Chapter Text
"Techno!"
Ah it's him again….
He wishes that he could've done something to prevent his death. He was in there with him after all, in that cursed prison. He could do nothing but watch as Quackity came in and tortured him. He could've done something if he hadn't been restrained by Sam every damn time.
He would hold him close after each session and tend to his wounds as best as he could with the limited supplies that he had. Telling him stories about Greek mythology to make him think of anything else than what had just happened.
It was when he finally succumbed to his injuries
Techno could do nothing but watch as Dream struggled to breathe, resting his head against Techno's chest just to feel the piglin's heart. It was the last thing he heard before he finally let his body go limp.
The next time Quackity came and Sam right behind him, the two stood no chance against an angered piglin. His dark red crimson eyes looked at them with malice. Quackity was the first to die by his hands, the axe he had lost to Techno and the piglin returning it into his chest. Sam didn't know how he had so much strength, especially when all he had were potatoes to eat and little space to exercise.
All he knew was that no matter what he did, he could not deter the piglin. His death was similar to Quackity's, an axe to his chest. The only difference was that he had fallen into the lava, burning everything that he had.
When he finally saw that both threats were gone, he grabbed the pearls that Quackity had dropped and any available items and placed them in his inventory. He walked over to Dream's body and using a pearl, teleported them to the other side of the cell.
He felt numb walking through the prison while carrying his friends rival's dead body. When he arrived at the locker where his items were, he broke the block above the chest and regained his armor and materials.
Techno's glad he brought some invisibility potions. It makes his trip back to the Tundra easy and prevents him from encountering residents that he wishes not to.
If he heard a siren ring out when he entered the nether, he paid no mind to it
When he entered the tundra, he was met with snow falling gently from the sky. The cold is a dark contrast to the heat in the obsidian cell. Heading in the direction of his cabin, he spots a dense forest surrounding the area.
One he remembers wasn't there before
Navigating through the forest is easy, seeing as there is crying obsidian illuminating the area. Upon arriving at the fencing of his home, he spots black wings and green in his vision.
"Phil?" He speaks loud enough for the winged man to turn and spot him, eyes widening
"Techno?"
The piglin's legs finally gave out from beneath him, kneeling into the snow while holding Dream's body. Philza runs up to him, kneeling by his side. He spots the tears running from the Techno's eyes before looking down at the body in his arms.
"I could've saved him Phil… I could've…. But I didn't… I couldn't" states the piglin through teary eyes
Phil watches quietly, he ever so gently grabs Dream's body from Techno's hold. He notices the various scars and bruises littering the man's form, he'll ask Techno about that later.
"Let's go make him a grave, ok mate?"
Techno can only nod, standing on his feet again as he follows Phil into the woods again. Phil keeps a close eye on Techno as he leads the pair to a small clearing he had found not long ago. He knows Techno and Dream were close, more than rivals from his perspective. The two were always close after they first fought each other and the matches afterwards. Always trying to one up the other, it was the happiest he had seen Techno in all the times the two had spent together.
The winged hybrid stops upon reaching the clearing. It's small with nothing but a few yellow flowers in the area. Phil gently lays down Dream's body on the snow and pulls out a shovel, beginning to dig a hole big enough to bury Dream's body.
Techno watches as Phil digs, his red cape still around Dream's shoulders. He doesn't dare take that away from the masked man. It had given him comfort when in prison, allowing him to sleep for the first time in months.
Minutes pass and Phil finishes digging the grave, he looks over to Techno giving him a solemn expression. He walks over and places a hand on his shoulder, Techno looking up at him.
"C'mon mate, let's put him to rest…" He receives a nod from the piglin, who ever so gently picks up Dream again. Phil jumps down into the hole to place Dream's body in. He carefully unwraps Techno's cape from him, Techno was about to refuse when Phil told it it could be wrapped around the tombstone. Techno in return accepted the cape and held it in his arms, assisting Phil out of the hole.
