Pokemon: Nightmare Syndrome (A One Shot)

• Nightmare Syndrome •

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"Do you believe that your nightmares can disappear? Do you believe in peace--a peace you’ve experienced so long ago, but have lost? Do you believe in paradise; and myths? Legends?

Do you believe in Cresselia?"

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Nightmares.

Where are they from? Why do they come? From what do they take root?

All these questions. And their answers? Lacie doesn’t know. She doesn't know a thing.

In a half-lit room just minutes ago, she was woken from a dreamless slumber by the sudden ringing of her cell phone.

She initially mistook it to be her morning alarm and had roused sloppily from under her thick sheets to turn it off--only to realize that she was sorely mistaken. Instead, she was jolted awake when her still-blurry eyesight recognized the familiar name printed with contrasting font on the excessively bright screen.

With her blue eyes still half-lidded and droopy from sleep, and her long black hair a tangled mess, she answered the phone.

“Micah?” She mutters in a slurred, sleepy voice.
A slow glance to the city of Jubilife outside--It was still dark.
A quick glance at the wall clock--4 am. Too early. “What happened?”

“Lacie,” Micah’s choked sobs were evident through the phone’s static connection. Immediately, the dark-haired girl was concerned.

“I had the dream--again.”

So there, Lacie sat. Waiting for the sun to rise, while listening to her distressed friend's voice as she retold the events of her latest terror--her nightmare.

Many times throughout the conversation, Lacie stifled a yawn. She did so again, just as Micah finished her telling of the nightmare. She then erupted into terrified sobs, leaving Lacie more than a little lost of what she could do to calm her friend.

“Do you believe in Cresselia?”

In the end, only one question was asked. Lacie couldn't help but stifle another yawn when the other party at the end of the line failed to immediately answer her question.

"What's that got to do with anything?" Her friend's dubious, slightly irate tone echoed from the phone's speaker.

“Everything,” Lacie said slowly. Probably an overstatement--but she couldn't really think much of what else to say. "Maybe we need to get you a dream catcher."

A pause.

"I dunno, it's not that easy." Micah mutters, hesitation lacing her muffled voice. "I don't think my nightmares can be solved so easily. It... Doesn't work that way."

“It doesn’t hurt to try,” Lacie urged her. “C’mon, after school? Tomorrow?”

“No thanks.” Micah mutters. “I got to go. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Wait--”

Micah dropped the call, leaving Lacie alone to listen to the horrendous beeping noise that came after. The dark-haired girl sighed and leaned back. She ran her fingers across her messy hair, her distant gaze trailing upwards to the dark ceiling. Her phone was momentarily forgotten on the bedside table, right next to a lit lamp which was currently, the only source of light in the room.

The clock ticked. 5:30 am.

Still too early.

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