|| Captain Palette AU| | "I need to find that crown" ||

(13) The Crown (13)

He felt as if he should bow... or lower his head... or do.. Something.

He was standing before the corpse of a deity, of a goddess, of a being of divine light.

Lady Nim. She had been forgotten by her fellow guardians and left to die along with those who destroyed her children. It must've been insulting. Palette felt his soul churn as he stared at his grandmother.

"Uh.. Good evening ma'am." Palette started. He had no idea what he was doing or why he was talking to a stump, but if he had learnt anything with Broomie, it was that maybe inanimate objects have feelings too.

"M.. My name is Palette. Palette Roller and uh,... I'm your grandson." Palette looked around, nervously clutching at Broomie. He lowered the brush onto the ground and nervously clutched at his sleeves.

"I'm.. Dream's son. And uh.. I want to bring Nightmare home." He continued. Nothing but the wind replied. He felt sick. This was fucked up on so many levels.

"I.. I'm sorry we never got to meet. I'm.. I'm sure you would've loved.. Me. Maybe." Palette felt a little selfish saying that. There is no way someone as important as her would've paid him any mind. She was a goddess, an important one at that, he was just... some sheltered kid.

"You're uh.. You looked really pretty in the picture I saw... A large apple tree." The teenager's voice broke slightly. He was getting emotional at the sight of what should've been his grandmother, but instead a rotting stump of wood were there in the first place.

"I'm... I'm sorry this happened to you. I wish I could've... I wish I could turn back time." His voice trembled. He had made so many discoveries, he had made so many friends, yet he hadn't found himself enjoying a single moment of his adventure. He was miserable, sleep deprived and cold. Is this really what he wanted?

"To save you... to save my uncle... To save my dad. I-.. I can't so... I'm gonna do everything I can to bring my Uncle back.. T-to normal." Palette made an oath to the stump as he knelt down, touching it gently. The bark seemingly peeled into him, as if attempting to touch it back. Palette's hand quivered like a leaf which she once held.

Seeing the carnage that Nightmare produced, Palette felt scared. For the first time in his adventure, he genuinely considered the possibility he could die by the end of this. If he wasn't careful, his dust could be spread across the multiverse. Dream would lose his son just like he lost his own brother, Goth... Paperjam and Blueprint... how would they react to his death? Paperjam would never forgive himself. Goth, He... He'd be devastated. And Blueprint...

Palette shook his head. No. That wouldn't happen. Maybe things will go right. No one has ever given Nightmare the chance to do good.

"And.. I need to ask, Ms Nim. Do you know where Nightmare's old crown is? I think.. I think it could help me a lot." He cleared his voice, wiping his eyes of any tears that had gathered within his sockets.

Silence again.

The wind picked up slightly. No... it picked up incredibly.

The dust of the dead began to swirl, the blades of grass shooting and dancing against the wind. Palette grabbed onto his hat as he glanced around, his coat waving wildly against the wind.

He could've sworn the power would've torn his skin off if he had any, but he glanced up and watched as green magic began to form.

Dashes of pine, moss, sage, emerald and Basil combined with soft shades of pink. The magnificent plethora of greens surrounded Palette and the sensation tickled him slightly, making him giggle tearfully. That was until the magic slowly began to form a transparent body in front of him.