“Who are you?” Kel asked.
“I am nothing but a stranger to most, so you can call me that. Stranger.” Stranger replied.
“...Why am I still here? Did Hero and Aubrey leave?” Kel asked, tilting his head.
“Yes, they did. You lost a battle. A very important one. They didn’t.” Stranger sighed.
“How did I lose?” Kel asked, worry in his voice. He felt something grab him and drag him. It took him a while to notice it was Stranger who was dragging him.
“You lost because most of your mental state was being used in trying to stay cheery. You were trying to mask how scared you were and that was what made you lose.” Stranger told him honestly.
...Oh, that made sense.
“I am hoping to bring you back. Right now they are dealing with the actual dream you.” Stranger sighed.
“Actual dream me?” Kel saw a mini light appear in the distance.
“Yes. That Kel and you are very different. You have really matured since Sunny last saw you.” Stranger turned to give him a small smile before continuing to walk.
Kel took a moment to process those words. He was right. Ever since Mari died and Hero had been...unresponsive for a while, he had tried to live normally. He wasn’t that good at it.
He sighed and allowed the stranger to guide him.
~~~~~~
Kel wasn’t Kel.
Hero could tell almost immediately. It wasn’t just his memories that were changed.
This Kel carried himself differently and seemed happier. The aura around him was light as if he was twelve once again. He kept whispering to Omori about...something to do with Basil. Mainly questions on who Basil was and what he was like. Despite Omori never talking this Kel was able to hold on to the conversation quite well. Omori didn’t seem to mind though, in fact, he seemed to be a little happier with this Kel around than their actual Kel.
Hero doesn’t know if that should count as a red flag or not.
He also knows he isn’t the only one who realized this wasn’t Kel. Aubrey had the moment he teased her for dragging Mr.Plantegg on the floor. Saying “Man, for someone who cares for that doll you sure are allowing him to get dirty.”
She also looked like she was actively fighting the urge to fist-fight this Kel. Each time he lightly teases her.
Hero is now really hoping this doesn’t affect reality...he is also hoping that Kel is alright.
They have been traveling through whirlpools and listening to creatures speaking gibberish to themselves. Whispering each time Omori walks by as if they are gossiping about him.
Eventually, they found a cave that had a stream of water. Not deep enough to drown but deep enough to soak their pants. They walked down the stream, drawing of hands and waves being the only thing to see with the sound of rushing water nearby to ease their worries. They made their way to a fork in the stream to either continue forward or go up. Obviously, they went up.
A coral tree with a rushing waterfall behind it sat big and strong. A single swing attached to it with one of the Shadow Basil’s sitting on it. He swung lightly and when his eyes landed on the group he disappeared without a trace.
“A long time has passed since you ventured this far. Deeper layers of his world open up as the Dreamer grows more desperate. Even imagination is limited.” The coral spoke suddenly, the group feeling a shiver go down their spine.
Hero turned to look at Kel who seemed to be on pause. His smile was still there yet his body didn’t move an inch. He poked him and gained no reaction.
...This may be worse than he thought. Where they...never meant to hear anything like this? No wonder why Sunny is nervous about them, they are finding out things he wished they never knew.
“You have questions I can answer. Answers that you have forgotten. I will lay them out for you, If you are curious then choose.” The tree continued to speak.
A pad fell from the ceiling and landed in Omori’s hands. Hero peeked over his shoulder and looked at the options.
My lost friend, The big yellow cat, White Space, Nevermind.
Hero understood the first two, the friend being Basil and the yellow cat being the one in the colorful room that he, Kel, and Aubrey start in. White Space is the only one he doesn’t know.
Omori clicked My friend first. Looking up at the tree to see if it would speak.
“You would like to know more about your lost friend?” The tree asked as Omori nodded. Hero was glad they were starting with one that would help them the most.
“The friend you have lost is not in this world. The day he was removed, he was reborn elsewhere. He is special to you. A string of fate ties you two together. He cannot leave that place alone. To retrieve him, you will have to remove yourself as well, but in a way that is natural for this world. For Headspace.” The tree explained.
...That wasn’t as helpful as Hero was expecting. Omori seemed to understand what the tree meant exactly, nodding his head quickly.
“The journey is reaching its end. You already know what you have to do, Dreamer.” The tree spoke as if it had answered that question millions of times.
Wouldn’t that mean that Sunny regularly dreams about the adventure they are on? How many times has he been living through this?
Omori pressed another button on the pad and the tree’s branches slightly waved in the wind, “The big yellow cat? You wish to know more about him?”
Omori nodded and Hero tuned in, slightly interested in the subject.
“Before this world was created, there existed three great creatures. The oldest, the wisest, and the favorite. The oldest one is alive but not the same as he once was, for age had removed his consciousness and he had evolved into a parasite within himself. He lives here, just beyond this cavern.” The tree began, gaining everyone’s attention immediately.
