☽NIGHTMARE'S POV☽
We left right after my brother got back from who knows where and have been walking through the woods for a good while. Raven hasn't said anything else about her 'dream terror', since she refuses to call it a nightmare, and I'm starting to get worried. She's brushing it off as if it's nothing and saying that's 'normal' for her when I know otherwise! I know she's hiding something that's causing her extreme mental stress and it's slowly taking it's toll on the young girl!
A frown forms on my face as I continue to stare at the back of my black haired friend. I know she won't tell me what's going on and I can't really force her to tell me...
Just as I know she doesn't want to lose me; I don't want to lose her!
I sighed in frustration as I was about to ask if we reached our destination when I was cut off.
"We're here!"
Walking next to Raven so I can get a closer look, I noticed a huge cavern-like hole in front of us. Raising my nonexistent eyebrows at her, I asked in disbelief "So, we walked all the way out here for a hole?"
She gazed at me with knowing eyes, as Raven answered "Not the hole in general but what's inside it!"
"Ummm... Starlight... how are we supposed to get down there without any equipment?"
Turning around, my dear friend gave me a 'duh' look before letting out a bright smile while doing jazz hands, mysteriously singing "Maaaa~giic!"
I regret teaching her that...
I facepalmed while groaning out, "How?"
She gave me a giddy smile before explaining, "Ok! So, I'm going to use my Strings of Patience on you to tie it around your waist and gently and slowly lower you to the bottom! Then, you can use your magic to levitate me down! Nothing too complicated!"
No...
No...
It's extremely complicated...
First of all, "I didn't know you can use your Strings yet?"
I sensed a wave of nervousness as Raven bit her bottom lip and avoided eye contact, "I've been experimenting with it..."
Pfft! She's joking!
No, she's not...
I opened my mouth in protest before she cut me off, yet again, by placing a finger over my teeth, "I know what your thinking and, yes, it sounds crazy! But, I've been practicing to where I'm pretty good at it! Not at my old man's level but enough where I can keep the Strings going for a solid two hours without cutting anything to ribbons! I'll even show you..." She removed her finger for me to answer while I gave her an unconvinced stare but finally relented with a motion of my hand, "Fine! Show me what you can do..."
❣︎AUTHOR'S POV❣︎
Pumping her fists in victory, the young mage walked back to give some decent space to perform her magic. Taking a deep calming breath, Raven spread her legs apart and intertwined her pointers to her pinkies together as she closed her eyes for concentration. Eyes snapping open to reveal her minty blue orb's magical glow, the young girl swiftly and gracefully pulled her fingers apart from one another as a bright glowing blue string was formed. Narrowing her eyes at her target, she crouched down and flung the String like a whip as it detached from her left hand and securely wrapped around Nightmare's waist.
The Guardian let out an impressed whistle and giving the young girl a proud smile; causing her to blush in embarrassment. Tugging on the String to make sure it was fully secure, he nodded before looking down at the inky blackness of the hole before looking back at Raven, "How did you find this again?"
"I almost fell down it but caught myself with my Strings before I reached the bottom."
The skeleton did a double take as he gaped at the crazy girl, "You almost fell?!"
Nodding her head nonchalantly, she bluntly replied "Yeah... pretty much."
The poor Guardian of Negativity didn't know if he should laugh or cry from the situation his best friend put him in.
~TIME SKIP~
When they, both, reached the bottom, Nightmare was still unimpressed as he looked around the cavern "It looks like there isn't anything here."
"That's because you don't know where to look..."
Grabbing his hand in hers, Raven led the skeleton to a tunnel that was hidden within the dark. As they continued to track through the tunnel, with the only light source being the glow from the mage's eyes and Nightmare's eye lights, he couldn't help but wonder what was so special about a damp cave until an odd light caught his attention.
An amazed gasped left his mouth as the skeleton's eyes turned to stars at the sight before him. A beautiful underground lake with various crystals decorating the area inside and out stood majestically before him; the water was so clear that you could see that bottom. The light that came from the crystals gave an enchanting atmosphere, that could only be found in fantasy books, that sent Nightmare into silent shock.
