Dream a Nightmare

"How does that bring us there?" Tubbo asked. "Those two things aren't related at all."

"With god gone, we have an opening," Philza clarified. "If he was still here, we might not be able to send Dream back."

"We might not be able to anyway," Ranboo said. "It's very likely that he could get caught halfway. But this gives us a better chance."

Dream nodded slowly. Back to the SMP. Back to the nightmare. His Nightmare.

But before he could respond, Tommy stood up.

"Why him?" he asked. He looked around at all of the people seated at the table.

"Why can't I go back?" Tommy demanded again.

Philza walked over and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Tommy," Philza said slowly. "You can't go back because you would just do the same thing again."

Tommy looked outraged. He was about to argue, but then he looked around at everyone again, and they all agreed with Philza. Tommy would do it all again, given the chance. But Dream? No. Not Dream.

"Tubbo?" Tommy whispered quietly, feeling betrayed. Tubbo hesitated, torn between his friendship and success.

"I think," Tubbo started slowly, "That Dream is the better choice."

Tommy looked heartbroken.

"But what about L'Manburg?" Tommy asked desperately. "I could save..."

"No."

There was a commanding voice behind that word. It took everyone a few moments to realize it was Technoblade who had spoken.

"You will not go back, Tommy," Technoblade said. His voice left no room for reasoning, or questions. "Dream will. And he will not change Doomsday."

Technoblade aimed a challenging gaze at Tommy. But it wasn't Tommy who spoke up next. It was Dream.

"Why not?" Dream asked softly. "L'Manburg was my greatest mistake."

Technoblade turned to look at him with a flash of surprise on his face, which was quickly replaced with pure determination. It was this very expression that had given him his feared reputation. His determination, and willingness to do whatever it takes to reach his goal.

"No," he said harshly. "L'Manburg was doomed. And it will remain that way."

"But I could change it," Dream said. "It could be better. No government, just a group of people working together for mutual gain."

Technoblade stared at him for a full thirty seconds before replying.

"No," he said. "I will not argue this, Dream. L'Manburg stays dead."

"It doesn't have to be that way," Dream said. "It could be better. Please let me fix it."

"It would be for the best, I think, for Dream himself to help repair L'Manburg," Philza said.

Wilbur, surprisingly shook his head.

"L'Manburg should stay dead," he affirmed. "It is my legacy, and I will not have it tempered with."

Tommy and Tubbo both looked at him in shock, while Ranboo nodded.

"You'd rather your legacy be broken?" Tommy asked incredulously. "You'd rather the only tribute to your name be a broken, burnt, torn flag, fluttering in the wind, free from a pole?"

"You're starting to sound like Quackity," the enderman said. All eyes turned to it. Most of them had forgotten it was even there.

The enderman rose up from a sitting position, towering above them at a height of six blocks. Its height just made it look impressive and authoritative, rather than inducing fear.

"I'm sure you heard of how he blew up Purple's UFO, and then used it to get him to do what he wanted?" The enderman said. Tommy looked down, ashamed.

"I'm sorry, Wilbur," Tommy said. "I didn't mean to..."

"It's okay," Wilbur said. "L'Manburg is what it should be."

Mexican Dream then jumped up onto the table. Everyone looked up at him, surprised.

"Come on," he said. "Look at us. You're all being so serious. If he does something wrong, we can just send him back again, right?"

The enderman shook its head.

"Dream only has one chance," the enderman said. "And it is a chance we must take. You all have made your opinions known. Now it is up to him to decide what he will do."

They all fell silent. Each of them looked around at the others. Some nodded.

"He's right," Ranboo said. "I can only do this once."

"What do you mean you can only do it once?" the girl Dream asked.

"I have one eye," Ranboo said. He held out his left hand, palm upward, and a floating, glowing eye of ender appeared over it.

"Okay?" Tubbo asked. "What does that mean?"

"It means I only have enough to power to send one person back, once," Ranboo explained.

"Wait," the first other Dream interjected. "Do you mean that eyes of ender are your source of power?"

Ranboo nodded. The first other Dream appeared to be considering this.

"So, is that..." Dream stopped. The enderman was shaking its head at him, almost imperceptibly.

"So, what do we need to do to prepare?" Dream asked instead. Ranboo looked at him, and Technoblade smiled.

"I thought you'd never ask," Technoblade replied.