what once was | ongoing

ii. through trial and fire (we meet again on that sunny day)

The sun crested the sky, its rays beaming through the windows of Techno's lone cabin. Motes of dust floated in the glimmers and were swept away by the flap of the red royal gown Techno draped over his shoulders. Looking at himself in the mirror, he placed his crown on his head and adjusted his netherite armor.

The scars marring his chest plate were deeper than ever before, sullying the admirable sight of the full netherite. But the rolled-up map to the woodland mansion in his right hand outweighed the need for his armor's repair. After this find, he would go to the Nether, but for now, he would focus on satisfying the voices in his head. And perhaps scoring a totem.

He grabbed his trident from his personal collection of weapons hanging on the walls and headed out. The winter breeze stung his face and stretched his skin when he opened the front door, and his boots kicked a path through the snow piled on his porch. Once he reached the bottom of the steps to his front yard, he turned to go feed Carl before leaving but stopped dead in his tracks. Standing outside Carl's pen was Dream in full netherite, his green hood covering his dirty blond hair.

He was leaning against the fence post, staring at Carl with his head cocked to the side. Carl was uninterested, minding his own business and flicking the snow off his tail until he caught sight of Techno approaching. Immediately, his eyes lit up, and Carl whinnied. That must have caught Dream's attention because he wheeled around to see what was up. He didn't even startle when he faced Techno, who was mildly unamused. Techno liked to imagine that Dream was frowning at least, but Dream's voice said the contrary.

"Hello, Techno."

"What brings you here on this fine morning?" Techno was willing to deal with an unexpected visit from Dream once in a blue moon, but twice in two consecutive days... Now that was pushing it. Plus, Tommy had left only a few hours ago, and even though the kid was probably somewhere far away, Techno couldn't help but feel a little wary.

Especially after how Tommy had acted last night.

Dream straightened his back and hummed in thought. "Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to check how you fared during the storm because something was... off. Did you know a fire blazed to life yesterday at the high end of the blizzard? Like right in the middle of the forest over there." Dream pointed to the expanse of trees to the left, but there was nothing that Techno noticed in particular. "There was a wildfire burning the trees. Of course, it didn't last long—the snowstorm and all—but isn't it a little weird for a fire to start in the middle of a blizzard?"

Techno didn't like where Dream was taking this. "A couple of creepers could blow up, spreading gunpowder everywhere."

"Creepers don't blow up for no reason."

They didn't. What the hell did Tommy do to start a forest fire during a blizzard? That kid had managed to reach new levels of chaos. "What are you trying to imply?"

There was a moment of tense silence. Dream crossed his arms, and the muscles in his jaws tightened. Techno could see the ends of a grimace from the side of Dream's mask.

"I asked you last night if you would tell me if Tommy happened to drop by."

"And I told you that there was no way Tommy was naive enough to come to me of all people."

"But did Tommy come to your cabin, Techno?"

Techno studied Dream's mask, wondering what Dream could be planning. "Of course not."

"Are you sure?"

Techno chuckled. Keep the "cordial" in this relationship. That was all he had to do. "I just told you Tommy didn't come anywhere near here. Do you think I would lie? You're the one that said old friends should be honest with each other."