When the hole is covered up and Phil places the Tombstone. Techno kneels by it, wrapping his red cape around the stone and clipping it in place. He takes one more item out of his inventory. A chipped porcelain mask, with one eye missing and various cracks surrounding the mask. He ties it to the clip of his cape, allowing it to hang down. He feels his whole body tremble upon removing his hands from the mask. He feels a hand on his shoulder and turns his head to spot Phil giving him a soft smile.
For the third time….
He lets himself cry, mourning again for a lost friend
______
Phil saw the difference that prison and the death of Dream had caused to Techno.
The piglin had loved potatoes for as long as Phil can remember. Now , the piglin can't stand the sight of the root so Phil had decided to remove the farm he had made, only keeping a few for him to use and farm.
The second thing he noticed that had changed was his refusal to be near any source of lava or obsidian unless necessary. Whenever he would be near lava, he would use water to get rid of the popping noise and place blocks above it so he wouldn't see the obsidian.
Another thing he saw that changed within the piglin were creepers. Whenever one was near, Techno would lose all control and slash at the mob until it was no more.
Phil had to stash all the gunpowder that he had gotten that Techno just left to despawn.
Another thing he took note that Techno disliked
Mirrors
Phil thought Techno wouldn't hate the object but it seems he was wrong. It wasn't until he heard a loud crash that he really learned. He found Techno gripping the sink to the bathroom with a broken mirror above him. It's where he learned that Techno couldn't see himself in mirrors. Alive and breathing while Dream was below ground, unmoving.
Phil's heart broke seeing his son cry again for who knows how many times now.
The last thing Phil took notice that Techno hated were axes . He was cutting down logs for the fire when he heard a crunch behind him. He turned and was met with a stiff Techno staring at nothing but the axe in his hand. He quickly put it away when he saw that the piglin was on the verge of a panic attack.
That day he learned as to what really happened in prison. Dream was tortured while Techno was restrained, unable to do anything but watch.
It had taken Phil awhile before he figured out how to help Techno with his trauma. He knew the piglin didn't like the sight of potatoes so he decided to ease them into his food in different recipes. At first he refused to eat but slowly he started to once again eat the root but only certain amounts. Phil knew that was a good start and so he kept going.
Lava and obsidian were tricky for him to be able to help Techno with. He knew the piglin could handle the heat due to his genes but he just couldn't be near it. He decided to start off small with just a bucket of lava and asked Techno to be near it for a couple minutes. It failed a few times but as Techno kept doing the exercise he slowly started to be comfortable near lava again. As for obsidian he only asked Techno to hold the block for a certain time and increase it once he felt comfortable. The exercises worked but there would be times the piglin would flinch at the sight of two.
The same practices that he had done for lava and obsidian he had tried for the mirrors. It was obvious to him that this one would be more difficult. He would find shards of glass littered where a mirror once stood.
He decided to remove any mirrors he found in the house and put them away.
As for creepers he decided just to let the piglin know that they were not Sam and should only attack them if they came near him. It worked for most but he would still spot Techno charging at the mob and reducing it to dust.
Axes were still troubling for Phil to help Techno with. There were times where the Piglin wouldn't react to the weapon. Other times he would just stiffen in place and not move, only looking at the weapon as if expecting something.
Phil took whatever he could with the axes, he knew that one would take more time for Techno to recover from.
He didn't know how to help Techno with the guilt of seeing the ghost of his former friend r
ival
_______
Nikki was currently fixing up her underground city, adding new blocks where they were needed to spice up the area. She had just run out of wool to be able to make more carpet so she gathers her weapons and any potions and heads outside.
She looks around her flower field smiling at the scenery. Before she moves forward, she feels a tap on her shoulder. As she turns her head, her eyes widen at what she sees. Floating beside her in a green hoodie with a paper mask tied around their head to the side is Dream, more of a childlike version. He's smiling widely at her with vibrant green eyes
"Dream?" The ghost nods his head at her
"Wh-what happened to you? Why… why are you?"
Nikki feels tears starting to form in her eyes. She doesn't know how to feel upon seeing the ghost of Dream. He's done horrible things that she can't forgive, destroying L'manburg was one of them. As she looks at the ghost, she is reminded of the kind admin that happily invited her to his world. Enjoying the woman's company whenever she had a chance to speak with him.
