3rd World (BNHA/MHA x DSMP AU)

17

[George POV]

George didn't want to be there. He wanted to go back to the dorms and fall asleep. But Sapnap was determined.

He attempted to persuade him again. "Look, Kaji. We already know the outcome, so why are we doing this?"

As expected, Sapnap shushed him, peeking from behind a tree.

Dream had headed into the woods, and immediately afterwards, they had lost him several times in a row. They had gone too far from the city and there were no street lamps and Sapnap couldn't light a fire for fear of discovery. Up above, the moon was nearly full but the thick tree branches impeded its light from reaching their eyes.

"Dammit, he's gone again", Sapnap muttered.

It was the perfect opportunity for a DNF joke but he seemed not to have thought about that. It was then that George had to finally admit that Sapnap was being completely serious. Sadly.

"Come one, Joji. Don't be a cowar-."

There was a soft crackling sound like two rough materials were being rubbed against each other. A spark. Then light.

Sapnap took George's hand, leading him towards it. He didn't protest.

They stepped into a clearing and saw a bonfire. It was around half his height, and burning weakly, though the flames were quickly spreading throughout the stacked pieces of timber.

Dream was nowhere to be seen.

"Where did he go?", George wondered out loud.

A hand was on his shoulder. It wasn't Sapnap's. In fact, Sapnap screamed.

George froze, eyes locked in front of him before finally whispering, "Dream?"

"Boo", Dream greeted them.

His hands were behind his back and bits of orange flickered in his usually bright green eyes. Tonight, however, they were dull. Not bored, but dull.

"Hey Ayumu." George replied apprehensively.

"So", Dream gestured to them. "What are you guys here for?"

George saw Sapnap ball his hands into fists, teeth gritted, face slightly pink from embarrassment - from screaming. He flinched as the air around Sapnap began to warp from the heat. Dream leaped back and George followed suit.

"You really have the nerve to ask US?", Sapnap growled. "We should be asking YOU. Why are YOU here?"

Dream scanned over him, paused, then directed his attention to George. He looked like he was thinking.

Finally, he shrugged. "Nothing much. Just... an experiment."

The heat around Sapnap quelled. "Mind if-."

"You guys join? Sure why not", Dream interrupted.

He drew the book from behind his back and stepped towards the bonfire.

"What are you doing?", George asked.

Summoning God, his memories whispered to him.

George furrowed his brows, suspicious. He didn't believe it. There was no way that Dream would let them in on the plan so easily. And yet, he dropped the book into the flames without hesitation.

There was a small explosion as the fire enveloped the book but nothing else. George heard Sapnap breathe in sharply before realizing that the same sound had come from his own mouth. For a moment, all he did was stare at the book as the pages charred, blackened, and crumbled

He was brought back by Dream's voice.

"Another failure. I guess it just doesn't work." Dream threw his hands up, seemingly disappointed.

Such a blatant lie, George thought.

But it tricked Sapnap, who seemed more confused than suspicious.

"What was that about?", Sapnap asked.

Dream paused, clearly hesitant, but George felt hopeful.

So he prompted him, "Dream?"

He was silent, eyes clearly testing the scale, seeing if he preferred friendship or success more. It hurt George to realize that he thought of them as incompetent.

Finally, Dream focused his eyes on them again. "Do you remember the revival book?"

George frowned. "The revival book? From the SMP? Why would it be here?"

"The thing you used to threaten Tommy, right?". Sapnap seemed to have calmed down at least slightly. "Why would it be here? Shouldn't it be in the SMP?"

"I guess it is", Dream replied. "But I was trying to see if the same thing worked in this world." He shrugged. "You guys just saw. Nothing happened."

He must have sensed George's doubtful gaze because his gaze dropped. Dream headed to the fire and began kicking dirt over the burning timber.

"You two can go back first." He made a shooing motion.

As if they were kids. As if he would rather them leave and quit bothering him. George turned and began to walk away.

"Wait, George. Come back", Sapnap called to him.

George didn't. He simply stopped walking.

"Wait", Sapnap repeated and he must have turned to Dream. "Dream. How do we know that we can trust you?"

Dream paused.

"I mean." He laughed a little. "I guess you can't. But I hope that you will."

Neither George nor Sapnap replied.

Dream laughed awkwardly. "Look. George. Sapnap. There's no war here. So there's absolutely no reason for me to lie to you guys. Okay?"

"Yeah", George muttered. "No war except the one with your stupid pride."

"Did you say something George?"

He turned and grabbed Sapnap.

"Nothing. Dream. We trust you. Let's go back to the dorms."

George ignored Sapnap's protests. In his head, he scolded himself for clinging onto the hope that Dream was being truthful with them - when there was no hope.

But he did believe that Dream meant them well, even if he was being a blockhead - a clay blockhead, if you will. He'd just have to trust him and his pride and contain his own ego.

More than anything, he wanted the Dream Team to remain intact.

[Dream POV]

Dream gave the bonfire one last glance before following Sapnap and George back to the dorms. He gave them a playful grin to hide the guilt in his heart, breathing out in relief when they returned the smile. At least they were willing to play along, he thought.

Behind them, the book had become one with the charcoal, bits of light gray paper mixed in with the dark ashes. Despite the state of the book, enough of it remained to infer a certain fact.

The book was completely blank.