God of Lost Stories

#6 Lost Love

"Mom!" Pallet cries. He rushes past Alloy and falls into Dream's arms, hugging him tight. The God of Balance stands up and gives them space. He picks up Phinigan and mumbles an apology to it before slipping it on his back. His poor needle didn't deserve to be thrown into the dirt. Alloy's brief disguise of the Creator has him slightly unsettled. He spent way too much time in forms that were not his own.

"P-Pallet? Pallet! I'm so sorry....." Dream seems to just be realizing what he did. He didn't even register his son's presence as Shattered. He squeezes Pallet close.

"Great. Peachy. I'm so glad you're done having a breakdown," Nightmare rolls his eyes, sarcasm evident in his voice, "This scene makes me sick. Unlock the AU. Now." Seeing that sort of vicious glare on Nightmare's face nearly sends Alloy running, but he takes a deep breath and holds his ground. Alloy's Nightmare is fierce, yes, but he can also see reason and treated Alloy fairly once he knew who the young god was. Something has gone horribly wrong to make this Nightmare so unforgiving and angry. They reek of negativity.

"I wasn't joking earlier, Nightmare," Alloy takes a few steps forwards towards him, "I need to understand your side of the story. What makes you hate Dream and Ink so much? This can't just be about the tree. I just want to understand, and hopefully then, to help you."

"Fuck off. I don't need anything from you. Stay out of my business," Nightmare growls. His four tentacles flex and ready to fight even though he's still severely wounded. Both he and Dream need medical attention. Alloy has to try a different tactic.

"Well...... you want Ink to be punished, don't you? For whatever he's done? I can do that. It's why I'm here, after all," Alloy remarks casually, relaxing his body language and crossing his arms. Dream lets out a squeak of alarm. Before he can say anything, Alloy puts one hand behind his back and crosses his fingers so Dream and Pallet can see.

Nightmare doesn't know what to say to that at first. He wants to believe something can be done, but Ink's gone unchecked for too long. Nightmare doesn't believe he can beaten anymore. "You can't mess with me like that! Don't mock me. Ink has taken everything from me!"

*************

Despite him having a naturally negative aura, Nightmare did indeed lose his mind briefly when he consumed the negativity apples. He never would have first attacked his twin otherwise.

Ink had actually wounded Nightmare far more severely in their brief scuffle than anyone had realized. The corruption covering his body hides much of the actual damage to his fragile bones underneath. Neither Nightmare or Dream had the power level necessary to travel to different AUs before eating the apples. It was still an untested ability. When Nightmare opened a portal, all he had in mind was someplace away from the pain. His injuries burned. His soul screamed in rage and confusion. How had he gotten all this Lv again?

Nightmare doesn't remember fainting, but he slowly comes back to consciousness laying in an unfamiliar bed. His mind is a muddled mess. He can't think properly. It's all Nightmare can do to try and focus on his surroundings. The bed is warm. A thick blanket is tucked in around him. The room is dim. Nightmare tenses when he hears a page of a book being turned. The sound of the crisp page is oddly comforting. Someone is breathing calmly and slowly somewhere beside Nightmare. Dream? No, it can't be him. Nightmare might have tried to make more sense of it, but drowsiness drags him back into sleep.

Nightmare was alone when he next woke up. Sunlight steams through a window. He raises a heavy arm slowly to try and block it out. Nightmare's breathing hitches when he sees his hand. The black corruption is gone. His memories are fuzzy, but Nightmare remembers bits and pieces of eating the apples and slaughtering the villagers. He remembers attacking Dream with a black haze tearing at his mind. Nightmare's breath shudders. All his magic right now is being devoted to his injuries and there isn't any excess to coat his body in the corruption that lends him strength. Nightmare is mystified by his own hand, turning it and wiggling his pale fingers in the sunlight. It's not the hand of a child like he remembers.