Book 2: The First Fallen Human

Uneasy Glory

Dream blinked and looked up from his book. Something didn't feel right. His spine prickled uneasily and he carefully set the book down. He bookmarked his page before moving over to the window of his castle. On his way over, he stopped and momentarily froze in place. What was that?

Dream managed to shake off the feeling and hugged himself. He had a bitter taste in his mouth and he didn't know why. He sighed, wanting to distract himself. He let his mind wander and his attention crept back to Cross' question, making the skeleton light up with golden blush.

Dream didn't know if he was ready for that. He rubbed his arm. He jumped as a sudden bout of laughter forcefully erupted from his throat and he covered his mouth, his eyes wide. What the hell was that?! He was terrified as he continued to laugh, it being muffled.

Finally, it died down and Dream's chest hurt. He was doubled over, eyes wide. He choked for a moment, sinking to the ground. His yellow cape covered him like a blanket as he quivered on the floor. That bitter taste in his mouth was growing stronger and he got up, stumbling over to the door. He opened it and managed to transport to the kitchen. He hit the counter before gagging and turning on the faucet, quickly gulping down a handful of water.

It wasn't helping. The bitter taste remained. Dream gagged again. He hated it. And Dream did NOT hate many things. But this taste?? Awful. It burned his throat. He curled up against the cabinets and shakily extended a hand. His SOUL appeared and he was momentarily horrified. Every other second, a transparent webbing of black would flash around his SOUL.

The webbing had yet to touch his SOUL, but Dream was shaken anyway. He blinked before yelping as the black webbing suddenly started to grow down from his SOUL and cover his body. He shrieked and drew his SOUL back before starting to struggle with the webbing. It was like a net. Whenever he touched it, though, it burned him.

Dream was terrified. It hurt! What was going on?! Was this Nightmare?! He gasped. "B-Brother?! Brother?!!" He called out, his voice only able to be heard in the kitchen. He gasped before breaking out in that psychotic, bellowing laughter again.

Tears were starting up in his eyes as he tried to quiet himself, hunching over and biting his gloves. The aching laughter kept coming and Dream screwed his eyes shut. He twitched and suddenly, something seemed to engulf him and he broke out in a hysterical laugh, his voice roaring as his eyes lit up gold. He jerked himself back, slamming himself against the cabinets.

"Stop! STOP!" He shrieked. Dream couldn't see. The webbing was starting to layer over itself. "NO!!"

Something began to tear at the webbing from outside. Dream choked as the webbing made its way down his throat. He gasped as the webbing was yanked out, leaving him choking for air. He could see!! He froze in shock.

Nightmare tore the rest of the webbing off of him, panting. His brother's tentacles stabbed at the webbing, keeping it away from Dream. "B-Brother?!" Dream cried out in shock. Nightmare shot a glare back at him before his tentacles managed to tear the webbing into little pieces.

Dream was breathing shakily. Nightmare turned to him with a growl. "Get up!" He snapped angrily. Dream did so and backed up, not wanting to anger Nightmare more. He held his throat and coughed, leaning over.

"Brother?? What's going on?? It hurts!" As he spoke, Dream saw Nightmare freeze and turn to him, his eye wide.

"Did you eat one of my apples?" He demanded quickly. Dream was shocked and shook his head.

"N-No!! I wouldn't dare touch your side of the orchard!" He said quickly. That had been a silent agreement they'd always had. Nightmare stared at him, his tentacles stuck straight up in alarm.

"What do you taste?" He questioned urgently. Dream blinked and held his arms as he furrowed his brow.

"Something is bitter. It burns my throat." He described the awful taste, confused as to why Nightmare hadn't already attacked him. Nightmare turned away and to Dream's shock, he shuddered. Nightmare was... showing regret?? Over WHAT?? Dream stared at him.

Nightmare seemed to come to a decision. "Go find Ink. Fast. I have one more place to stop. Go find Ink and tell him the phrase 'Poison Apple', okay??" The demand was strange and Dream was taken back by it, but he'd never seen Nightmare this serious. Nightmare glared at him. "Go! Now!" His tentacles lashed angrily behind him.

Dream jumped and sputtered out a quick okay before turning. He didn't understand. What the hell was going on?! He broke his way through reality until he emerged in the Doodle Sphere, collapsing on the ground.

He looked up, his eyes wide to see Ink and Error both staring at him in shock. Dream blinked. Why were they so close together?? No! He didn't have time to think about that. He stumbled to his feet and Ink quickly came over. "Dream?! What's wrong?? You never come into the Doodle Sphere unless it's bad!"

Dream was still trying to wrap his head around everything. He sputtered uselessly, trembling. He twitched and held his head before that forceful psychotic laughter broke out from him again.

He quickly slapped his hands over his mouth, shaking as he stared up at Ink with terrified eyes. Ink seemed shocked and stared at him. "I-I don't... I-I-I... Nightmare... I..." He stuttered, shaking. He was unable to string any words together. He jumped as Ink quickly held his hands, gripping them firmly. Dream was shaking.

"Calm down. Calm down. Focus on speaking." Ink said, his voice firm, but gentle. Dream gulped and nodded, trying to calm his breathing. "Good. Breathe in. Breathe out." Dream followed Ink's instructions. He gripped Ink's hands back before clearing his throat and nodding. Ink nodded too. "Okay. What about Nightmare??"

"H-H-He said t-to tell you about Poison Apples." He stammered out, confused. He had no idea what it meant, and from the looks of it, neither did Error. But Ink? Ink's already white complexion somehow managed to pale as he stared at Dream.

"Shit. Oh shit, shit, shit." He whispered. He squeezed Dream's hands. "Dream, stay with Error! This is bad!!" He ordered. Error opened his mouth and Ink's eyes went red. "No. Arguing!" He snapped, shutting Error up. They both watched as he swiped his way into the Omega Timeline.

Ink flew through the white space, horrified. No way. Not now. How would he have gotten out? There was no way. He kept going as the Omega Timeline became an off-white/grey, signaling lesser known or forbidden AU's. He came to a stop and settled on the ground, eyes wide.

"No damn way." He whispered, staring at the huge hole in the ground, blown into the room that had once held the menace known as Shattered Dream.