Sapnap, Quackity, and George were less surprised about Karl's time-traveling than I thought.

They seemed more worried about his momentary absence of some memory, Sapnap and Quackity fussing over him like they were already married. The fretting looked like it made Karl feel better about his secret.

After getting the glass out of his hair and taking off his broken watch, he settled in to tell the boys about the adventures he could remember. Ones of pirate ships, villages, and wild western shoot-offs.

When he got to the masquerade story, he carefully stepped over the fact that I was there. He gave me a quick knowing look before telling the murder mystery.

It was for the best if I wasn't a part of the story, for the sake of my sanity.

I didn't need Sapnap to freak out and think I would start forgetting things left and right because I went on one trip with Karl.

So we stayed up late, listening as Karl painted stories in our minds with his words and wild hand gestures. Time-traveling seemed to turn the boy into an avid storyteller.

As I watched the three fiancés cuddle together on the couch in their home on El Rapids, I could see the loving looks they gave each other. They spoke easily to another, their words coming with a rhythm that only they could have.

I was sure that they were soulmates, destined to be together before they had even known of each other's existence.

A weird, hollow feeling loomed in my heart at the thought of soulmates. It seemed to tell me that I had a soulmate, but he was somewhere else, where I couldn't reach at the moment.

Before the tears could take control, I shifted my eyes to George, who was sitting in an armchair next to the couch and across from my own.

He watched Karl tell his stories, but not the way Sapnap and Quackity did. He seemed interested and curious about the stories, yet I could see a different emotion behind his eyes.

In between the chaos of taking care of Karl, Sapnap and George had embraced me in a bear hug when I entered their new home. Tears had pricked all of our eyes and we laughed with stuffed-up noses.

I hadn't seen them since I had taken shelter with Techno after my near-death experience with Dream.

The hug felt like something eased inside of me, flushing out some of the lingering pain and heartache. A missing piece healed back into place in my heart.

Movement on the couch pulled me out of my warm thoughts, refocusing my eyes.

Quackity was leading Karl upstairs by wrapping his arm around his shoulders, half holding him up. He seemed to be falling asleep standing up.

As they disappeared upstairs, Sapnap and George both looked at me, expectantly.

"What?" I said, looking between them in confusion.

Sapnap came over to my chair and plopped down beside me. The chair was meant for one person, but he somehow squeezed himself in next to me, winding his arm over my shoulders.

I instinctively laid my head on his arm, relaxing. Like Techno, Sapnap had that older brother feel, but he was more comfortable and affectionate with me.

"So, you care to tell us why you have this sudden glow about yourself?" Sapnap asked, his voice teasing.

I looked down at myself, expecting to see my skin glowing. It wasn't, at least not that I could see.

"What glow?"

"First off, your skin seems to have a golden tint to it like sun rays are pouring out of you," He said, jabbing a finger into my hand. "And, your sword is practically on fire inside its sheath."

I looked again at myself, still not seeing anything different. But he was right about my sword, it was illuminated at my feet in its sheath.

The sword only really glowed that bright when the threat of darkness was around.

I fought to keep a chill from shaking my body. Dream must be around somewhere, watching or waiting.

Forcing the thought out of my head, for now, I just rolled my eyes and shook my head. "Sap, I'm not glowing. I don't see anything. And my sword just does that sometimes from my magic."

"George, is she glowing?" Sapnap asked.

George, curled up across from us, nodded. "Yeah, you are. And I'm colorblind, so..."

"And he's colorblind!" Sapnap repeated, his voice rising a bit. He seemed to remember his sleeping fiancés and lowered his voice, "Did you get another new power?"

Oh, well that explains the glow. I may not be able to see the light, but Noemi had always had a faint halo around herself.

The same thing must be happening to me now that I possessed her powers.

I gave the two a sheepish smile. "Maybe."

"Well, what is it?" Sapnap asked like a curious child.

I let light bloom in my hands in the shape of a lotus flower. That same warmth and reassurance flooded my body, setting my heart at an easy rate.

Something about using Noemi's power always felt right.

Like I always meant to have this power.

"Woah!" Sapnap shouted, and again caught himself. If he kept shouting, a grumpy Quackity would soon come to shush him.

"How did you get that?" George asked, golden light reflected in his dark eyes.

"It's not a cool story," I mumbled, letting the light disappear. A slice of pain edged through me.

Sapnap seemed to sense the change, tucking me tighter into his side. Both of their faces softened, watching me carefully.

"Let me guess, either something really bad happened with Dream," George flinched slightly at the name as Sapnap talked. "Or, you were passed the power from one of your god friends."

Sapnap's guess had hit dead on somehow.

My head snapped to see him, my mouth dropping open.

His eyes widened as he took in my expression. "I was right?"

"How did you know?"

"Cause we know you're a goddess, and Dream's been a pain in the ass," Sapnap said, a hint of pain under the anger at the last part.

I quickly delved into telling the story of Noemi, who she was, and what happened to her. I left out that Tommy was there, but made sure they knew every other detail.

It still hurt to retell the story, but unlike when I was telling Sam and Puffy, this time I felt a bit more at peace. My emotions had returned to normal and my head was clearer.

