__________________________________________________

DreamXD 'blinked', "What?"

"I want a body for Ghostbur", M/n repeated slowly, as if he was talking to a child, "Just like his old one, but with a few tweaks."

XD tilted his head, "What kind of tweaks?" He asked, and M/n pointed at him. "I was getting to that. Obviously, if he just appeared again, everyone would be suspicious. Dream would have had no reason to bring him back. So, he would need to hide, or", M/n paused, "be unnoticeable, smaller."

XDs head spun in a circle, "How small are you asking?" He asked, and M/n held up his hands. "About this big", M/n said, holding his hands around twelve inches (29 cm) apart.

"Why that tiny?" XD inquired, his hands already getting to work, molding a chunk of clay he got from who knows where. M/n shrugged, "He'll be easier to hide. The smallest person that I know of is Skeppy, and I don't think anyone would be looking for someone any smaller."

XD rolled his 'eyes' and finished the small clay figure. M/n took it in his hands and inspected it closely. The sculpture was an exact replica of Ghostbur, tiny clothes and all, its tiny hands clasped together in its lap. A serene smile stretched across its face, eyes closed.

A specific type of clay was always required, but anyone could sculpt it.

Holding the figurine as if it was glass, M/n glanced at XD and put it in a chest. "You know you can't stay here for the splitting", M/n says, "It's not allowed."

XD rolled his non-existent eyes, "Since when were you such a stickler for rules? Last time I checked, you breaking the rules is what got you chained up in the first place."

M/ns' face was stone cold, and he approached XD "I need to do this in peace. Get the fuck out."

Without warning, M/n grabbed XD and chucked him out the door like a baseball. "BEGONE!" XD screeched like a wet cat.

Slamming the door with a flourish, M/n turned on his heels and went to the chest. He held the clay figurine in his hands and let out a sigh. "Are you ready, Ghostbur?"

Yes!

Clasping the figurine gently between his hands, M/n brought its clay forehead and pressed it against his own.

, M/n began, his voice barely a whisper.

Thick blue steam began to exit through M/ns' lips, surrounding the figurine.

Merge with this body for all to see.

To walk the Earth, to touch the grass.

Now I speak these words to make it true.

More blue steam exited M/ns' body, forming the shape of a human being. Its misty blue head tilted to the side, and then it seemed to smile. It reached out and touched the clay statue, and was sucked inside.

The statue's color slowly changed from a dead gray to a healthy creamer. Healthy, as in Ghostburs' standard of healthy.

Ghostburs' tiny eyes blinked open, and his pupils widened and contracted, adjusting to the light.

M/n held his hands steady and smiled gently as Ghostbur looked around. He was so...

Curious.

"M/n?" Came the soft echo of Ghostburs' voice, and M/n watched as he patted himself down, "Am I-, am I alive?"

"Yes", M/n said gently, looking on in amusement as his small husband scuttled up his arm and onto his head.

"You're very tall, you know that?" Ghostbur mused, leaning over and staring M/n in the eyes.

"So I've been told", M/n agreed, carefully picking Ghostbur off of his head, "And you're very small." "That's your fault", Ghostbur mused, sitting up in M/ns hand.

"I suppose", M/n chuckled, and then he perked up, "Oh! That's right, I have a surprise for you."

Gently putting Ghostbur down, M/n began vigorously searching through chests. "Yes! I found it", he said, and quickly walked back over.

"That is just a cloak", Ghostbur pointed out. M/n nodded, "Well, yes, but this one is special."

He slid the hood on and buckled the clasp, then reached down for Ghostbur, who protested quietly.

M/n reached behind him with one hand, and Ghostbur climbed over his shoulder.

"Is this... a pocket?" The voice of Ghostbur drifted from behind M/n. "I guess", M/n agreed, "I thought you would want a resting place, now that your legs are shorter. And it's harder to see you. And you don't weigh much, so I doubt it will tire me.

Plus, when I have my hood up, you would become completely hidden."

