(Y/n)'s P.O.V.
I stared at them both. “You’ve got to be joking,” I said. “There’s no physical way that creature is my dad.”
Ink tilted his head, hurt registering on his face. Batfang moved around in my hair, which had practically become his rat’s nest rather than mine. He hadn’t spoken for a while and I was very concerned.
I realized Chara hadn’t spoken in a while either.
“I’m not joking,” Dream said. He elbowed Ink, nodding, and added, “tell her, Inky.”
Ink stepped forward. “Well. It’s all true. A long, long time ago, I was created, right? I lived life. I made friends. But I never had any emotions of my own. I couldn’t love. My soul was destroyed. . . in an accident. Of sorts. Again, I couldn’t love. I couldn’t have children, but I could create anything I wanted.
“Well, only certain things. Not living things, it’s confusing. . .”
He paused, his face more blank than before. “Erm, what were we talking about?”
I crossed my arms, looking up at him through half-lidded eyes. “Your tragic backstory that every bad guy has to have?”
He spat out a mouthful of ink. “Pfffft, what? Me! Bad?!” he broke out into a long, depressing chuckle that sounded forced and more importantly fake. “You’re the one who’s dating a straight up villain.”
“Don’t you bring Nightmare into this, putrid squid boy. And he’s not a villain.”
Ink leaned into Dream, snickering. “She didn’t deny it,” he sang, then pulled away and smiled at me. “And I’m a hero, not a bad guy!”
I snorted. “You’re the bad guy in my story.”
“Well, isn’t that depressing?”
“Just continue your tragic story.”
“Ah, fine. I made you from paper. With Broomy. And a deal from a certain magical being.”
“Does that mean Paperjam is my sister?”
Ink’s “emotions” drained from his face. “How do you know that name?”
I didn’t reply. I was fuming inside. This skeleton had betrayed everyone to make a deal with Bill, hadn’t he? What exactly was the deal? I opened my mouth to ask, but Dream suddenly snapped his fingers multiple times. “Quiet, both of you!” he said. “I hear something, I sense something.”
The wriggling of Batfang in my hair stopped, and I heard a soft squeak of fear.
Dream reached out his hand, grasping for my hair. I slapped away his hand and hissed. He smiled, ignoring my hiss, and grabbed Batfang by the throat.
“My little spy,” Dream cooed.
A shiver ran down my spine. “Let him go,” I said shakily. “You’re not Dream, are you?”
“Of course I am. What makes you think not?”
“Dream isn’t crazy. He’s stubborn and annoying, but he’s not crazy.”
“Crazy? Oh, (Y/n), I’m not crazy,” he said. “After all, we’re all mad here.”
He leaned close to me, squeezing Batfang. “And he is the mad most of all.”
I heard Batfang struggling, and I drew out my frying pan, which I realized I hadn’t used in a long time. I swung my arm, the pan hitting Dream’s cheek. He flew back, dropping the rat in his hands. Before Batfang plopped to the ground, I dived down to catch him. I got up as quick as I dived, on my feet as fast as sparks. I then bolted away, putting my frying pan away while still running. Batfang wheezed, clasping his tiny paws on my shoulders, trying to hang on.
I dodged multiple mirrors, multiple memories. I dashed and darted and weaved. I zig-zagged, trying my very best not to crash into a rock. I made my way into the clearing of Waterfall, out of breath. I remembered that “Dream” had teleported me here, and there never really was an entrance to begin with.
“You can’t run forever, Flames, you can’t really run at all!” called Dream’s voice from afar.
I shouldn’t even be calling him Dream, I should be calling him by who he really was. His name was Bill.
Bill Cipher. That’s my assumption, at least.
I ran so fast I tripped, on flat ground, and tumbled into a stalk of thick, tall, dark grass. “Fricking cheese-cakes and cheese,” I cursed, then sat down, criss-crossing my legs. Batfang crawled from my hair, down my arm and onto the grass next to me.
“You didn’t have to save me,” he squeaked.
“Would you rather have been choked to death?” I retorted.
“For everything I’ve done. . . yes.”
