#Blue's a lil *too* strong. they're pretty sure he could bend iron bars w/ his bare hands tbh

[spotaus]

I really... I have an idea. A scheme, if you will, but it must wait a smidgen longer

Okay! Gonna try abd remember everything because!!! Bangers!!! The whole rb!!!

Night was definitely treated more like a child consistently. Dream, despite being the more childlike of the two, was forced to grow up too fast (kinda gaslit into getting fast-tracked into training and magic too young + sparring ppl far too old for him). Meanwhile Night, who was really doing all the adult things, was still treated largely as lesser by everyone.

Cross crying at recieving the mask probably would've given Night the fright of his life because ??? No one else cried??? Do you not like it??? Are you afraid of cats I'm so sorry??? And. Cross just tugs him in close for a hug!!!! I have to imagine someone found them 20 minutes later after having a quick heart-to-heart where Cross finally speaks his mind, which caused Night to get emotional and start crying too, because they're both huge softies, and Cross finally understands he has a home and family for real. And like, they look like they just finished watching the saddest play of the century or smth.

Hello??? Dream trying on Night's mask??? MY HEART- I kid you not at this part I literally made a little sound because it's just SO GOOD. AUGH. This entire section just hurts so so so good and I love it. I want to make commentary but like... picture a bunch of seagulls going ham on a package of fries. Okay? Yeah the seagulls are me. That's my opinion on that <3 (/pos)

Okay. Uh. The whole Dream having Night I haven't talked about enough- but exactly! You got my drift perfectly, Dream had been trying to show Night all the people who were hurt 'by the Knights' and teach him a new perspective on the kingdom and his 'control'. Of course, Nightmare at this point is under the impression that Killer is either badly hurt, or very dead. (In his absence, they end up putting Dust up as the figurehead until Night is back. They claim he and Killer are busy with important plans. Killer is the one who takes over when Night is sick, so Killer not being there cements it in his head that Dream hurt Killer so bad he can't lead in Night's absence.) So hearing they're planning another attack (ontop of a huge infodump of bad things he didn't even know were happening in his kingdom) he just loses all composure and can't help it. He's so embarrassed, but he'd do anything at this point to make Dream just *stop*.

And it works, and Dream can't calm him until after Dream post-pones the meeting and brings him away from the prying eyes of his group. Only thing is (He realizes after) Dream doesn't risk bringing him into the meetings anymore, so he's blind to what's going on.

You got my jist exactly with how Blue takes the babysitting duty on as a show of trust, too! He's heard nothing but Dream lamenting about how he missed his brother, and dreaded having to inevitably lock him away until they fixed him somehow, and now his brother was back, and small, and not a threat, and clearly (not) just a pawn in some bigger scheme. Dream is positive he can help Night, but since he leads everyone, he really hates to drag Night around when he's still 'recovering' from his 'situation', and he knows his brother is still the same. He hates crowds, he hates being in the limelight. The crying was the last straw, because Dream can't stand to see Night cry, he was always so strong when they were children. So it's a show of trust exactly that Blue is asked to watch over Nightnare. Blue knows how much Night means to Dream, and he wants to help! (Plus, Dream and him like, are never far from eachother's hip, so it doesn't hurt them to let Blue stay behind a bit and get updates later.)

I think that Blue manages to get to know Night in this time, just a little bit. Enough to understand why Dream adored him so much, at least. Nightmare is at least usually stationary when he's with Blue, and Dream gave him plenty of books to occupy himself with, but eventually Nightmare gets anxious.

I think there's also some growing to do from Night to Dream's perspective. He's been slowly trying to improve the kingdom, but those he does trust for opinions and suggestions have limited knowledge constantly being by his side. Like, he knows about the trouble with the black markets (Dust used to do smuggling) and the poverty on the borders (Horror) and the refugees from Cross' old kingdom, (not sure how deeply entrenched in politics I want this, but I *might* even add a slavery aspect in, because Killer was once like, a 'servant' before he ran away?) But point is, he has no eyes on the ground. There are plenty of things he's heard here that are legitimate problems he never even heard of. Greedy Lords, rampant tax, bandit routes, overflowing prisons, etc. He doesn't hold it against these people that they're rebelling, honestly, because he wasn't helping them. (<- Bro's paranoia made him stop doing that thing where citizens cone complain to the king about their needs.)

