Dreamtale Oneshots

A Glimpse Into the Future

"Hello, creepy old goat lady?" He called out, shutting the creaking door and shuffling further into the shack. 

"Hello, Nootmare."

Nightmare sputtered, turning around to face the counter where the grinning witch sat. How'd she know about that name? The witch observed the bewildered guardian.

"What brings you here without your dear brother?" She questioned, voice croaky. "Did you forget about the dangers of being in the village alone?"

Nightmare narrowed his eyes and folded his arms.

"I need a potion." 

"I figured that much." The witch replied, rolling her eyes slightly. 

"I need a potion that will let me see into the future." 

The witch raised an eyebrow at the request, grinning sharply as she wordlessly stood up and shambled towards the potion rack.

"You're afraid." She mumbled, sorting through the magical brews. "Why is that?"

Nightmare frowned, thinking about it.

"Dream had a nightmare and said it was about the future but he won't tell me what happened." He replied, watching as the witch began to tread back towards him with a purple fizzing concoction. She cackled quietly, making Nightmare involuntarily shudder.

"I see." She mused, placing the bottle on the counter and pushing it forwards towards the skeleton. Nightmare stared down at it and reluctantly grabbed it.

"You only need to take a sip- I won't charge you for it." She informed, carefully eyeing Nightmare as he uncapped the potion. "After all, you may not like what you see."

The guardian paused, giving the witch a nervous glance before lifting the brew up and taking a sip. As soon as he swallowed the liquid he saw a blinding flash of light. The potion dropped from his hand, the witch catching it just before it shattered onto the floor.

The brightness soon dimmed and he was staring out at his and Dream's garden. The sky was almost pitch-black and the wind was howling viciously. Nightmare couldn't move or look around. What's going on?

He gasped as he saw Dream and himself materialise. 

"Nightmare, brother please stop!" Dream cried out, approaching the other guardian. The Nightmare glimpsed at his brother; he seemed scared and uncertain. What was he holding?

Nightmare's eyes widened as he could only watch himself bite into a dark apple. And then another, and another, and another. 

"Night, stop!" Dream wailed, rushing forwards to try and pry the last apple out of his brother's hand. The Nightmare growled and forcefully shoved Dream away, consuming the last apple. By now a thick, black substance had began to ooze out of his eye-socket and bones until it completely coated him. Dream scooted away from the corrupted Nightmare, crying hysterically as the other stalked towards him. Without much warning, two viscous tentacles erupted from the corrupted Nightmare's back and impaled Dream. 

Nightmare felt his heart stop as he stared in horror. His vision blurred with tears as he observed the corrupted form of himself laugh chaotically and approach the Tree of Feelings, bringing it down in one swift swipe of a tentacle. 

The potion's effect suddenly wore off and Nightmare was once again back in the shack with wide, empty eye-sockets and lilac tears streaming down his cheeks. The witch examined him with her hands clasped, her eerie grin never fading.

"It can be altered." She eventually spoke, snapping Nightmare out of his thoughts.

"How?" The guardian frantically asked, leaning forwards. "How!"

The witch remained stoic and shrugged. "I don't know- you have to figure it out."

Nightmare felt his breath quicken and he began to tremble uncontrollably. He was terrified. Oh god he was so scared- he had to change this. Without another word he darted out of the shack, clicking his fingers and teleporting away. The witch grinned widely.

"I never said it could be altered completely." She chuckled. "It'll happen whether you like it or not, Nighty."

Nightmare arrived in his bedroom and instantly collapsed onto the carpet, leaning against the bed. He broke down into tears, sobbing frenziedly with his eyes wide open. He hugged his knees to his chest and buries his face into the fabric of his clothes, soaking them with his heavy, salty tears.

Dream dropped the flower-crown he had constructed as soon as he felt a surge of intense negative emotions from the house. He immediately jumped up and bolted towards the back door, swinging it open and dashing through the kitchen and up the stairs. He kicked open Nightmare's door, seeing his brother weeping sorrowfully. The guardian of positivity wasted no time in rushing towards his brother and pulling him into an embrace.

"Night?" He asked, alarmed. "Night, what's wrong- what happened?"

Nightmare let out a strangled cry, hugging his brother tightly as if he'd slip away from him. Dream didn't know how to react; why was he acting like this?

"Did someone hurt you?" Dream pressed, his eye-sockets becoming empty. "I'll make sure they don't hurt you again."

"No one hurt me." Nightmare managed to choke out, between harsh, ragged breaths. "I hurt me- I hurt you!"

Dream's golden-yellow eyes returned and he stared down at his brother, perplexed.

"What? You haven't hurt me." He mumbled.

"Not yet." Nightmare whispered, letting out a lamentable cry as he buried face into Dream's cape. "Please don't let me hurt you."

Dream felt his eyes glaze over with tears.

"Night, I know you'd never hurt me." Dream tried to sooth, gently patting his brother's back. "I don't understand."

Nightmare sniffled and clenched his teeth- a desperate attempt to prevent himself from releasing more choked sobs.

"Don't let me eat the apples."

Dream's eye-sockets went empty again. Now he understood. But how could the guardian of negativity know about what happened? He opened his mouth to ask however paused as he glanced down at his hysterical brother. Now wasn't the time to find out- he needed to console Nightmare. Letting out a small, sad sigh, Dream pulled his brother closer and whispered soothing words to him.

"I won't let you, I promise." He said. "I know you'd never do that, anyway."

The vision Nightmare had proved that wrong and it scared him. He told himself he'd never bite into one- so why did the future show him that?

"I'll change the future- I'll never go near the apples, I swear." He whimpered.

He'll never do that. Never...

Right?

--End--

How many times have I ended it like that