“Come on, buddy. You’re not bad. Bill is.”
“(Y/n), you don’t know Bill. You don’t know me, either.”
“I know enough to trust you.”
“I could turn on you any moment.”
“But why would you?”
“I wouldn’t, but I probably could be possessed to.”
“Is that what happened to Dream?”
Batfang nodded. We were left in silence as we hid in the grass,
Something grabbed my wrist, lifting me to my feet and twirling me into the air as if I were some elegant princess.
My heart pounded in fear. What the cheese was happening?
I yelped as I was let go, dizzy and losing my balance.
There was Crossy-Skunk standing in front of me, winding his scarf back up.
“‘Sup,” he said, nodding his head.
“Holy crabs, Crossy-Skunk, I thought you were uh, someone else.”
He raised an eyebrow. “First off, ‘holy crabs’? Second, Who the fell gave you the idea of calling me Crossy-Skunk?!”
“My brain, you seahorse.”
Cross sighed. “Just follow me,” he said, pinching his nose-bridge.
“Why are you even here?” I ask stubbornly. “I’m on a run, away from two maniacs.”
“Uh, I was chillin’ here with Paperjam and Killer, and we heard shouts and there was a glow coming from a cave. We went to inspect it, and saw you, so now I’m here to save you.”
He took my hand. I slapped it away. “Oh my stars, seriously, what is it with everyone trying to grab my hand?”
Cross was flabbergasted. “Wh-what? Huh? Sorry, sorry,” he said. “Gee, we’ve got another Error, don’t we?”
I hissed. “Shush, just help me get out of this place.” I extended my hand so Batfang could crawl up. He did so, silently. I noticed that Cross was staring at him.
“Cool rat,” Cross said simply, then walked away. “Follow me quietly and quickly.”
I did. I looked back, watching Dream scan the exact same place I had been hiding. “I know you were here. . .” he said. “Quit hiding! I need that rat! He’s not even a rat.”
I bristled. He didn’t know what he was talking about. Was he blind? Of course Batfang was a rat. It’s not like he was a dragon, that would be crazy.
Cross took a quick turn. I followed him closely, turning my gaze back every few seconds. I knew Dream was still searching the area. After a few minutes of running, we came to a stop in a strange dark blue cave. Paperjam and Killer were there, silently talking to the cyan flowers that whispered back to them. They laughed softly, enjoying the stupid things they’d said to the flowers.
“Guys, I found her,” Cross whispered. Paperjam lifted her head.
“Heyo, brah-skinny.”
Killer jabbed her side with his elbow. “Quit sayin’ that, weirdo, you sound like Fresh when you do.”
Paperjam shrugged. “It’s not my fault he’s my uncle.”
I waved and Paperjam stood up with her hands in the pockets of her hoodie. She glanced around, then nodded at Killer and Cross. Killer and Cross teleported out of sight, whilst Paperjam looked back at me.
“Hold on to my scarf or something, Sparks.”
“Sp-sparks?”
She didn’t reply, so I did as I was told, because I was not going to get caught by the maniacs.
“I found your trrraaiiil!” announced Bill. Paperjam flinched, because we both knew Bill was using Dream’s voice, and Dream and Paperjam were best friends.
Then the diluted colours of Waterfall swirled into one blob and disappeared. We were in a void of pastel splotches and puddles until it closed in a vertical line.
We were back in Dreamtale, what was left of it. I couldn’t tell if it was a dream, or real, or real while dreaming. None of this made any sense. It must be a dream if Bill is able to possess and appear and whatnot.
Paperjam suddenly collapsed. “Paperjam, are you okay?” I asked, concerned.
She grumbled something. “I’m fine, leave me alone,” she hissed. “I don’t need any help.” She got up on their own, dusting her shorts. Her fingertips glowed rainbow, and she weaved together a cylinder shape. It was a red solo cup.
“Here, if you need anything, call me through this plastic cup.”
I blinked. “Plastic. . . cup?”
Paperjam sighed. “Don’t you know anything?” she asked. “I can make whatever I want, it’s not very strong but it’s durable enough.”
