*The loop has become automatic by now. Get into the nightmare, clear it, get out. Simple, effective, and relatively fast.*
*Well, not today it seems. She's already spent 15 minutes trying to clear this dream, and hasn't made any significant progress. Something's off.*
- @voidling-anons
She was now pacing back and forth, thinking "What's so different about THIS dream???". Then, it all just clicked.
..Nightmare??
*She felt a presence. It felt different, but slightly recognisable. Something ancient scratching at the back of her mind, tickling the feeling of fear.*
*Then, she saw it. An empty carcass of intervowen nightmare cells, standing nearby, unmoving.*
Ah. Hello there, young one. It has been a while.
*The shell began shaking. Nightmare cells grew from within it's chest, intervining and forming a living, moving mass. They shifted, filling the arms and legs, regaining control. Left arm began growing, extending as large, blqck appendages extended from the holes in it's structure, becoming a terrifying, moving monstrocity.*
*Through the neck and into the cavity of the hear they grew, forming a twitching mass with a bright red "eye" glowing in it's middle.*
It HAS been a while!! How come you haven't visited me as often anymore???
*His head tilted, emitting a "crack", the cells near his eye twitched.*
A certain... issue has occured. And i cannot say i am done dealing with this issue yet, but neither are my siblings.
*He stepped forward, cells shifting his mass, giant appendages on his left arm twitching.*
Could I help you with it??
I believe not. You aren't their target... and can't do much against them anyways.
*Nightmare sighed, if you could associate a hiss mixed with agressive crqckling as a sigh.*
..Awh...
You've grown stronger. Your attempt at dispelling this delusion was so powerful i had to put active thought to stop it.
*He stepped closer, appendages tiwtching.*
:DDD
*Suddenly, he froze. Then, he turned away from starburst in a sharp motion, appendages crackling and twitching agressively.*
Something's not right. Stay behind me.
Oh??-
She walked behind Nightmare!
*through the dark sky of the dream, a bright light has shined. In a lightning, it moved down, as something landed before them, striking the ground, rips of the dream world matter following it's descent.*
*Nightmare moved fluedly. With agressive crackling nightmare cells on his face opened, and a dark half-transparent matter began flowing out of his neck. The fluid flied forward, guided by Nightmare's hand, and formed into more appendages of nightmare cells. They entangled the landed silhouette, locking it captive.*
*The creature was a tall humanoid, it's skin pure white. It was dressed in white armor with golden accents, and held a spear of pure light in it's hand. It's head, however, was merely a spherical source of sumlight, surrounded by shifting golden rings that had eyes embedded in them.*
Holy sparkles.
This place is not for you. Get out.
*The substance flowing from his head moved, forming into more and more appendages. They began clawing, ripping at the creature's stuck form, tearing it. It tried to fight, but to no avail, as the appendages pulled it apart, spilling it's orange, sparkling ichor on the dark ground of the dream realm. Soon, it's head's light has faded as the remains of it's body withered into bright white ashes mixed with the sparkling blood. The appendages relaxed, and then retracted into the ground as Nightmare's face cells closed, stopping the fluid matter's flow.*
....
Starburst stared at whatever was happening, with a neutral expression.
This is the issue i've told you about. These creatures are sent to hunt us, the beings of void.
If you want, you can taste it's blood. From what my siblings told me it has quite a nice taste.
...They really were saying the truth.. Hm.
I might like the taste of blood, but it doesn't mean that I'm gonna lick blood off of the floor..
Who exactly "was saying the truth"?
And that is, Nightmare, something you're not meant to know.
Hm. Curious. But i know better than to ask further.
Besides, it might not matter if we'll be leaving...
..Wait- What do you mean by leaving??????
If we don't find a solution to this issue, i'm afraid none of us can stay in this "anonverse".
..You can't leave, Nightmare.
Why can i not?
Because if you'll leave, I'll be all alone, is it that hard for you to understand?
You're not alone. You have friends, family.
But not in here. In here I'll be all alone, Nightmare.
You've been all alone before we've stumbled into each other today, and did't have much issue.
I didn't have much issue, because I had no idea what it was like to have someone actually help you for once in your life. I could go back to the way I've dealt with everything before, but.. it won't feel the same anymore. It won't feel as easy.
Besides, leaving or not won't be a choice i'll have control over.
Nightmare's arm(???whatevr it is) was grabbed, tight.
You can't leave, Nightmare.
Relax, young one. I'm not leaving yet.
*a nightmare cell appendage extended from his arm, wrapping around starburst's hand. The moved looked subconscious, unintentional.*
But you're still going to leave later. You CAN'T leave.
Maybe i won't have to. Who knows what future holds? I certainly don't.
Her grip grew tighter. Quite tight, maybe too tight.
. . .
I could say that i won't leave, but i can tell you won't appreciate a lie.
*Nightmare's carcass crackled under her hold, nightmare cell appendages moving around her hand erratically.*
...
Her grip is now too tight for a kid of her age, that's odd..
Startburst, breaking this carcass' hands won't change anything.
I can't be alone here again.
You're not alone yet. And, if things go right, won't have to be.
StarbURST HOLY SHIT LET GO YOUCHH-
*A loud crack, and the hand comes off. the cells retract, leaving only the palm's carcass in Starburst's hand as Nightmare pulls back.*
-.
She let go and backed up REALLY QUICKLY.
*Nightmare summons a new carcass, and his cell mass climbs into it, as the old one collapses into dark, half-transparent matter.*
Starburst quietly turned around and started walking somewhere.
Where are you going, if i may ask?
If I run far enough from my problems, I'll forget about them and they'll never come up in my life ever again. I'm gonna go and continue working.
I wish it was that simple to forget... good luck with your work.
I'm good at forgetting.
That's what you think...
Shut up..
*sigh* i should've let Crinita handle this. *he says, before his form collapses into dark matter and slowly evaporates as the nightmare ends.*
Starburst moved on with her job..