Duckling (Dream smp Au)

Chapter 20

Takes place before the Pogtopia and Manburg war 

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Flashback

Dream walked onto the large stage set in front of what was now renamed as Manburg.

There, standing in the center of it all was a man with ram horns that twisted around his goat like ears. His dark hair made his yellow eyes stand out. The man glanced over to Dream and gave a smirk.

"Dream, just the man I wanted to see." He said joyfully, he made his way over to the masked man.

"What do you want, Schlatt?" Dream scoffed.

"Straight to the point, that's what I've always admired about you," He chuckled, "You know, you would make a great businessman." He started.

"Did you really make me come all the way out here for you to tell me that?" It was late in the night and Dream could feel his patience leaving. "Or is there a real reason?" Schlatt hummed and smiled as he noticed Dream's irritation.

"Alright, you caught me, I'm not here to give you compliments." Schlatt admitted. He put his hands up in a jokeful manner. "I'm just here to have a one on one talk with you, that's all."

"Really? You couldn't have picked a worse time." Dream scoffed and shifted his weight to his back foot. "You know I don't support you, right?"

"I want you to join me." He looked down off the stage. Dream laughed at this statement.

"You want me to join you? Well, I'm sorry Schlatt but I have more to gain from Pogtopia than I do from you. So I'm sorry, well, not really but I'll have to decline." Dream started to walk down the steps.

"You're a lot like your mother." Dream froze in place at the base of the stairs.

"What did you just say?" Dream's voice went quiet and low, studying Schlatt's face for any sign that he was lying. Schlatt smiled, looking down at him.

"I said that you're a lot like your mother, stubborn and selfish." His words felt like hot daggers that stabbed into his chest. Dream stomped up the stairs.

"My mother was not selfish!" He snapped, grabbing Schlatt by the collar of his suit.

"Then why did she leave you?" Dream's eyes burned in rage.

The words boiled his blood. He pushed Schlatt towards the edge of the stage. Dream was hoping to see the fear and regret in Schlatt's eyes but the goat hybrid only cackled.

"How dare you speak of her that way!" Dream shouted, pulling out a dagger to the goat's throat.

"Oh please, my sister didn't care about you. If she did, why did she sail away to her death?" He chuckled, his breath reeking of alcohol. "Why did she leave you with my half-dead mother? If she cared about you, why were you left to be taken to that sh!t hole of an orphanage?" Schlatt eyed the dagger and shot Dream a toothy grin.

"Shut up!" Dream yelled. His eyes glowed a fierce green that was seen through his mask. "You know nothing about me or what I've been through!" He dangled Schlatt over the edge, ready to drop him from the height. "You better choose your next words very carefully, J Schlatt. I don't care if you really are who you say you are. I won't hesitate to kill you right now." Dream's voice was cold as he hissed these words. Mercy wasn't something he'd ever give to Schlatt for free, he had never deserved it in his lifetime and never will.

"I know how to bring them back..." Schlatt's voice was low and scratchy, Dream almost missed what he had said.

"Yeah right," Dream scoffed but as he looked up at Schlatt, he hesitated. Schlatt's face was as if it was carved of stone. His eyes held nothing but ice and his grin was wiped away.

"Dream, put me down." He said sternly. Dream slowly put his feet back down on the stage and released his grip on the collar of Schlatt's suit. "Now let's have a small chat, shall we?" He brushed the wrinkles out of his suit and straightened the cuffs.

"What do you mean 'you know how to bring them back'?" Dream glared at Schlatt in an attempt to compel him for answers.

"Throughout my years, I eventually came across a book." Schlatt began to walk down the steps with Dream following hesitantly behind. "And this book could bring people back from the dead. I haven't tried it out myself, never had a reason to, don't even know if it works." He glanced back. "You see, Dream, I'm willing to give you this book but only if you fight alongside me."

"You think I'm going to switch sides for a book that might not even work?"

"Alright then, have fun being alone... I mean, you must be used to it by now." Dream flinched, he tried to think of something to say back. "I heard of what they did to you there and I've got to ask you something," He eyed Dream. "What was it like, seeing light again after that?"

"If this is your way of getting me to join you, I'm out."

"Haha, you see, Dream, you and I aren't that different. We're family after all and I don't have too much time left." Schlatt looked up at the night sky. "I'll be generous, you can have the book once this war is over and you can finally see them again."

"And all I have to do is join you?"

"Yes. Fight by my side and you can have The Revive Book." Schlatt extended out his hand. "Do we have a deal?" Dream hesitated.

"Yes." Dream firmly shook his hand, instantly cutting his ties with Pogtopia.

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Days after the war

Dream opened the book, examining every word written. Studying the hieroglyphs drawn on the pages that he couldn't decipher. His fingers traced the worn parchment as he read. He looked up at a bouquet of dry and wilted flowers that rested on his desk. He mumbled the words that were written on the page. Reciting the ancient language in front of him. The letters began to glow an iridescent white and radiated a soft glow. As he came closer to the edge of the spell, he glanced up then paused, he noticed the flowers slowly returning to their young and beautiful colors. The last word rolled off his tongue and he took in the sight of the flowers. A white tulip, a red yarrow, a yellow rose and pearl white Chrysanthemum sat in the vase. Dream couldn't stop himself from smiling as he examined every petal.

"It worked..." He whispered to himself, "It actually worked!"

Dream then looked back at the book. I can bring her back, I can see my mom again!

He looked down at the page, memories of his mother flooded his head. He examined the pages again. He started to do the process once more, saying every word like he had done before. The more he spoke, the more he realised nothing had happened.

"What's happening? Why aren't you working?" He read through it again in case he missed a word. He recited the enchantment again. None of the words glowed or even gave off their warmth. "Work - Damit!" He threw the book to the ground. "Why won't you give me this one thing!" Tears poured down his face, he collapsed to his knees. "Please..." He sobbed for what felt like years, he sobbed for the years he mourned for her.

He didn't come outside until the next morning. Dream stood at the top of a large mountain and overlooked the destroyed L'manburg.