Raven leaned over to poke the stunned Guardian in the cheekbone that caused him to jump in surprise while swatting her hand away.
"Soo... what do you think? Is it still unimpressive?"
Giving her a mock glare from her teasing, Nightmare shook his head while whispering "It's... words can't describe this..."
"I know! That was my reaction when I first saw this but I think it's even better with you around..."
Letting out a sputter while his skull glowed bright purple, the flustered skeleton exclaimed "Raven! Do you really have to ruin this magical moment with your flirting?!"
"Maybe..."
Shaking his head in disbelief, Nightmare wondered "What happened to the innocent young girl I used to know?"
Giving a small smile she replied, "She grew up." Before grimacing, "That and it doesn't help that my parents gave me that talk..."
The clueless skeleton looked at the young girl in confusion, "What talk?"
"You know... the talk and they also gave me a very detailed lecture about SOUL BONDING..."
It was a moment of silence before Nightmare's eye sockets widened and his whole face was shrouded on purple, "Oh! That talk! Hehe... how did that go...?"
Raven groaned as she slipped her hand out of the skeleton's, which caused him to frown in disappointment, as she pinched her nose in frustration "Mama was completely calmed about it but Papa just sat there awkwardly in the chair! It was a very interesting experience."
The Guardian of Negativity let out a hearty chuckle, "I bet it was!"
She gave him a droll look before exchanging it with a mischievous smirk, "If I remember correctly, you did tell me once that you'll explain the reason why you have fangs..."
This caused him to splutter out incomprehensible answers as his whole skull glowed within the cave. Snickering at her flustered friend, Raven leaned over and stretched his cheekbones to the point it showed a bit of his fangs. Raising her eyebrows curiously, she asked "So, are they for show or...?"
Pulling away from her stretching and rubbing his cheeks, Nightmare warned "Do you really want to know? I'll be explaining about monster biology and the likes..."
Raven let out a mock sigh of defeat, "I'm the one who got myself into this mess, might as well deal with it.." Thus, the skeleton explained to the mage all about the workings of monsters; inside and out.
~TIME SKIP~
❤︎RAVEN'S POV❤︎
I stared at Nightmare; a bit dumbfounded with my jaw a slack.
"So, what you're telling me is that you can form yourself a tongue?"
He looks at me with caution, "Yeah...?"
I smiled at the skeleton with childlike excitement as I demanded, "Let me see!"
"What? Why?"
I lock gazes with him as I give my best friend puppy dog eyes, "Pwease?"
A purple blush creeped along his cheekbones as he groaned out, "That's not fair, Raven! You know I can't resist that look!" Nightmare tutted me as he gave me a mock look of disappointment, "You should be ashamed of yourself! Using such a trick on your best friend!"
My SOUL clenched painfully when he called me his 'best friend' because if I was being honest? I have grown to care for the Guardian in more than just that...
I have fallen in love with him.
But he probably doesn't feel the same way about me... and I know I'm a bit young to start thinking about such things but I can't really help to feel this way. I've practically known him since childhood and he is my first and only friend. Nightmare is kind, considerate, funny, and so much more! It upsets me to see the villagers treat him harshly without trying to get to know him! Shaking my head to rid myself of these thought, I gave him a sly smirk "But you love me though..."
His body tensed as purple dusted his cheeks, before whispering to the point where I hardly heard it "Yeah, I do..."
"What was that?"
"N-nothing!"
I frowned in disappointment before looking at the water below me as I dipped my bare feet in it. During our educational talk, Nightmare and I sat near the underground lake to soak our feet. Since I never seen the Guardian take his boots off before, I was a bit curious to see what they looked like. They were similar to human feet but without the extra package of skin, muscles, and the other fleshy add ons.
"Raven, are you sure you're alright?"
I snapped my head to gaze deeply into his eye lights; I want to tell him the truth. I want to tell him my deal with Terrence but... I can't. The point to this deal is to protect Nightmare from that vermin. So, I gave the concerned skeleton a reassuring smile while telling him and myself "I'm fine."