Grief was still there, yet it had backed off. I was coming to terms with what happened.

And, my mind was distracted by forming a plan to save Dream.

"Geez, y/n-" Sapnap cut himself off after I told them. He ran his hand through his dark hair. "Dream actually did that?"

Thankfully, this was easier to retell than Noemi's death. I had been waiting for the right time to tell them since this could save the missing link in our group.

I took a deep breath, meeting both of their eyes before beginning. "No, it wasn't him."

"But, you just said he-" George started.

"I know, but he's not in control."

Blood disappeared from George's face in realization, making him appear white as snow. Sapnap's jaw set, fear dancing with anger in his eyes like fire.

"You don't mean.." He trailed off, clearly not wanting to hear my confirmation.

"The darkness is still here. It's trapped Dream inside his own body."

The silence that followed made my ears hurt. A pin could be dropped and it would sound like thunder.

There was a tremor in George's voice when he spoke. "Like when it had control of you?"

I nodded. "I don't know all the details yet, and I may not know until we free him, but he's still in there."

I could visibly see the lift in their hopes as I continued, "He's fighting to get back to us. But something is holding him back."

"We could get Dream back?" Sapnap whispered, hope sparking in his eyes.

A slow, hesitant smile crept onto my face. "Yeah, we could."

Even if it was dangerous to believe it, I let myself hope that we could get Dream back. It all depended on myself and my abilities with my powers.

Noemi had said that our powers combined could defeat the darkness. And now, I could control both and they were stronger than ever.

"Just to clarify, that wasn't him pushing us away and manipulating us?" George asked, emotion thick in his tone.

"No, it was whatever is controlling him. He had no choice to do those things to us."

I could feel the hope and relief explode out of Sapnap like fireworks. A smile had made its way onto his face and there was a faint sizzling sound.

"Woah, hold the fire, Sap," I joked, sensing his magic.

Clearly, he had been training with his fire while I was gone, and the two had become one. It moved with his emotions but didn't set everything on fire when there was a jump in his feelings.

"Sorry, I'm just happy," Sapnap mumbled, embarrassed.

I quickly took the opportunity to change the subject, asking about his powers. He told me about how his training was going, and that there had only been one incident where something had been set on fire.

Thankfully, George and Quackity had been near to douse the poor tree with water. After that, a bucket of water was always kept on hand.

We talked later in the night, easing into our old rhythms. I kept an eye on George, who had seemed relieved, but at the same time, that strange emotion was still there.

My magic reached out, feeling something like confusion and guilt.

Sapnap wore himself out by talking and demonstrating his little tricks with magic. The silver flames began to flicker with exhaust, still unused to long periods of use.

"Alright, Sapnap, I think you need to give the fire a break," I said, gently lifting my head off of his shoulder.

I didn't want to leave the comfort of his arms, not when they made me feel safe. But, Sapnap was practically falling asleep with his head tilting on my hair above me.

The flames winked out, disappearing as sleep crept up. I could hear his heart evening out under my ear.

I poked a finger into his ribs, jostling him. "Go up to bed, Sap. Your fiancés are waiting for you."

He groaned, half-awake. Instead of getting up to go to bed, he snuggled closer, wrapping his other arm across the front of me.

I laughed softly, pulling him into a hug. For someone so fierce and hot-headed in battle, deep down Sapnap was an affectionate and soft boy.

"Come on, you're gonna get a sore neck if you fall asleep like that." I wiggled out of his grasp, earning another complaint.

Finally, he stood and gave George and I a sleepy smile, climbing the stairs slowly. I just shook my head and relaxed back into the chair, now having more room to myself.

When I looked at George, he wasn't nearly as tired as Sapnap was. Guilt was plain on his face now, paired with confusion.

His eyes were on the ground, trying to make himself as small as possible in the oversized chair. Cushions and blankets practically swallowed him whole.

"George?" I asked, my voice just above a whisper.

"Hm?" He looked up but still kept his eyes off of me.

Something about George's face and posture struck something in me.

I know Dream's recent change had practically broken him. They had been best friends, basically brothers.

"What's bothering you?" I started, prodding gently. "You've had guilt all over your face all night."

George's carefully constructed mask fell apart, his face dropping in exhaust. It was as if he had been waiting for me to ask.

He paused, searching for words. "Could I show you what it is?"

I nodded, standing as he did. There was something almost giddy about the way George led me up a ladder and onto the roof.

But despite his excitement, my magic became weary and observant.

I made a mental note of it, keeping it at the ready. My eyes were on a constant track of the night sky and the shadows the buildings cast.

George sat down on the edge, facing the East as he dangled his feet over the roof. I did the same, straining my eyes to see any movement on the ground below us.

The moon was right above us, casting our forms in white light. I could clearly make out George's face, the joy written all over him in a broad smile.

"Okay, no asking questions till later, alright?" George said, his accent light.

I nodded hesitantly, watching as George looked up at the moon. There was something off about this whole thing.

"You can come out now," George said to the sky, paying no attention to me. "She's safe."

Snap!

