Nia turns around to face Dream, a deadpan adorning her features as she stares at the tall figure in a lime green hoodie and a white mask.

"Why don't you?" she holds his gaze, despite being unable to see his actual eyes.

Dream chuckles. "For what?"

"Well, as far as I know, Punz is your mercenary. He's paid by you, and consequently, he almost killed me because of you." Nia approaches Dream, jabbing at his chest with her index finger.

"What do you mean almost kill you?" Dream asks, cocking his head to the side. "He literally has a concussion because of you."

"Yes! Because he shot a fucking arrow at my head!"

"But he wasn't pointing at your head. He purposely missed."

"Dream . . . I refuse to have this conversation with you," says Nia, shaking her head.

She doesn't have the mental strength to explain to him the many things that are wrong with endangering her life for his own gain.

"I needed Technoblade to kill Tubbo," says Dream, as if that reasoning would excuse anything. "It would quicken the process of Manburg's destruction."

Nia crosses her arms, giving Dream a look. She pretends to be angry with him rather than show the disappointment that she feels as she listens to the words he says.

"Tubbo's life is not a price I was, am or would be willing to pay."

Nia's voice is quiet yet powerful as she gazes at Dream. Shaking her head, she turns away from the blonde man, heading for Pogtopia, hoping that everybody has gathered there already.

"But you want to destroy Manburg, don't you?" questions Dream, following Nia as she walks, keeping quiet.

It takes her minutes to reply, making her way through the forest. "Yes, of course I want to destroy Manburg. Schlatt has gone overboard. Whatever good there was about that country, it's dead."

"Then you have to see that some of us are simply willing to go further in order to achieve their goals," Dream still tries to argue why it was okay to let Tubbo be killed.

Nia scoffs, shaking her head. She doesn't bother looking at Dream, who has now caught up and walks alongside her.

"No, Dream," she says. "I still don't see a reason that would excuse letting Tubbo- letting a kid be murdered in front of a crowd of people."

It pains Nia to see that Dream doesn't care. He doesn't care for consequences or who gets hurt as long as he gets what he wants. Everything else is collateral damage to him - something that is unimportant.

"You know, if you're so upset with me, why are you still talking to me, then?" Dream challenges the princess, stopping in his tracks. He waits whether Nia will stop and confront him, or not.

Tears well up in her eyes and she slows down, but she doesn't stop. She continues walking as she carefully thinks about the answer she's going to give him.

"You're right, Dream. I am upset, and for some reason, I am still talking to you. But if you don't want me to, I don't have to talk to you anymore . . . I just- you're the only closest friend I had that-" Nia shakes her head. "It- it doesn't matter, actually. You don't care."

"Wait, what? What are you talking about?"

Dream picks up his pace as he has to once again catch up to Nia. She realizes that maybe she's wrong, and he does care. Or at least a part of him clearly does. But how much of the Dream that she knows is left?

"Eret doesn't remember me, Dream," Nia sighs. "And Technoblade? Well . . . he just avoids me most of the time. And for good reason, I guess. It sucks, but if anything, at least we have a common goal . . ."

Shaking her head, Nia is happy to catch a glimpse of the cobblestone tower that Tommy built, which she found out weeks ago. It alerts her about the proximity of Pogtopia.

"What are you trying to say, Nia?"

"You're my only friend, Dream."

Nia stops in her tracks, turning to face Dream. He stops, too, eyeing the princess, bemused. He scratches the back of his neck as she stares up at the blonde.

"Are you going to hold that over me, Dream? I mean, I am self-aware enough to know that this can be easily exploited. And exploited I can be," the woman chuckles, shaking her head.

"I heal fast, I can heal others, and I'm pretty sure that I have enhanced strength . . . but that is probably nothing you haven't noticed or found out already."

Dream shakes his head, affirming Nia's statement.

"So, what? Are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Are you going to exploit the fact that I consider you my only friend?"

"Wh-what? No, no, of course no- Nia, I wouldn't- I wouldn't do that."

Dream struggles to voice his mind, sighing. He stares at Nia, pulling down his hoodie and taking off his mask to have the woman stare in his green eyes rather than at the mask with a smile that tells her nothing.

"Nia, I won't- I won't manipulate you, I swear."

And despite the look on Dream's face being seemingly genuine, Nia's gut tells her that it's a lie. Whether it's now, tomorrow or further in the future, he probably will use this to his advantage. In one way or another.

Maybe Nia should prepare for that day.

The thing is, however, that she doesn't want to.