Ghostburs head popped up from behind M/n, and he patted his husband's neck, "I love it. Thank you."

"Of course darling", M/n purred.

*Knock*

*Knock*

M/n and Ghostbur glanced at each other before the latter ducked into his new hiding spot, and the former flipped up his hood.

Cracking the door open, M/n smiled as he saw a friendly face on the other side. "Ah, Fundy. Hello", M/n greeted, opening the door the rest of the way. Fundy stood there, hands on his hips, a wide smile decorating his face.

"Hi M/n", Fundy chirped, he was practically rocking on his feet, "Tommy sent me to get you."

M/n raised his eyebrow, "You're in a good mood. What does Tommy need me for?" He asked, leaning against the doorframe of his house. Fundy only shook his head, "No clue. He's just gathering as many people as he can. I figured I would come and get you."

"Why me in specific?" M/n smiled, and Fundys' smile shifted a small bit.

"Well..." Fundy muttered, "When you want to show people something, you usually think of family first", he paused, "And I suppose, you are technically my stepfather."

M/n thought for a moment and then nodded. "I guess I am. Would you like to talk about it more on the way there?" He offered, and Fundy nodded hesitantly.

Fundy trailed off the steps, and M/n followed close behind. The latter chuckling in amusement as his stepsons fluffy tail wagged with each step.

"So", M/n began, slowing down his walking pace to match Fundys', "What should I call you? Just 'son'?"

Fundy pursed his lip, "I don't really mind. Whatever you choose."

A spark lit in M/ns' eyes, "Then what about 'Trickster?' Foxes are known to be sneaky, and quite intelligent. I think you embody both of those qualities very well." M/n said, stating it as if it was a fact.

Fundy could feel his eyes burn, but he quickly pushed the feeling away. "I'd like that. I don't think I've ever been given a nickname. Even Wilbur didn't give me one."

M/n hesitated to speak, but he did. "Why do you call him that? Were you not close with Wilbur?"

Fundy shook his head, "I don't know. Not particularly. He was always concentrated on other things. L'manburg, his presidency, etc. And I will admit, I did some things that I'm not particularly proud of. Things I could have done better."

M/n could feel Ghostburs' body shake through his cloak. Apparently, he remembered that.

M/n smiled softly. "At least you're mature enough to take some semblance of responsibility. Someone I know would just blame it on anyone else to avoid taking the blame himself", M/n said, thinking about a round-headed god, "It's hard to admit when you're wrong. Especially when you did something that potentially harmed other people."

"You sound like you're speaking from experience."

"I am, Trickster."

The two walked in comfortable silence after that. As curious as Fundy was about his father, he wasn't going to pry.

"This is it?" M/n asked, shielding the sun from his eyes with a hand. It was a large mountain with an opening in the front.

"Yep", Fundy confirmed, "Tommy went into it earlier and came out yelling. I myself have no idea what's inside. I just know he brought a few others inside and told me to go get someone."

M/n stood at the mouth of the cave and glanced at his son. "So... do we just go in?"

"I think so," The two entered side by side, and instantly M/n noticed something.

It's... So bright in here. Where are the torches? Moss maybe? No...

M/n and Fundy walked farther and farther down the tunnel, as it narrowed and narrowed. Then, suddenly, it opened up into a large room. It was very bright and the quartz was as white as it could be.

The walls were covered in large mirrors. Each one had a label over its' frame and a cloth hanging over the front, hiding the reflection.

M/n ran his thumb over one of the labels, rubbing off the dust. His eyes narrowed as he read the name on the label. Sapnap.

What?

Moving to the next one, M/n read another name.

Purpled.

And another.

Puffy.

Moving the curtain on that last one, M/n tried to look at himself. Nothing. He glanced at Fundy, who also seemed to be exploring the mirrors. Looking farther down the hallway, M/n could make out the figures of Tommy, and... Friend.

"Friend!!" Ghostbur exclaimed, and M/n quickly and quietly shushed him as Fundy gave M/n an odd look.