I scrambled backward, away from the edge as a person appeared in the air. They floated, defying every law of gravity.

I couldn't be seeing this right.

I rubbed my eyes, everything in me refusing to believe it. But when I looked again, they were still there.

"Y/n, it's okay, relax," George reassured, gently pulling me back towards the edge.

Shock overlapped every emotion, allowing for him to place me next to him.

Right in front of him.

"D-Dream?" I whispered, disbelief clear in my voice.

In front of me, was who I thought to be Dream. He had the same body shape, same dusty hair, and a white mask.

But, in every other way, he was different.

And it set off warning bells in my head.

His dark green hooded cape was pulled tight over his head, only allowing some tufts of hair over the mask. The cape itself covered every inch of his body, elaborately designed with twists of gold and white.

An ender pearl replica clasped the cape shut, several others clipped to his sleeves. Where his arms appeared, black sleeves covered them, everything except parts of his hands.

Those were the normal parts of him.

Broad wings spread from his back, but instead of being normal, the feathers were made of the void. They were fuzzy around the edges, seeming to be a portal straight into the End.

Smaller wings, made of the same crystal and sparkled material, were floating around him.

Golden rings hovered around his head, moving with his movements. Everything else was hidden in unnatural shadows. His neck, most of his legs, and face were covered.

Then there was the mask, covering all of his face.

Instead of seeing a smiley face, it was painted neatly in an X and a D, stacked on top of each other. There were no splits, no sign that I had cracked it.

This wasn't Dream. This was someone else.

Someone ... godly.

"Y/n, this is DreamXD." George brought me out of my trance. He gestured casually to the thing in front of us. "DreamXD, this is my good friend that I've told you about."

I blinked and DreamXD was inches from me, near enough to touch my hair. I coiled back, feeling the air change.

It crackled with freakish stress, screaming of the other world. I sensed the familiarity of godlike power wrapping around us, just as it had felt with Noemi.

Except, colder.

He, if it was actually a man, reached out a hand. "Nice to meet you, Goddess of Light and Magic." His voice was slightly deeper than Dream's and had a light echo to it.

I hesitated but ultimately took his hand. Cold stabbed at my palm from the temperature of his own milky white hand.

It was as if he weren't even alive.

When he pulled back, I tried to hide my shiver. Everything about DreamXD wasn't right.

George, on the other hand, seemed to be blind to the strangeness. His face had softened and lost all its guilt, watching the other with ease.

"So, are you a god?" I asked slowly, picking my questions carefully.

"I'm the God of Chaos, even though I am quite calm," He joked, red flags immediately going up.

My head snapped to George, a question already on my tongue. But he gave me a pointed look that silenced me.

"DreamXD is the god part of Dream. He came to me recently, providing to be a very good friend when Sap, Karl, and Quackity are out."

"So ... you're a part of Dream?" I asked the god, trying to keep my voice even.

Something changed in the air, growing tenser.

"I am not Dream," Was all DreamXd said, a change in his tone apparent. It was colder as if he were trying to not bring up Dream. "I ... am not Dream."

An idea sparked in my mind. Clearly, something was off about the higher being, but what if ...

No, it couldn't be.

I stood, quickly shaking my head clear of the thought. DreamXD veered back, moving towards George to protect him.

"I-I gotta go, George," I said, half-turning away.

"But DreamXD just got here! You haven't had the chance to meet him," George said, standing with me.

I just backed away from the two, trying to create space between us. DreamXD stared at me, something evil rippling off of him in giant waves.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow," I muttered, turning around.

The feeling of a third pair of eyes watching me sent a wave of anxiety up my spine, but I ignored it and George's protests, climbing down the ladder without another thought.

-

??? pov

She had been right there.

Standing on the roof, next to George, clearly afraid of the strange god.

Even from where he was hidden, trapped in place in the shadows of a nearby building, he could sense the urgency to get away from him washing off of her like a river.

It twinged his heart, not being able to go to her and keep her safe.

He had been wanting to do that for a long time, but he had been trapped. Unable to break free of this strange box inside his own mind.

Perhaps this was what it felt like for her with the darkness.

Something in him broke again, and fury poured through his only human part.

He forced a step forward, his boot poking out of the shadow. Triumph pushed him forward another step, only to have his body whipped back against his own will.

Unlike the whispers that had taken hold long ago, this master's words were loud and commanding in his mind. They reeked of boldness, trying to break his will.

Leave her and George alone! He screamed at the thing.

This made DreamXD look back at him, a cold glare burning through the mask. Clearly, the god was still not used to the rebellion that raged through his shell.

No! Don't!

Don't you dare!

The god was done with him, planting his shell's feet in the shadows.

DreamXD didn't flinch as his vessel screamed and tore at his box, trying to escape.

He only talked happily with George, keeping an eye on the girl as she ran out of the house and El Rapids.

~~~~

oop, well there's the new character >:) I wonder who's pov that was...

I'm back from vacation homies, so chapter schedule should be a bit more normal :)

have an amazing day or night and remember that I love you and that you are needed. And if u are meant to be asleep rn, get some rest.

Stay safe, drink water, and take a minute to breathe