Don't Let Sleeping Nightmares Lie

*yawn* Man, I wonder why I'm so sleepy in the morning. I'm so much more comfy inside my dreams. It'd be nice if night would last forever.

I'm not a morning person either, but we can't go sleeping forever.

You'll miss breakfast.

Sounds like mornings were tough in your house. You agree with me, don'tcha, Mare? The longer the night, the better!

The... Uhh...

Mmm... I like...the night...

......

Is something wrong with Mare? She's seemed under the weather for a while now.

We had a run-in with a Nightmare not too long ago who stole Mare's powers. She said she'd get better with rest, but... Well, you see how she is.

We can't just leave her like this! Isn't there some way to get her powers back from the Nightmare?

I was wondering the same thing, which is why I called in a nightmare-hunting specialist to look into it. Ah, speak of the devil.

Ah, I should've known it'd be you, Mighty. You're an expert at these things.

Hey, Aldo. I didn't realize you two knew each other.

Huh? Mighty?

Hey, Aldo. I didn't realize you two knew each other.

Um... Who're you?

Mighty. Should be easy to remember, since it's the same name as his.

So, I think I have a location for the Nightmare. She's been causing trouble in the Theta District lately.

Thanks for the intel. The only thing better than one Mighty is two!

Just hang on a little longer, okay, Mare? I'm gonna get your powers back.

Thank you...darling...

If you're going to the Theta District, do you mind if I tag along? Defeating Nightmares is kinda my job, after all.

Sure. I'll try not to get in your way, so you do you.

Aldo, you're more than welcome to go back to bed and catch up on those Zs.

No way! I'm worried about Mare, so I'll come with.

Suit yourself. To the Theta District we go, then.

You're looking down in the dumps, kid.

If something's bothering you, you don't have to hold it in. Tell me, and I can make the pain go away.

W-Well...

Need me... Love me...

Found you.

Yoohoo, other Maaare! I'm here to take back my Mare's power.

Well aren't you just a sweetheart? But I don't see what's so wrong with taking what belongs to me, even if it came from a different world.

Ugh...

She may be you from another world, but she's not you. She's her own person.

No, she isn't! She's me! ME!

Boy, that really got under your skin. Care to explain why?

That's because I...I...

Who cares? All that matters is that we save Mare.

I don't get it... Why her? Why ONLY her?!

Oh me, oh my. How aggressive.

Now, now. No more of that. I know you're seeing red right now, but using those powers in a town like this is a big no-no! You don't wanna get hunted down like some monster, do you?

M-Monster?

That's right. We're monsters, you and I. We can't live among the humans. If you're the same as me, you must know that.

Shut up, shut up, shut up! Of course I know that!

Then shouldn't you, I dunno, calm down a little? Maybe? Give it a try? Cool your head? Take a chill pill? Simmer down? Wait. Don't tell me you think being a monster is a bad thing! Oh dear me.

Why are they provoking her?

I think I know.

Wait. Are those...

Copies of Marey Anne, if I had to guess. But they've stopped because Mighty's drawing her attention.

Then we better get everyone out of here while he's got her distracted.

C'mon, you can't stay here!

Heh heh. Quite the extreme reaction. Looks like we struck a nerve, huh?

But she's a monster, too! If you mock me, you're mocking her as well!

You're right. Mare is a monster. That's a fact. But...

I love that monster.

Oh, darling...

I...I don't understand.

You...love...a monster? You love...that other me?

Meanwhile, I...I never...

URRRGAAAH!

Please, I can easily dodge that...

(But if I move, it'll hit Mare!)

Darling!

I know...you were trying to protect me... You were going to get hurt...for me... That's why I...used the rest of my power to...

It's stupid, so stupid. A monster pretending to love. It's all so, so, so STUPID.

Oh, I get it now. You're also...

Get out of my sight!

We got everyone to safety! How're things looking over here?

Mighty?!

......

Oh no! What happened?

He's fallen into a dream. Pretty deep too...

It was all their fault. For making me dream...

Is there any way to wake him up, Mighty?

It's possible. But it'd be easier without a certain distraction...

Got it. I'll take care of the Nightmare and buy you some time. You just focus on waking him up!

I'll be back as soon as he's awake. Good luck!

(I'll take him to the hotel. We should be safe there.)

You want to join the Chrono Clan? Well, you must have your reasons. Welcome aboard, Mighty.

Sorry for putting so much on your shoulders. But you need to survive... Live on. And take care, my friend.

Sorry, but I have a job to do. And that means you've gotta go.

If you wanna kill me, then kill me already. I'm so tired of everything, you'll actually be doing me a favor by ending it.

You want me to get rid you? And here I heard you were supposed to be cruel...

Cruel?! I'm not killing people because I want to! But when I like something, I just can't help myself. I wanna know everything about it. I want all of it, every last drop!

But if you do that to a human, they get empty inside. They turn into the walking dead.

So you're not...doing it on purpose?

I always think I'll get it right the next time. But whenever I look into someone's dreams, I just...I fail... So I'm over it. I'm tired. Go on already and kill this mean ol' monster.

Oh...

I just wanna be loved... I wanna be needed... I want someone to keep me by their side... Everyone else has someone who loves them. But why don't I? I'm so lonely...

(She's just like me...) (I just wanted to live a normal life like everyone else.)

Love me, please... Love me... And if you can't love me, then kill me. Then I won't have to eat and I won't have to dream...

Nah, I don't think I will.

I don't get it. You're gonna let me live? Even after all the people I've killed? Isn't it a crime?

