The Start of it All :)
CB has a.. strange way of perceivin' things.
reminder: everything CB knows is from Balance's trauma, and barely his memories.

also. the shorten name for this au basically bein' a scream is. it fits. luv that for it x3

CW: blood(?) . mentions of injuries

It wakes.

Its(?) eyes open, and it is seeing.

It doesn't understand. It doesn't understand why it see and hear, why it can feel. Why does it? How does it?

It sees, its eyes focuses, something it has never done, was never needed. It sees green, blue, brown, and gold.

...
No, that isn't right.
Why would there be gold?

It stood, it's standing. It's blinking, its vision blurs as it tries to see. Why does it feel? Where is Balance? Where did its Host go?

There's something in its grasp, it realises. Sometimes cold, something solid. It feels familiar, something it knows its Host has held before, but not always of his will.

Something is stained against it, it feels. It's rolling off of it, it hears it hit the ground and it's dripping. It's covered in liquid. It doesn't feel like water, Balance felt it enough to know what water is like. So what is it?

Its head move, and it focus again. There isn't air, there isn't wind. The trees aren't moving, something is wrong. This isn't where it should be, where is it? This isn't a forest, This isn't Reality.

Where is Balance? Where is He?

⠀
It tries to move what it's holding onto, and it couldn't. It tugs, and something seeps.
It stops, and looked down.

It finds Balance.

Its golden blade in its Host, gold seeping from his body. His hands holding onto its weapon, it sees itself dripping from his hands, yet he held. He's barely breathing.

His eyes are blue and darker, and barely open.

That can't be right.

This can't be right.

This can't be right, it can't, how can it?
How could it?

What has it done? Why has it done? Why?
What did it just do? Why can't it remember?
Why can't it recall? Why? Why? Why why why why why no it this can't no no no nonononon_

no

no, it can't. it won't. this won't be the end.
it won't let it. it won't.

>//severe.damage_detected

need to save. it can't let him die. can't.

>//emergency.protocol=TRUE

drag drag drag him into the depths, he'll be safe there he'll be safe he won't be damaged, it can't let him be damage. need to heal He needs to heal.

>//searching.for_threats

it wouldn't have done this, any of this. something is wrong. what is wrong?

>//threat_detected

oh.
it sees.

>//threat.removal=INPROGRESS

⠀
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⠀

He laughed.

He laughed, and laughed, and laughed, and laughed. He laughed till he couldn't breathe anymore. He laughed till his throat starts to burn.

He died! The almighty Balance, leader of the Balancers, the Dest Slayer! Dead, by his own Dread! It was amazing! It was HYSTERICAL!

⠀
Barely managing to get himself together, Dread stood back up onto his feet and back on the landscape he made for the Balancer's Dread. It didn't have any use anymore, so.
He left it, sure that it'll disappear like it did whenever he does, just like all the others.

Back into the darkness, he couldn't contain a chuckle that escapes him. He wonders how the other 2 would react, how they'll react to their leader dying to himself!  He was even more giddy just thinking about it!

Haha.. woo, okay. Well, one down. He'll just have to deal with the other tw—

⠀
>//threat_found
>//lockdown.mode=ACTIVE

... What?

>//statement: you.are.not.going_anywhere

What? What is this?

⠀
Dread looked around the empty, very empty, very clearly empty mindscrape. No one should be here other then him & Balance, who's dead. So who, in the Curses, is talking to him right now?

No, not even talking, it's.. he doesn't know how to describe it other then that. It feels as though it was the Mind Itself was the one who spoke. As through the nothingness underneath him is growling, alive. Angry.

He needs to leave, now.

But he couldn't. He tried, and tried, and tried. And he couldn't leave. He was stuck.
Stuck in a dead person's mind.

⠀
>//greeting: hello_intruder
>//statement: you.are.not_welcomed

"And you are!?" The embodiment of Fear hissed out, trying not to focus on the growing pit in his stomach. The air(there isn't air so what is pressing against his lungs—) is wrong.

>//answer: i.am
>//statement: you_woke.me_up
>//command: now_get.out

Dread turns & sees something impossible.

The dread he created to haunt the mind he's in, is staring back at him. And it is looking down at him, with more control then he could ever achieve.

It strikes, and he screams.

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⠀

Equality gasps as he returned to Reality. Or maybe lack there of, as he'll still in the Void. His footing almost slipping as he almost launched himself forward, the nightmare— hallucination— whatever that was, still fresh in his mind.

Standing up as stably as he could, he looked up and.. found a. Surprising sight.
He wasn't sure if he should laugh, or stare.

⠀
Dread Steve was on the ground, desperately back paddling away from Balance. Who was glowing gold again— which was a pleasant surprise.
And the look on Dread's face.. it was full of pure Fear, of Balance.

He grinned as Balance, almost lazily carrying his sword, slowly approached Dread as the steve(?) basically screeched and stumbled to get on his feet.

Now that his head isn't.. as fuzzy, he sees that— Dread already has wounds. He's wounded, and bleeding, and oh wow his leg.. doesn't look too good. And his arm. He's, very much looking worse for wear.
And Balance is still approac— is he going to actually kill him?

⠀
Equality didn't have the chance to move before Dread managed to take flight and flew much quicker then he has ever seen any non-yellow steve ran. Balance watched him do so, and he almost seems to about to follow him, but stops and stood his ground.

He's just.. staring.

He sees UnBalance walk in front of him and towards Balance. He couldn't see his face, but he thinks he's checking up on him.
... Right. How could he forget? Balance's Creator Energy seems to only be active when he's in.. shit. And he isn't moving.

⠀
"Balance?"
Equality: Balance? You there?

UnBalance is next to Balance now, and Equality doesn't remember when he moved but he is too.

Equality: Overworld to Balance?
"Balance, look at me."

Balance does, and UnBalance's face softens.

"Balance. Are you there?"

He doesn't answer.
He looked away, and started walking.

Equality: Balance—

And he's flying away. And they follow him, their worry only growing. They can't lose him. Not like this, not when he's like this.

hahahahahgshshowhs IT'S DONE!!!
CB my beloved<33 maybe I'll write the Creators meeting him at some point, but. Not right now. ough..

srry for any misspellings btw. ah'll check it over at some point.