{ Erlebnisse } - { Kingdom!Dreamtale }

Sycophantic

Sycophantic - attempting to win favor by flattery 

I sat on the other side of the sacred tree of feelings, the foundation of this kingdom of greatness. I was supposed to be standing with Dream to answer questions of tourists, but there were too many for my social expansion and I had almost felt sick standing there for a tiny bit. I was just taking a breather for a while, or rather a long time, I had sat here for around 10 minutes already trying to calm my racing soul down. I hugged my knees, slightly trembling at the force I was hugging them at. I was stronger than my brother despite being shorter and frailer, people often under-estimated me because of my size. I heard Dream call my name, I was tempted to not answer, but as the good brother I was, I got up and walked over. I felt something cover my eyes, I couldn't see the crowd below, it helped lower my social stress level.

"Incase you didn't know, this is my twin brother Night!" Dream grabbed my hand and raised it, I heard cheers come from the crowd, it kind of felt nice, I smiled, "He has social anxiety so please don't stress him out."

"How are you, and what is your relationship with Dream?" I heard a voice call out from the crowd, I turned my head towards the voice and answered, "I'm doing better now that I can't see how big of a crowd there is, and for your second question, well." I cleared my throat a tiny bit with a weak cough, "He's my twin brother, he helps me when I'm down and I help him, we are with each other through thick and thin."

I heard an 'aw' come from the crowd and I blushed in embarrassment, from Dream's aura I could feel that he felt the same way, I laughed a tiny bit at this. I shifted my position a little bit and Dream dropped my hand, I must've moved a bit farther away from him.

Once the gathering people's murmurs died down someone else asked, "I heard you were sick, Night, do you know what it was and if you'll get it again?" I shivered a tiny bit like I knew this was going to happen at some point. I shifted the mask covering my eyes so it fit more comfortably, "No, I don't know what I had and I hope I don't get it again. I don't think it's a genetic or body illness, I think it was just there to pass."

This seemed to satisfy the group, more chatter broke out as some of the people split up from the main group to go sightsee other parts of the town. I let out a small sigh of relief and pulled the mask down slightly to peek at how many people there were left. Only around 8 to 11, still a bit over my social stress but I could manage that. I took off my mask, it was Dream's cape. He must use this thing for everything, I thought, smiling, and I was the one who made it.

I felt Dream move closer to me, I must have missed a question, he whispered into my ear, "They asked if we have any jobs, I've already answered." I felt anxious, what should I say? Should I say I don't have a job, or should I answer that I do? My palms felt sweat press against my palms, I must be pretty anxious. The person who asked the question called out, "Hey, Night, are you going to answer the question or stand there like the freak you are?"

A pring of pain shot through my soul, I thought a part of it had cracked, words like that had never been said to me before. I took in a shaky breath and said, "No. No, I don't have a job, do you?"

The person who insulted me looked taken aback, like I was just a subject and not supposed to ask questions, "Yes, it's most likely more important than your role," The human looked up at where I was standing on the small curve of a hill, "I'm a worker at a church where we baptize people that can get into the afterlife, but obviously you won't know that, will you?"

I felt Dream stiffen beside me, ready to defend me, but I pressed my finger to his lips to keep him silent. I breathed in and out, they were shaky breathes, "Find then almighty god worker, keep your ego and I'll keep mine," I turned around and walked away from the tree, leaving Dream to face a flood of concerned questions from the remainers that were watching.

I kept walking along the grass, ignoring the path that was trailing next to it like a concrete river. I felt like a bit of a rebel, but that didn't last long when I tripped on a small rock in my way. I hit my head on the ground as I face planted, I heard a snicker come from behind a tree to my left. Getting up, I looked over to my left and saw a thick tree, perfect for someone to hide behind. As I walked over there a rock hit my head and I collapsed, a splitting headache followed with an outburst of laughter. I couldn't detect who it was, then it must be someone I don't know because I'd recognize a family member and maybe recognize someone close to my family, I don't remember every person that enters my life formally. I got up again, the laughter had died down a while ago and it was followed by several footsteps, it must've been a few people deciding to pick on someone weaker than them, I hope that they didn't realize who it was and that's they they picked on me. This hope didn't last long when I heard a piece of paper whisk past my ear while I was walking along the tan, concrete path, it had barely hit me. I started running, my feet pushing along the hard surface, the momentum propelling me forward. I wanted to get home as soon as I could, whatever was happening with the people in this town I did not like it, it felt cold and unwelcoming, a dark embrace of death.