"Oy! M/n!" Tommy called out, waving his arm over his head as the others wandered off. M/n gave a slight wave and walked over, Fundy close at his heels.

M/n unnoticeably slid Ghosbur out of his hood and onto the blue sheep, receiving a tiny thumbs up in return.

"Look at this", Tommy said, and M/n realized that Tommy was standing in front of his own mirror. As Tommy stood there, his reflection shifted but he did not.

The reflection showed a version of Tommy. A less tired, happier Tommy. "I think", Tommy started, "That these things show you. The non-damaged you. What you should be like."

M/n raised an eyebrow, "As in, the 'how you should look if you were never traumatized,' you?"

"Yeah."

"Hm", M/n hummed to himself, resting his hand on Tommys' mirror frame. He sharply pulled back, as the frame seemed to shock him. Like a self-defense mechanism. Shaking his hand, he gestured Tommy over.

"Hey, you saw that right?"

Tommy nodded.

"Do you think, because it's your mirror, only you can touch it?" "Maybe."

He reached out his hand and touched the mirror glass, but he didn't pull back. Instead, where Tommy placed his hand seemed to glow. He seemed to absorb some of the reflection because he looked happier, younger.

And M/n realized that he was right. Tommy had absorbed the reflection. The whole thing to be specific. And upon closer inspection, M/n realized that Tommy was now exactly like the boy in the reflection.

"Woah", Tommy whispered, and M/n smiled at the childish glint in his eyes. Good. It had been a while since he was able to act his age. "M/n", Tommy said, "I want to see your reflection."

M/n hesitated and then wandered down the hallway, Tommy and Fundy following close behind.

His eyes trailed over the labels until he found his own name. M/n grabbed the curtain and took a deep breath as he moved it to the side.

"Where's your reflection?" Fundy asked, and M/n looked at him oddly. "What do you mean? It's right there", M/n said, "Can you not see it?"

Fundy and Tommy shook their heads. M/n looked at himself in the mirror and tentatively looked himself in the eyes. His reflection shifted, and he almost flinched.

Oh, come one, why is it showing me my old form?!

M/n frowned, and his reflection frowned. He stared as his reflection had two hands rested on its' waist, and the other pair of arms folded over its' chest. Two pairs of arms were always a pain, luckily, his new form only had one pair, but still.

He ran a gentle finger over his cheek, and his reflection did the same, wincing as it accidentally poked itself in the eye. Four eyes, they may have helped M/n see better, but he had lost count of how many times he had poked them on accident.

And his reflection was taller, too. About thirteen feet (396 cm.

Then as M/n looked behind his reflection, he flinched. Behind his reflection were... wings. Six of them to be exact. The pain had been excruciating when one after another, they were cut off. Now they were just six tiny nubs on his back. M/n stared at his reflection. This is what he would have looked like if he hadn't broken the rules. Happy. Whole.

...

...

...

But then again, he would have never met Tommy. Or Tubbo. Ranboo. Phil. Everyone. He would have never gotten married. M/n glanced down at his hand, the silver and gold bands still shining on his finger. He smiled.

And he touched the mirror.

M/n shivered as he felt a rush of energy. It was the type of feeling you would get after stepping into a warm shower. Pleasant, but your body had to adapt.

Then came the cracking.

Growing suddenly isn't the most pleasant experience in the world. Your bones stretching was a lot more painful than you would think. And regrowing wings hurt like a mf.

"What the hell?!" Tommy shrieked, skittering backward. Fundy just stood there with a spark of fascination in his eyes. "Aww", M/n cooed, crouching down in front of Tommy, "you're scared."

"I'm not fuckin scared! And how long does that last for?"

M/n shrugged, "A few hours at most, probably."

Tommy yelled and started ranting and walking in circles, an amused Fundy watching from the side. M/n smiled, even though he looked like a monster, they weren't scared. Fuck everybody else, these were his kids.

He could be happy here.

_________________________________________________________________

A comparison of Tinybur and Mirror M/n.