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"Are you sure about this?" Ink asked as he stood in front of the machine that has two distinct pods, black and gold, with wires connecting to a large computer and a huge tube from the top to a separated pod that contained a dead tree..Dream is checking the wires and machinery of the device with determination. "Of course. It will work.""I'm not asking about that." Ink says with a frown. "Are you sure you want to give up your powers?"Dream sighs and turns to face Ink. "Centuries I have been the god of this world. Centuries of 'peace' and 'prosperity'. Yet all I see are people taking advantage of the happiness I provided from my Soul.""You stopped trying to get rid of Nightma-"Dream cuts him off with a scowl and a bang as his hands slammed against the metal angrily. "Because I don't want to!"Ink went silent as he watched Dream. "I've had enough of this. I did my best and my 'subjects' take advantage of me. Doing cruel things in my name but not for me in their minds. Women turned to slaves. Children tortured. And when they're put in court, lo and behold, they blame my brother for their actions. I've been blind for too long Ink. It's time I end this.""I know for a fact that the reason you don't want this is because you also take advantage of me." Dream says to Ink who showed no indication that it's true or not, despite it being the former. "You are addicted to the emotions I give you. But to be honest, you'll be much happier with real friends. Like Cross.""I'm not friends with villains." Ink denies it with a frown. "No. They're not villains. We say they are. We dubbed them as villains." Dream stands up and wipes his hands clean with a frown. "And look where it got us? We labeled people either good or bad. Not once thinking. How many innocents have been tortured in the cells by corrupted guards Ink?""It-""How many?!"".....At least fifty different AUs, my lord.""Don't call me that." Dream says and walks away. "I don't deserve that title."Ink follows Dream as Dream heads towards the cells. They have been emptied from the previous prisoners. Their lives ruined by the torture they had been put through all those years. Now Dream has given them everything they want and need, to try and fix what he had broken. Yet, his hands are covered in blood and dust that no amount of water or scrubbing could rinse off. There's one thing he could fix. Fix the mistake he had made all those centuries ago. He stopped in front of a cell that contains his brother. Nightmare. Chained to the wall but other than that, no injuries. No new wounds. Just himself, alone. Already cleaned and fed, like how prisoners should be taken care of. How they should have been taken care of. Nightmare looks up and frowns at Dream, hiding his fear. But the way his arms shifted in the chains, rattling the metal, showed his apprehension. Dream pushed down the guilt in his Soul as he unlocked the cell and walked inside. He unhooked the chain from the wall and picks up Nightmare, ignoring the way his Soul shuddered in pain when it was close to Nightmare's negative aura. "Let me go!" Nightmare snarled as he struggled but Dream kept a firm hold on him, flapping his wings to fly them back towards the laboratory where the machine is waiting. Dream didn't say a word as they reach the machine. Nightmare gasped and stared fearfully at the strange machine, struggling when Dream neared it, screaming in protest. "Are you sure about this Dream?" Ink asked one last time as Dream opened the black pod and placed Nightmare inside, hooking the chain above Nightmare's head as his brother begged for mercy. Dream gently wiped away the tears, ignoring the burn. He tried to be soothing, to ease Nightmare's understandable fear. "Shh....it'll be over soon. You'll be okay. I promise."He closed the pod, going to his own pod while Nightmare kicked the glass desperately. The glass not even budging by Nightmare's desperate kicking. Dream got into his pod and laid down in the plush white that lined the walls. He made the pods as comfortable as possible, since the process is less so. He turn turns to a screen inside his pod and inputs some instructions before locking it in with a passcode. "I'm sorry my friend," Dream says to Ink as the machine whirred to life. Nightmare desperately screaming for help, for mercy, with every kick and sob. "But it has to be done.""If you say so, Dream." Ink says and watched as both of them screamed in pain from inside the pod as pain shot through them. Dream gritted his teeth as he bore the pain, looking down to see his Soul- a golden apple with a white heart in the middle- appeared and glowed. He screamed when he feels like his body is being ripped apart, barely hearing Nightmare's own screams. It didn't take long before Dream slipped between unconsciousness, the pain being too unbearable to handle. He passed out afterwards. ~~~When Dream awoke again, he heard a consistent beeping around him. Groaning quietly, he opens his eyes and sees a glass surface, realizing what had happened. He turns to the screen inside his pod that showed a notification, accompanied by the consistent noise. The screen flashing between green and blue with each beep. [Extraction Complete]Dream struggled to push himself off the plush surface of the pod, his bones aching and tired. He feels so heavy and weak. He pushed the pod open and stumbled out clumsily, realizing that his wings are gone. No golden glow that accompanied him for so many centuries. He smiles faintly and turns towards Nightmare's pod, seeing his brother unconscious inside. Dream checks his Soul and smiles happily. His Soul is a single golden heart, not the apple that it was before. He turns to the machine and there it was. Two separated containers, connected to each other and the pods. One containing dozens of golden apples. Another contained a few black ones. One of the apples that is inside was gold half of it is slowly changing into black. It worked. The machine worked!Dream happily stumbled to Nightmare's pod and opened it, unlocking the chains from Nightmare's wrists. He gently caressed the bruises and chafed bone sadly, noticing that he didn't feel any pain while being close to Nightmare anymore. But he felt guilty when he sees Nightmare's wrists. He didn't mean to hurt his brother. But it had worked!He checked Nightmare's Soul and he cried with joy. A single purple heart. Dream starts to sob quietly, a happy smile on his face as he got inside the pod with Nightmare and gently hugged his brother. He made sure Nightmare is in a comfortable position, curled up comfortably as Dream pulls him close with a sob. He has his brother back. They can be together again. No more pain. No more betrayal. Just him and Nightmare. No longer the embodiment of emotions. But just them, brothers. Like how it was suppose to be. He didn't know how long they were like that before Nightmare opened his eyes. He looked up tiredly, sore and exhausted, seeing Dream crying. But something feels off. He doesn't feel any pain from being near Dream. Nor the constant bitterness he was accustomed to. Nor can he see Dream's golden wings. And he was being held so....nicely. Dream open his eyes when Nightmare shifted and he looks down. Nightmare gasped quietly when he sees Dream's eyes. Normal golden eye lights inside black eye sockets. No more pure golden eyes that seem to bore into him with disgust and hatred. Just....those familiar eyes. Dream choked on his sobs quietly when he sees Nightmare's normal purple eye lights. "H-hey b-brother. How are y-you f-feeling?"Nightmare stared up at Dream in confusion. "Tired and....good."Dream smiles wider, tears falling freely down his cheeks. He raises his hand to gently caress Nightmare's cheek. "Good. *hic* Good."Nightmare stares at Dream in confusion. "What happened?"Dream smiles and explained everything. How he realized what was wrong with himself. How he finally knows how to fix his mistake. How he created a machine that can separate the apples from their Souls and corrupt half of the positive apples with the single negative one. How he had fixed everything. So that they can be together again. At the end of it, Nightmare is staring at him in shock. "You....you did that? But- but your powers-""Don't matter." Dream says softly at Nightmare. "I'm done ruling. I'm done being powerful. I just want you Nightmare. I miss you. I miss the days when it was just the two of us, together. Playing, laughing, having fun. Just us. I would give up my powers again, just to have you.""And now," Dream gently nuzzles Nightmare. "We're free. We're no longer guardians of anything. No more crazy powers. Nothing. Just us. Like old times.""Like...old times?" Nightmare repeated softly, not believing his ears. Dream smiles and nuzzles Nightmare happily. "Yes. Just us."Only us.