC

V

She crouched down and picked up the carving Dream had discarded earlier. It was a rough interpretation with jagged lines, but as Stella continued to look, she began to see the outline of a girl with long hair and a pointed nose.

***

"Where are we, Dream?" Stella asked. "My feet hurt."

"We're a bit north from Logstedshire, and a while south from Techno's base." Dream estimated.

"How do you know that?"

"It's my duty to know about everything -and everywhere- this land has to offer." Dream rolled his neck. "Are you done complaining? We're nearly there."

Stella stared at the forest floor as she followed Dream. She stepped over a twig on the ground and smiled lightly when a ladybug flitter by her knees. Up ahead a log had fallen and she smiled as she jogged ahead to jump on and walk across it. When Stella stepped off, she noticed Dream wasn't walking along with her, instead standing and looking at her.

"Take a picture, it lasts longer," Stella teased.

"Suddenly, I'm no longer surprised Tommy left you by yourself," Dream retorted.

Stella's smile fell and she turned back to walking forward along the path. "Are we nearly there?" She tried to fight the heavy feeling in her ribs.

"Yeah, less than five minutes."

"Here we are," Dream announced. Stella glanced up from the forest floor and her muddied shoes. The green clad man turned to look at Stella's reaction. Trees circled the space that hid the world away with a sparkling pond in the center, and a gentle breeze made the leaves in the trees rustle. "What do you think?" Dream asked.

"It's really pretty." Stella said. "I could see like... a small cottage in front of the water, and a garden a little bit off to the side. I think I could really like it here, maybe get some lamps or something to keep it lit up."

"We can make that happen," Dream said. "I can help you gather resources, we could build it together." He walked to stand next to Stella and placed a hand on her shoulder. "This is New Civilization. We will build something new, greater than L'manchildburg, better than Pogtopia, better than... everything. This will be our place."

"Dream, I... I don't know what to say," Stella stuttered. "This is so much. How did you find it here?" She shrugged Dream's hand off and began walking around the area. Stella scavenged the wild strawberries dotted in the grass.

"I found this place a while ago and worked on opening up the clearing back when you and Tommy were still in Logstedshire." Stella stopped in her tracks to look at Dream as he watched fish idly swim around in the prismarine water. Stella wasn't sure if it was fear that coursed through her chest or surprise.

"Have you been planning on taking me here?" She asked the tall man. He wasn't wearing his netherite armor today, at least not that Stella could see, though it would make sense that Dream would wear a layer of chainmail underneath his shirt.

"It's only been a week or so," Dream confided. "I was expecting something to go wrong with Tommy. He always seemed... dangerous. I guess that it finally came true."

"I don't know what you mean by that." Stella's jaw ticked as Dream stared at her from behind the metal plate covering his face. She turned her head off to the side to avoid making eye contact with him. A small, lightly trodden path twisted deeper between the trees. Stella made a mental note to check it out, eventually.

"He made a stash to try to... overthrow me, I guess- I don't know what it was for. He reaped the consequences." Dream appeared too nonchalant for Stella's comfort. It sounded like- no. No way.