Given An Unwanted Second Chance

Chapter 27

I coughed some as the colorful smoke dissipated and Fresh took his hand off me, stretching.  "Ah, this is a much better place to chillax and talk, broski!"

"W-Where...why did you just do that?  Yeah, there was tension, but I kinda need their help, too!"  I exclaimed.

"Relaaaaax, Eclipse!  It's not like I be taking you to the Void or somethin'!"

"Fresh?"

I looked behind me and got startled by what appeared to be a child, though their appearance was severely...weird.  They looked like they came from a black-and-white movie or something with their lack of color, though the more disturbing thing was their eyes.  Or lack thereof?  Their eyes were just black holes.

"Core broski!  I've just brought goopy-but-not-goopy broski here to chat a bit!  It was gettin' rather tense with all the powerful skellies around."

The child who had been called Core looked alarmed.  "You brought Nightmare here?!  Are you insane?!"

Fresh grinned at Core.  "Actually, major emphasis on not-goopy!"

Core looked highly concerned.  "Yeah, I can SEE he isn't currently 'goopy,' Fresh!"

I opened my mouth to speak when Fresh cut me off, albeit probably unintentionally.  "Nah, broski, you be getting your wires tangled!  This here is Eclipse!  I actually brought...uh, are you a he or a she?"

"U-Uh...I-I'm a she."  I stuttered, still thrown off by the sudden teleportation.

"I brought 'er here to chat without all the angry gods and guardians and such!  The tension was crazy, yo!"

Core did not look convinced.  "And you're SURE that you didn't just bring the guardian of negativity to the Omega Timeline?"

Fresh looked thoughtful as his shades changed to dots.  I answered quietly.  "Actually, that's a rather long story, but I am the guardian of negativity...I'm just not Nightmare."

Core sighed heavily.  "Fresh..."

"Hey, she just said she ain't Nightmare!"

"And you didn't stop to consider that...she was lying?"

I cringed slightly as Fresh's shades changed to HMMM.  "Not particularly, but the vibes of not-goopy broski are waaaaay diff than goopy broski's!"

"Okay, hold on, before anyone gets angry, just...just look.  Maybe this can convince you that I'm not Nightmare."  I said, summoning my soul and showing it to Core and Fresh.

Core frowned slightly.  "You...have the apple shape just like Dream, but...kindness?"

"I'm not Nightmare, I swear.  Look, I don't even know where we are.  Fresh just decided to teleport here without any warning."

"You're shapeshifted, aren't you?"

I grimaced.  "I mean, yes, but this is technically what I'm supposed to look like.  My normal form is Nightmare's, but I just learned like half an hour ago how to do this."

Core still looked unconvinced.  I looked to Fresh for help, not knowing what to say.

Fresh hummed.  "You could let Core broski check ya.  That usually works, right?"

"Um...I mean, if they'd like to..."  I said quietly, looking back at Core.

Core nodded slightly and I felt check magic wash over my soul.

Eclipse ATK 14 DEF 1
*She's feeling antsy and uncomfortable
*Despite the dangers, she wants to go back to where she was

"Your stats are lower than Nightmare's...I assume, anyway."  Core muttered.