~~~~~~
“The wisest, against her reason, committed an act that opposed the Dreamer’s will. It was an act that is not even known to me. As a result, she was stripped from her wisdom and banished into isolation. A special prison buried deep, deep down.” Stranger explained to Kel who was listening intently to each word.
“Geez, that sounds harsh…” He muttered to himself.
“Yes, she should have known better though. I wish I knew what that act truly was.” Stranger sighed for what seemed like the fiftieth time for Kel.
“What was her name?” Kel decided to ask, slightly tilting his newly formed head. His body was coming back but it sure was taking its time.
“Her name was Abbi.” Stranger answered and Kel slightly gasped.
“You mean Sunny’s old imaginary friend?” Kel was shocked to ever hear that name again.
“Yes. By the way, do not slip up like that in front of Omori.” Stranger shot him a look for mentioning Sunny.
“Huh? What? Do you mean saying Sunny? Aren’t they the same person?” Kel was confused.
“...Yes they are but it might be better for you to think of them as different people...especially for later.” They were approaching the light.
Just a bit further to go.
~~~~~~
“The last and favorite, the big yellow cat, was chosen to watch over the Dreamer’s most precious room. He remains the dreamer’s favorite to this day. Watching diligently, waiting for something to happen.” The tree finished explaining.
Hero didn’t know how to feel about any of the information he was just given. If he understood correctly then the Oldest is just up ahead and they are close to meeting him. The Wisest was banished for reasons unknown (and if Hero knows Sunny, it must have been really bad to piss him off to the point of getting rid of them), and the Yellow Cat in the room they wake up in is meant to protect him, Kel, and Aubrey.
What about Basil and Mari though? Why don’t they have protection as well?
...Maybe they don’t need protection. Perhaps they are already safe and secure. Hero would probably never know for sure.
The final question was about White Space. Hero doesn’t know what that place is but if Omori knows it then it must be important.
“To be in White Space is to be nothing. White Space is emptiness, a home without warmth. A place to survive but not to live. Even still, your consciousness cannot be erased. It will always find a way in. Even in White Space, it will take the form. If one will it, something will be formed to subdue it. A hanging black light bulb, a repression of an idea.”
Hero tried to remember if he had ever seen the room the tree was talking about. That is when he realized that every time Omori appeared he would come out of a white room.
Maybe that was White Space.
“Yes. Perhaps it is time to admit that you are human, Dreamer.” The coral tree spoke truthfully.
Omori paid no attention to its words, clicking another button on the pad and dropping it into the ground.
“You have listened well. I have granted you knowledge, but know I can also grant you power here. There is a challenge that will aid you greatly in this world. It is simple without thought, and if you succeed, I will be gone as well. I offer to you a sacrifice. Do you accept it?” The tree swayed a bit as Hero widened his eyes.
A sacrifice? It was going to sacrifice something for Omori? Apparently, it will grant him some power which could be good but Hero doesn’t want to have someone killed in Omori’s name.
Omori nodded anyways, seemingly not caring for the sacrifice part.
“I understand. Stand very still, Dreamer.” The coral tree commanded.
Omori stood still and straight as the area blacked out, covering everything in darkness and startling the whole group. Hero noticed that Kel disappeared, as if he was never there in the first place.
The ground glowed red as the group was absorbed into it, before they could blink they realized they were in a new area that was different than before.
The ground was blood red and plants were waving around as if there was an aggressive wind blowing through the room. There was no wind, however, there were wiggling black hands, shaking just like the plants are. It felt as if a million eyes were watching them.
The main thing was the bent down, broken, a glowing coral tree with a singular apple hanging off it. They slowly approached the tree and their eyes widened with fear as the apple morphed into a head. Specifically Sunny’s head.
Omori made eye contact with it, moving forward without the others as they were frozen with fear.
Grabbing the head and pulling it off the tree with the sound of flesh ripping to accompany it, Omori stared at the head with dead eyes.
Hero watched in pure horror with everyone else as Omori took a bite of the head. Eating it as if it was an apple as blood fell to the ground accompanied by the sound of bones breaking.
Hero wanted to stop Omori, slap the head away, and drag them all out but he couldn’t move.
He was too afraid.
Under the blood-red floor the sounds of a muffled, watered scream as if someone was drowning in the sea below them.
Omori licked his lips as he finished his meal and the room glitched.
They were back in the previous room, though the coral tree was now dead and eerie noises filled the room.
Omori turned to face the group, who all looked horrified except Kel, who still looked like he was paused in place.
Hero wanted to scream but his voice died in his throat. Aubrey had tears in her eyes and was shaking violently as if she was on a boat sailing through a lightning storm. He felt his blood enter his fingers again and the first thing he did was comfort her. Wrapping his arms around her tight as if she would disappear if he didn’t hold on.
It was unnerving to hug a crying child as Kel only wore a smile and Omori the same dead expression as always.
He was scared.
He just wanted to wake up soon.