Dreamtale Oneshots

You Are What You Are

Hey I'm sorry I've been dead and haven't uploaded any oneshots ;v; I hope you enjoy this one and remember to brush your teeth before you cross the brush your teeth road

Nightmare glared tiredly at his reflection in the lake, seeing the thing stare back at him with a wide, sinister grin and a malicious glint in it's one visible eye.

It was around midnight and there wasn't a single star in sight- no moon either. Just an empty, desolate void. Droplets of rain plummeted down from the blackened clouds, hitting the lake and causing little ripples to appear and distort the reflections. The low melancholic hum of the rain made Nightmare sad. He closed his eyes and leaned back slightly from where he sat beside the lake, focusing on the woeful pitter patter. He suddenly shivered violently, reopening his eyes and hugging his knees close for warmth. The cold wind whistled and cried as it blew harshly through the land, yanking leaves and debris along with it. He knew he should have worn a coat. 

He could barely stand being at home anymore. Everywhere he looked, the thing was there. It wouldn't leave him alone and it was slowly driving him crazy.

If he's not crazed already, that is.

He'd eventually confessed to Dream about the continuous nightmares and the creature he kept seeing. He'd wandered into the positivity guardian's bedroom one night and broken down in front of him, sobbing hysterically and choking out the entire ordeal. Dream had listened intently and stayed with him for the whole night and Nightmare ended up sleeping peacefully for the first time in a while. The next day, Dream tried to tell Nightmare that the 'thing' wasn't real and he kept imagining it. Nightmare felt betrayed. The thing was real, he could see it and he could hold conversations with it!

Only he could see it though. 

Nightmare shook his head, refusing to believe he had created this thing from his paranoia. That's what Dream had said. The thing was a manifestation of the overwhelming fear he felt. 

He wouldn't believe it though. He couldn't believe it.

'Why don't you believe it?'

Nightmare gasped and he lowered his knees, peering down into the water to stare at his reflection- no, the thing. It grinned back up at him before reaching forwards and breaking out from the water. Nightmare cried out in terror, shuffling backwards away from the thing. It chuckled lowly, heaving itself onto the land and edging towards the petrified guardian until it was looming over him like a vulture on it's prey. Nightmare audibly swallowed, his eye-sockets empty and his bones rattling from fear. He was scared- oh god, he was terrified.

The strange, foul black liquid oozed out of the thing, coating the grass in a thick layer of gunk. It's cyan eye paralysed Nightmare. He couldn't move, couldn't run away, couldn't breath.

He was going to suffocate.

The thing chuckled again, crouching down in front of Nightmare with an eerie smile.

'You don't have to be afraid of me.' It spoke in an unusually friendly tone. 

Nightmare regained control of his breathing and releasing a shaky breath, slowly cowering away. The thing's eye traced his movement intently.

'Being afraid of me is the same as being afraid of yourself.' It continued, smile never fading. 

Nightmare tried to avert his eyes elsewhere however he found he couldn't. He couldn't look away. His blood ran cold as the thing edged even closer.

'I just want to guide you. You're afraid and you don't understand what's happening. That's why I'm here- I only want to help you.' It spat, tone sickeningly sweet. 'I've always been with you- we've suffered together for years thanks to those villagers. Don't you want to repay the favour?' 

Nightmare remained frozen, his mind racing over it's words. Deep down he wanted to hurt them. He wanted to hurt the villagers that broke him. He wanted to make them feel the same pain they made him feel. 

But what about Bonnie and his other friends- what about Dream? He didn't want them to get hurt.

'I promise not the hurt the ones you care about.' The thing lied, grinning toothily down at the other and holding a hand out.

'Shake hands with your loneliness, your fear and your hatred. Accept it. Accept me.'

Nightmare frowned, hesitantly reaching forwards with a trembling hand. He paused for a moment before grasping the thing's hand and shaking it. The thing erupted into a fit of laughter, startling Nightmare. The realisation of the possible consequences of his actions suddenly became apparent and he desperately tried to let go of it's hand and revoke this agreement.

But he couldn't.

His hand was firmly locked with the thing's own. 

'What's with that look?' The thing laughed, standing up and heaving the other along with him.

'I promised not to hurt the others, remember?' It spoke, voice laced with venom. 'Then again, promises are made to be broken, right?"

Nightmare's eyes widened. This was not happening. This could not be happening. He felt a sudden bubble of rage and glared daggers at the thing, baring his teeth.

"You monster!" He snarled, swinging his fist at the thing's shoulder. The thing let out a grunt however smirked at the other skeleton.

'I wouldn't do that if I were you.' It chuckled.

Nightmare ignored it's comment and continued to throw punch after punch at the thing. It barely reacted. Nightmare winced and faltered. The thing rolled it's eye, releasing it's deathlike grip on the other's hand and taking a step back.

'I'll see you soon.' It spoke slyly, grinning and holding a finger up to it's mouth as if it was silencing the other before stepping backwards into the lake and completely disappearing from sight. Nightmare stared at where the thing had been and a stray lilac tear escaped from his eye-socket. 

What had he gotten himself into?

He stared out at the lake, clutching his aching shoulder.

--End--

Sorry this is kinda short-

If you're confused with the ending:

As I mentioned before, the thing is Nightmare. He was fighting with himself, talking to himself, afraid of himself. Only he can see the thing because the thing is him. It's all of his loneliness, anger and sadness manifested into the thing he most fears- himself.