She wonders what had happened to those days
"Do you know where Techno is?"
The pink haired woman looks over at the ghost, a bright smile on his face. He's holding a red rose in his hand.
"Do you know who I am?" She asks with some hope in her heart
The ghost shakes his head "No sorry, I only know Techno"
Nikki's heart shatters, Dream had once stated that he had seen her as a mother figure and Nikki decided to accept it. Just like Puffy had done, she no longer had seen Dream as her son after learning of what he had done. Though unlike the woman, she didn't go around and protect another child. She had decided to make an underground base to ease her mind and get away from brewing battles.
She gives the ghost a sweet smile
"Yes, I know where he is" she gestures for him to follow and he does. Nikki listens as the ghost tells her of adventures that he and Techno have done since they were younger.
She had messaged the Piglin that she found someone that he would like to see. The piglin had responded rather quickly stating that there was no one that he would be happy to see. She only asked him to be ready and would meet him at his cabin.
When the pair entered the tundra, Dream was ecstatic. He loved the white of the area and how calm it was. Nikki only reminded him to follow close and so he did. When she arrived at the cabin and knocked on the door, she asked the ghost to stay behind her. Upon the door opening, she was met with a tired Techno looking as if he just woke up.
"Nikki… this better be good, I have to head out soon"
"I'm sorry but if I told you… I don't think you would believe me" Techno only raises a brow at the woman.
As he is about to speak, a new voice speaks and he stiffins.
"Techno?" Nikki steps aside revealing who she wanted to show to the piglin. A childlike Dream is looking up at him with a confused expression.
"Dr… Dream" The piglin can't believe his eyes. The Dream he sees in front of him Is one from his childhood. The little ghost has a paper mask on the side of his head and his green eyes stare at Techno with curiosity.
Nikki watches as Techno falls to his knees, tears streaming down his eyes. She never thought she would see the almighty blood god break down. But here he is, crying at seeing the ghost of Dream
"I'm sorry…. I'm so sorry… I could've saved you"
Dream floats over, placing his hands on Techno's face. The piglin slowly looks up, crimson tear stained eyes meeting green ones.
"It's fine… you couldn't stop it"
"BUT I COULD'VE! I COULD'VE STOPPED THEM FROM TORTURING YOU!" Nikki flinches at Techno's raised voice, her worry only growing. Dream was tortured? In prison? And Techno was stuck with him without her knowing? The prison was supposed to keep them safe from Dream but did anyone ever think that he would get harmed.
No… no they didn’t… all they cared for was him being locked away and not harming anyone anymore
“I could’ve saved you…” whispers Techno, his eyes closed not daring to look at Dream’s ghost
“Techno… please look at me” the piglin shakes his head
“Techno please…”
Dream waits, he knows Techno can be stubborn. He saw it in prison when he refused to sleep to allow him to sleep. He doesn’t know why he was in prison or who the duck and creeper were that plagues his mind every time they appear. He only remembers the memories he has of Techno since childhood and them being stuck in prison.
His last memory was of Techno telling him about Hestia, the kindest and most compassionate amongst all the Gods. While his head rested on his chest, hearing the piglin's heartbeat.
“Techno I know you’re afraid…. Afraid that when you see me… all you see is a lifeless body staring back but I know you’re strong. So please… look at me”
Techno hesitates before finally opening his eyes. Whenever he looked in mirrors he not only saw himself but Dream's ghost standing behind him, blaming him for his death. As he looks at the Dream in front of him, he doesn't see a bloodied face staring back at him. He sees a smiling child with a rose in their hair, a stark contrast to the nightmares that he gets.
"I may have died but you lived, so keep living. If not for yourself then for me… I don't want to see you join me so soon, you still have so much ahead for you"
Techno brings the ghost into a hug, surprised that he is able to touch the corporeal being. Dream returns the gesture, smiling softly.
Nikki had left the pair long ago not wanting to intrude on what seemed like an important moment. Instead of heading back to her underground base, she heads towards the mainland.
She wants answers as to what happened and she'll start with asking Sam