Who Are You and Why Are You Me?

Magic Mishaps Go BRRRRRRR

{before i get a single comment regarding Nightmare’s gender identity, I’d like to say that in my au, Nightmare collects genders the same way the Fair Folk collect names. So, in my story Nightmare tends to refer to herself with she/her, while others use a mix of pronouns. Hope that clears things up :D. Also, despite Dream referring to themself with they/them, nobody knows that those are their preferred pronouns except for Blue and Ink.}

Nightmare PoV

She was used to the nicer things. After centuries of being able to do whatever she pleased, sleeping in a nice bed, eating good food, living in a giant castle, Nightmare could admit she had gotten a tad bit spoiled.

So waking up on the floor with the worst headache since ‘The Accident’, Nightmare was not at all pleased. Even less so when, upon waking, she saw Blue. Honestly, truce or not, Nightmare would never allow him in her castle.

But, as time progressed, it seemed things were not quite right. 

“Absolutely not,” she said, glaring at both Dust and Killer. Mostly Killer for suggesting something so unreasonable. “There is no way we switched bodies with the Stars, that is impossible. We have to be dreaming.”

“Then we wouldn’t be suffering with what feels like a really shitty hangover,” Dust insisted, his usual expressionless face looking much stranger on her brother’s. Unnerving, but not important.

“Yeah, sorry Boss, but not-so-tiny now has a point,” Killer chimed in. Nightmare frowned, still refusing to accept the truth. Because if she did, then she would have to accept that her powers were gone too, and it had been over 500 years since she last had a body that was not covered in a protective layer of negativity. She had grown to enjoy the comfort it brought, so long as she ignored the pain in her spine from holding up the tentacles.

“Small question, but do either of you have your magic?” Dust asked, bringing up the very thing Nightmare did not wish to talk about. Curses.

Killer looked focused for a moment before frowning down at his now gloved hands. It was certainly odd seeing any sort of negative emotion upon Blue’s face. Nightmare could only imagine how strange she looked, Ink having a serious look upon his face now that she was in control. 

“That’s weird. It’s like I have a suppressor or something,” he finally said, still staring at his hands. Dust looked down at his own, the faintest of smiles on his face. 

“I can’t feel mine. It’s like I’m back to having the normal amount of magic. But it feels different too. More like a bunch of sparks and flames.”

Nightmare narrowed her eyelights at him and wow…she had forgotten what it was like to see out of both eyes. She had not been fully blind in her right eye as Horror was, but it was close enough that she had a blind spot. Having her full vision back, however fleeting it may be, was certainly quite nice.

“I think it’s the gloves,” Killer said, moving to take them off. A warning bell sounded in the back of Nightmare’s mind, but her curiosity overruled it. Worse case scenario, she would take care of the issue.

Taking off the gloves didn’t bring much of a physical change in Blue’s body. He looked completely the same, disregarding the fact that it was Killer in his body. But something was off…

“Did it get colder for either of you?” Nightmare asked, a slight shiver racking her now much smaller frame. Oh stars, this was not going to go well.

“Yeah…” Dust murmured, focusing his attention upon Killer as well, who seemed much happier. 

“Man this is awesome! Blue’s magic is so strong! Why’s he always got those gloves on, he’s almost on your level Dust!” Killer exclaimed, though in a low enough voice that the pain in their skulls didn’t flare up too much.