Lost Crown, Lost Self || Captain Palette 2 || part 2 of Cappa!AU || ON HOLD. ||

(1) Selfish, isn't it? (1)

"And I think I know a very special lady who can bring him back." Palette smiled confidently, his glance was met by looks of indescribable frustration.

".. Please tell us you're joking." Paperjam narrowed his eyes towards Palette, whose face crunked up in confusion.

".. Why would I be joking?" He responded, only to get a quick response from Goth.

"Oh jeez. Let's think for a moment. You got us in trouble, a world of trouble and you got your dann legs snapped?! Think Palette!" The reaper's voice snapped harshly. He waved his hands in frustration.

Palette looked over at his youngest brother, Blueprint, who looked as unimpressed as his big brother and friend.

"If you're looking at me for support, you ain't getting it." The smaller one shrugged, Palette sighed.

"But, I-I failed! I didn't get to return the crown to Nim." Palette's legs were fine anyways! Dream healed them and with some of Blue's horrific cooking.. He was as good as new.

"Who?"

"My grandmother." Palette explained to PJ who shook his head, crossing his arms.

"Absolutely not. Your life is worth so much more than some stupid crown."

"- it's not stupid!" It was now Palette's turn to raise his voice. Paperjam's expression was unmoving and cold.

"It's stupid if you're gonna die for it! It's not worth it Palette, just forget about it!" Paperjam yelled back.

"Hey, stop fighting you two!" Goth hissed, standing up slightly.

Silence fell amongst the quartet.. Palette sighed and shook his head slightly. Blueprint lowered his eyes.

".. Pal, you gotta understand why we're worried. You went missing for a good while and.. And we didn't know if you were going to be okay. I mean.. We believed in you, of course, but you came back with your legs broken and a shaking mess." The voice of reason explained, the leader's eyes softened.

"And.. We saw what it did to Dream and.. And Dad and papa.. We hated seeing them so stressed." Blueprint continued, he gently tugged on his gloves.

"Palette, what if you just.. Don't.. Push this any further? We get it.. You want to save Nightmare for more than just Dream now, but.. Maybe he's happy that way. Maybe you shouldn't poke the hibernating bear." Blueprint's voice was gentle. He had a better grip on Palette's mindset than anyone else in the group as a fellow child of two 'goods'.

Palette's jaw tightened with a sense of guilt chewing at his soul. The way Blueprint explained it… Had he truly been so selfish throughout this whole ordeal? Yeah.. He probably had. In order to do one good deed, he did a million bad deeds..

".. What do you think Broomie? You wan-" Palette was interrupted by a sharp knock to the head by the brush. Broomie's opinions were as clear as ever and it seemed that it was not going to risk it's life for Palette's family issues again.

"What Print said.. Palette we're all really worried about you. You really shouldn't even be fathoming the idea about.. Continuing this whole thing." Goth's cold voice was now warm as he hesitated taking the friend of his hand, but did gently.

"Seriously. Your hero complex is bad, man." Paperjam rolled his eyes, looking away slightly and out of the open square window of the treehouse, gazing out into the stars.

Palette sighed, taking one candy out of the pile.

"It's just.. There's no way he's entire gone.. Right?.. Even his mother has faith that he's still in there. I-"