“You never told me that.”
“Shut up, it’s fine. Just trust me, ‘kay?”
I narrowed my eyes, taking the cup. “Thanks,” I replied. Paperjam nodded curtly.
“Now, if you excuse me, I have business to do,” Paperjam said, opening a blurred, blobby portal and disappearing into it.
I stared as the portal closed, then placed the cup in the pocket of my bag. I turned around. The stump of the Tree gave me chills looking at it. A heavy howling gush of wind flew in front of me, rushing me across a small creek and to the stump.
I immediately noticed that Nightmare wasn’t laying on the stump anymore, which made me run to it. “Nightmare?”
Obviously, there was no reply, and Batfang came crawling out of my hair. “Maybe he was kidnapped,” he squeaked.
“Why would anyone kidnap the King of Nightmares?”
“People are weird, (Y/n).”
I didn’t say anything. I searched the area for any possible sign of Nightmare, but there was none. I sat against the stump, my mind reeling. Where could he be? It felt like I was playing hide and seek, because I knew Nightmare wouldn’t let himself disappear.
I noticed the flowers in front of me, which were small and blue, like the ones Nightmare gave me in the past.
Maybe they were a clue. . . or maybe not.
“Stumped, are we?”
I looked around, alarmed. That was Nightmare’s voice. He suddenly appeared out of the shadow of the stump, grinning as smug as ever.
I completely ignored his pun and sprang up from the ground like a flower in spring. Batfang hid in my hair again as I wrapped my arms around him.
“Ack, s-stop, I cannot receive hugs—” he started. He melted into my hug, which was really weird because lately he hadn’t wanted hugs— I’d just remembered that, too.
Nightmare growled and pulled away. He sunk into a shadow, appearing far from the stump.
He stood, tentacles out of his back, twitching. Somehow, his tar was bristling and his negative aura was much stronger than before. Faint green glowed around him and engulfed me in a wave of random fear.
What was happening?
“Human, do not come near me, or do and get stabbed,” Nightmare said. He seemed really angry about something. Didn’t this happen before Dream came and shot him with the arrows?
“I hate this place,” he muttered. “I hate it so much.”
“Nightmare?” I ask.
“WHY AM I HERE?” Nightmare screeched, ignoring me.
“Nightmare!”
“WHAT!”
“Bill is after us.”
“How do you know?”
“He was chasing me. He took Dream’s body and he’s using it as a host—”
“Well then, that sucks, because I made a deal with him. I do not honor a man who goes behind my back.”
“You need to listen, we need to find away out of here.”
Nightmare turned his head to glare at me with a menacing scowl. “You think I’ve not been trying to do so? We’re trapped here, in this never-ending nightmare, and not even the King of Nightmares can escape. You don’t know what I’ve seen. You don’t know what I’ve remembered.” Violet tears dripped from his eye sockets as his voice cracked, wavering ever-so-slightly. “You don’t know what I’ve remembered.”
My heart sank. Had he seen the same memories as I had?
“Bill lied to me, I don’t know why I made that deal with him, I’m smarter than this. I bet he was just using me to help Dream.”
“That’s—”
“I’m the King of Nightmares and I didn’t see that demon’s lie. How could he be so stupid?”
I knew he wasn’t referring to Bill when he said “he”. I couldn’t say anything. I couldn’t do anything to help him, and it was driving me crazy. It was like he was trapped in a spinning cycle of thoughts.
He walked away and I tried to follow him. What could I do?
His negative aura became stronger and overwhelming. I could feel my heart beating faster and faster in fear, like a bird about to burst from a cage, even though I had nothing to be afraid of.
“Heheheh, you’re scared,” Nightmare said.
“No, I actually am not,” I replied.
“Sure you aren’t. I can feel everything you feel, you know.”
“I don’t get scared.”
Nightmare didn’t reply, and his aura became stronger by the passing second. “I’d recommend you leave. I won’t tell you again!” he snapped suddenly. “Go! Get out of here!”