So, I think he starts asking Blue. Begrudgingly. But he refuses to budge an inch with Dream, lest his twin think he's giving into the stupid idea to kill his knights. Blue is his best source of info. And while Blue is not technically from the kingdom, he's heard nearly every story, because Dream had heard every story. Night internally steels himself that he *will* get home so he can start working. Not to prove them wrong, but to improve things just like he'd been slowly doing for so long.

So, by the end of things, Blue recognizes that Night is... rational. Definitely brainwashed by the Knights (blue no!!!) But he's rational, and seems to understand that these are problems. Blue reports this back to Dream, saying he thinks there might be hope for him yet.

And I feel like I'm forgetting smth but... yeag I love these sillies.

Mm, New Age au my beloved (I just knocked out like... a lot of stuff I needed to do, so here's a quick post before I get back to it) oh! And @ancha-aus hiiiii :]

I know I focus a lot on Night but like... Dream! Dream is a huge part of the story!! So here's a tease at wtf has been up with Dream since Night ate the apple.

So... Dream! He was exiled, but he wasn't left on his lonesome. Nightmare contacted a neighboring kingdom that they already had a treaty with, and asked for them to watch over the crown prince, as he was no longer "fit to rule". They'd accepted, and Night shipped him off at the earliest convenience.

Of course, Dream had no clue it was for his own good, so naturally, after lamenting to this other kingdom about what had happened, how everything changed, he garnered pity, and then support, when Nightmare confirmed Dream's story through letters. Though, the kingdom couldn't afford a war, so they just had to stand idly by.

Dream only stayed there a few years, because by the time he was about 17, he'd become good friends with a squire: Blue. Blue worked around the castle, doing all sorts of tasks for the knight training him, but despite his exceptional skill he remained at the level of Squire due to his age. Blue was very devoted to Dream as his friend and self-proclaimed protector. He looked up to Dream, and was positive he would defeat his brother and take back the throne.

And so, when Dream left on his own to gather experience and followers without endangering this kingdom, Blue followed. Blue was never officially Knighted, but their first night in an Inn, alone on the road, start of their journey, Dream honorarily knighted Blue with his power as a prince. (That's why I refer to Blue as a Knight, even tho no one ever *actually* knighted him and he has no affiliations with any kingdoms.)

Dream was picky with who he recruited and when. He and Blue found a nice little abandoned cottage to start their base of operations, and would travel to recruit people they thought would be of value. Dream wasn't versed in espionage or inner-working over the government, but he knew how to talk to crowds. Sway the people. Plus, feeling emotions helped out too. (I like to think that's something the twins have naturally. Dream's grows with Age, and Night (due to lack of training) only has it when he's corrupted and very little hints when he's young.) So over the course of years, Dream gains more and more support. Like a militia among the neighboring countries as well as in Night's kingdom.

Ink and Cross came together. Ink had been looking for a new job, as he was a mercenary (though his talent was really in the arts) and Cross was a soldier who had left the kingdom a few rivers over that crumbled under a coup. Ink liked Dream's energy right from the start and was completely swayed with the idea of getting a lot of easy work for pay. Meanwhile Cross needed a new hope. Despite leaving a crumbling castle with no hope, Dream seemed to be working towards a better future in this kingdom. Of course he joined him, because that meant he'd live to see an era of peace. (<- of course, Cross finds out this kingdom is actually banger and the current king was slowly working through improving each piece of it, ensuring the whole kingdom could thrive one piece at a time.)

Dream never stopped training, and over the years he lost track of just how different Night was. He lost the script, a bit. His childish mind turning Night's actions all those years ago into a conspiracy. He had an echo-chamber of support, with no outside voice (no Nightmare) to remind him of the truth.

This cottage remains their base, and expands into a small town/camp. Nightmare is taken here when Dream kidnaps him from the castle the first time, too. This place is filled with plants and magic and is thriving. The perfect place to find the golden king.