Stick to the Script

Chapter 6

After the last fight about Tommy, I rarely see Dream. He spends all his time out of the house- hunting for Tommy I assume. Without Dream around, I turn to Technoblade, but even he seems slightly off. His chests are unorganized, he misplaces or loses items frequently, and he always seems on edge.

Today I decide to go to Technoblade's house and make sure he is doing well. Technoblade has always been there for me, it's time I'm there for him. I walk up to his house and knock on the door. A few seconds later, Technoblade answers. 

"Oh, hey y/n". 

"Hey Techno", I say brightly. 

"Would you like to come in?" 

"Yes, thank you".

We go to the small space we've dedicated for hangouts on the third floor. 

"So Techno", I begin, "have you been doing alright lately?" 

"Yeah, what makes you ask?" 

"You just seem... off. I don't know how to say it, but not as put together".

"Hmm, I don't know. Maybe I should sleep more. I've been trying to farm Phantoms", he adds.

"Yeah, that's probably it, sleep is important". 

Techno asks me if things with Dream were getting better. I don't want to trouble him, so I lie and say that they are. I stay later than normal with Techno, not wanting to return to the tense house with Dream. 

If Technoblade noticed my reluctance to leave, he didn't say anything. It wasn't until I got up that he asked if I was ready to leave. I say yes and walk to the door with him. I wave goodbye as I walk into the darkness of night and make my way back home.

-----

"Where have you been", Dream asks as I walk into the house. 

"I was just at Techno's, why?", I ask. 

"You're on my side, right y/n?" 

"Of course. What's wrong, Dream? Why do you feel the need to ask that?" 

"Because I know you've been lying to me." 

I stop, genuinely confused. "About what?" 

"I know Tommy is hiding out with Technoblade. I understand why he wouldn't tell me, but you, y/n?" 

"I had no idea-" 

"Stop, I don't want to hear it. I should've known you would turn against me. You just see me as the villain, don't you?"

"Dream, this is ridiculous, just listen to yourself".

"Tell me I'm wrong, y/n. Tell me right now you hadn't had any idea that Tommy was hiding with Techno". 

I pause to think back, "I mean he always seemed to be in need of more food... and the cobblestone tower was a little strange.... but, I had no idea Tommy was actually hiding there". 

"I can't let you betray me, y/n", Dream says coldly.

"What's that supposed to mean?", I ask, not liking where this conversation was heading.

"It means I can't let you leave anymore". 

The tension in the room becomes unbearably high. 

"I can leave if I want and you better not try and stop me, Dream", I argue.

I try walking past him to calm down in my room, but he grabs my upper arm, "I wasn't done talking to you", he snaps.

I look at his hand around my arm in disbelief and shake off his tight grip. I take a step back from Dream. "Get it together, Dream. I'm going to my room and I suggest you do too and think about what you are saying", I declare, trying to conceal the shakiness in my voice.

Dream whips out his sword, pointing it at me, "No". 

I look into my inventory and summon the iron sword I carry in case I come across a monster. 

Dream looks at the sword and sneers. "You really want to fight me, y/n?" 

"No, but I will if I have to".

Dream thrusts his sword at me. I am barely able to react and deflect the attack. 

"Dream!", I shout, stunned by his actions. 

"Stand down, y/n", he warns. 

"What is wrong with you? Please stop", I plead. 

Dream ignores me, attacking again instead. This time I am unable to block him from hitting the back of my arm. I hiss in pain, grabbing at the fresh cut. 

Dream doesn't hold back, whirling away with his sword. I struggle to defend myself until Dream knocks the blade out of my hand, leaving me completely vulnerable. Dream capitalizes, using his momentum to plant a forceful kick on my chest.

I'm sent flying backward, landing hard on the floor. Gasping to regain the wind knocked out of me, I desperately look around for something to defend myself from Dream who was towering over me. 

"I may have taught you how to fight with monsters, but I never taught you how to PVP", Dream sneers. 

"Please stop- Clay", I beg helplessly. 

He pauses at my usage of his real name. "I'm sorry it had to come to this y/n, but you left me no choice". 

I watch as Dream walks over to a chest and reaches in, producing a lead. 

"Please Dream, you have to believe me", I whimper. 

"It doesn't matter anymore whether I believe you y/n, nothing matters. My entire life is part of a made-up story and you are the only thing not scripted. If you are the key to controlling my fate, then I'm not going to risk you betraying me, not now- not ever!" 

With that Dream walks over and kneels beside me. He grabs my right arm, inspecting the fresh wound he inflicted upon me. Dream produces a piece of bread. "Eat", he commands, "it needs to heal". 

I use my left arm to eat the bread, watching as the strange world mechanics cause the cut to almost instantaneously heal. When Dream is satisfied with the condition of my arm, he wrenches it behind me. 

"Hey, stop!", I yell.

I squirm to try and escape, but Dream's grip is too strong. He takes my other arm and uses the lead to tie the two arms behind my back. When he's done he walks back over to the chest and gets out more items. I pathetically try and inch my way across the floor in an attempt to escape, but Dream just grabs the knots around my wrist and drags me back deeper into the house. 

Dream slides me all the way to his room, where he closes the door upon our entry. Dream places a fence post on the wall and grabs my wrist. Next thing I know, he's attaching me to the fence post.  

"Dream, you better get me out of this right now", I growl. 

Dream laughs, "I'm sorry, but I can't y/n. I need you to stick around in case my plans don't work". 

"What plans?"

"To reclaim all land back under the Dream SMP, to have total control over everyone". 

"Oh my gosh, you really are the villain of this world- the monster", I spit.

"And that's the problem! Isn't it obvious, I'll always be the villain. As long as we are still living by the 'script' I will be labeled as the villain. No matter what I do or how I change, it will all end with me being the villain. It was predetermined from the start, but I say NO MORE!
It's so easy to see now, y/n. Everyone is a puppet in this world. Everyone needs their 'story arc' and 'character development'. But what I realize now is that to be well-rounded characters, everyone needs a weakness. It's all so easy to see now, and it's all thanks to you!"

I sit in shocked silence. Dream has broken the fourth wall, he's aware of what he needs to do to destroy the plot and reconstruct it as his own.