It was just like before— I couldn’t. I couldn’t leave his side. It was like we were magnets and I was being pulled toward him.
He turned around completely to look at me. He couldn’t speak and all the plants beneath him shriveled up and died. He lashed out his tentacles, which sliced bushes next to his slippers. The glowing of his aura became more visible and it was like he was going to explode.
I reached into my pocket, pulling out the little blue flower. I glanced at it. Batfang whispered something in my ear.
“Whatever you’re thinking, don’t do it,” he said. “He’s unpredictable. He’s dangerous.”
“Batfang,” I whisper back. “I know what I’m doing.” I remember Paperjam. “Trust me,” I add.
I clenched my fist, not too tightly though, because I needed the flower to stay as it was.
I walked closer to Nightmare, who was growling. “What are you doing?”
I didn’t reply and I stepped closer.
“ARE YOU MAD?!”
I grinned. “Possibly.”
Nightmare took a step back. “Stay away from me! You’re being the dumbest human in history, (Y/n)!”
“But I’m your dumbest human!” I shouted back, feeling tears prick in the corner of my eyes as the negativity around us became almost unbearable. All sorts of things whispered into my ears and it wasn’t Batfang. I ignored it all.
“(Y/n)!” Batfang screeched. “Stop! You’re crazy!”
“So what… if I am?”
“Please don’t do this.”
“I told you to trust me.”
Once I was close enough, I leapt at Nightmare, whose tentacles lashed out at me because they had nothing else to stab. But this simply was all a part of my plan.
Nightmare only stared at me in anger and shock and confusion. He was gritting his teeth.
“What are you—”
I quickly pressed the flower into his palm. Nightmare flinched back and the tentacles ceased their movements. He looked down, opening his palm. His eye widened and he looked up at me, but before he could utter a word, my lips were on his teeth.
The negativity engulfed us both for a second before fading. Instead, small golden sparks surrounded us, and instead of me being stabbed, the tentacles were just wrapped around me.
Nightmare seemed shocked at first but he seemed to melt into me. He wrapped his arms around me, returning the soft kiss.
Then he pulled away, his eye glimmering violet and with tears. He lifted up his fingers. There was the tiny blue flower in his hand, the one that I had placed. The light dawned on his face as he realized:
“You remember,” he said softly.
“I do,” I whispered.
Nightmare touched his forehead to mine, delicately holding my hands as if he thought he would hurt me. He placed the flower behind my ear, softly smiling.
“My queen,” he whispered. He leaned in to gently kiss me again, but we were rudely interrupted.
“My oh my, what do we have here?” echoed a voice behind Nightmare. We both looked up sharply, crashing our foreheads against each other. We turned around, looking over.
Bill/Dream stood there, grinning. My heart sank. How long had he been there?
Nightmare hissed, arching his tentacles around me. Batfang was squeezed against my neck and I felt him scurry into my bag.
“I helped you get her to remember you, now hold up your end of the deal?” said Bill.
“You betrayed me and made a pact with my brother,” Nightmare growled.
“Whaat? I would never, because I am Dream! Silly land octopus.”
“You’re not Dream.”
“Whatever you say. I guess I have no choice but to do this the hard way.”
“What?”
“Have fun being in stone.”
Nightmare froze. “No. What?”
I noticed that his feet were turning gray. “Nightmare. . . .” I whispered. He wrapped his tentacle around my wrist because his hands couldn’t move.
“(Y/n), it’s up to you now,” he murmured. “I want you to know that I’m rooting for you, and that I would have made you my queen. Now, go save the world, or something. A monster like me wouldn’t have been able to.”
Tears rolled down my cheeks. Nightmare grinned, wiping one away. “Hey now, don’t cry,” he said, then winked. . . or blinked. “Don’t let the bad guy feel like he’s won.”
This was all going so fast. One minute, Nightmare and I remembered each other, and then the very next, fate was turning against him.
He turned his head forward, about to move his tentacles, but his limbs stayed in place.
His entire, inky body had turned to gray.
I hugged him— or tried to— while cursing Bill in my head. This had been all my fault, all mine.