From a human point of view, maybe. But after seeing you cry like that, I just don't think I have it in me. Sorry for forcing our norms on you.

Keep talking like that, nightmare hunter, and I'll fall in love with you. Then I might end up killing you too!

And we don't want that, do we? 'Cause I sure don't have a death wish...

And if you killed me, it'd only make you cry again.

*sniffle*

Okay, I have an idea! You Nightmares can have minions, right? Then make me a Nightmare too.

Are you out of your mind? Did you hit your head or something?

As a nightmare hunter, it's my job to exterminate Nightmares that kill people. You always kill those you love, but that won't happen if the one you love is a Nightmare. It's a win-win. The only issue is you'd have to love only me from now on. Think you can handle that?

Deal! I'll make you my minion.

But you've gotta promise to love me, and me alone, too!

Wide awake, thanks to you.

Where's Mare?

I don't know. Maybe it's because she thought they were the same, but they're not. You and I are the same person. We've just lived different lives. So what did you think when you first saw me?

Haha, you're so different from me. You're calm and easygoing.

I know. But you still have to. You're a much better nightmare hunter than I ever was. You're incredible.

But humans don't need to sympathize with monsters. If you do, you'll quickly find yourself on their side. Luckily, I'm already a monster. So let me feel bad for her, while you defeat her with your conscience clear.

I'm gonna put the whole, wide world to sleep! Then everyone can live happily ever after in their dreams!

You can't do that! They all have dreams they want to achieve in real life! You can't take that away from them just because you feel like it!

Shut up! Why should I care about their dreams coming true when no one cares about mine?! No one ever listens to what I want!

Maybe no one's listening because they can't hear you over all this racket!

Mighty! Thank goodness you're awake!

How did you wake up?! You were supposed to be knocked out cold!

Yeah, but thankfully this world's got itself an excellent nightmare hunter. He got me back to the land of the living.

I'm glad I didn't slack off in my training.

It was kinda careless of you not to get rid of the support character first.

Or maybe you didn't wanna hurt him to begin with. I mean, he's the only one who can see you. So you gotta keep him around, right? Even if you are enemies.

Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! You don't even belong in this world! Why can't you just disappear?

Tell you what. If you can defeat me, I'll leave this world for good. But that's a pretty big if...

Are you making fun of me?! THAT'S IT! Screw putting you to sleep, I'm gonna kill you!

We win!

Which means I get to stick around. Oh, and you'll have to give my partner her powers back, is what I would say, if it weren't already happening.

Hmm? Grhmm... Darling?

Good morning, my sweet. Not that it's technically morning time...

Darling, darling! Are you okay? You're not hurt?

Not even so much as a scratch! And I'm all refreshed after my nap, too. Now, enough about me. I'm so happy to have you back!

Why... Why does she get to be loved? She's a Nightmare, same as me. A monster. Why can't that be me? What does she have that I don't?

I guess it's just because you never met this version of me.

What?

You say you're Mare, but do you think the other me and I are in any way alike? Identical faces aside, that is.

No. You have nothing in common. The nightmare hunter in this world is a kind person, unlike you.

Thanks. We might be on opposite sides, but it's still nice to hear that.

See? Nothing like me. So don't torture yourself over this. It's not your fault you're not loved. You just haven't found your person yet.

So they're out there somewhere?

It's a wide world out there. And if you can't find them in this world, you can always try the next one. Monsters are allowed to dream, too. So keep dreaming.

But...my dreams never come true... All they ever bring is pain...

Gonna call it quits, then?

Then don't give up on your dream, even if it's a nightmare.

But...do you think you could wake all these people up? Everyone you've put to sleep has dreams of their own, things they want to pursue. In the real world.

*sniffle*

Huh? What am I doing here? No! Don't tell me that date with my crush was just a dream?!

Where'd Pure Mel go? I was just playing with her...

Good. Now everyone can keep dreaming, but for real. Thanks for helping out.

No need to thank me, I'm the one who caused it. I just figured, if monsters can dream, then people should be free to dream, too.

So what will you do now?

I'll keep on dreaming. And if my dreams don't come true, I'll just go on another rampage.

Huh?

What else do you expect? Other people shouldn't get to be happy if I can't!

But I'll do my best to make sure it never comes to that. So...wish me luck, yeah?

Of course! We plan to stick around in this world, so we can't have you gobbling up all those bad dreams.

But encroach on my turf again, and I'll kill you! See you around, happy me.

I guess we'd better get going, too.

Where to?

Where else?

It's date o'clock! I wanna go to La Vie En Rose to eat their new cake!

And what my princess wants, she gets. We'll leave the clean-up to you guys.

You two have fun! But remember: if you get up to too much Nightmarish trouble, it'll be my job to hunt you down.

Haha. Gross. I don't even wanna imagine getting taken out by myself!

Smell ya later!

Tee hee hee. Tartlets, amandines, and shortcakes! They all look sooo delish! Which one we have, darling?

Hmm... Why don't we order a few to share?

Then I want one of these and one of those! Oh, and we simply must have THAT!

Excuuuse me. Could we get these, please?

O-Of course. Just a moment!

Darling, are you sure you're happy to split?

Sure. The more cakes, the better. That's what I say.

I don't mean about the cakes. I mean about your soul. You were a human, but now you're a monster.

Ah...

(That day, I found out for the first time that monsters could cry.) (Seeing Mare crying, begging for me to kill her, I realized what sad creatures they really were.) (They were born that way. They can't help it. Why couldn't the world allow them to live true to themselves?) (Like how everyone would abandon a nightmare hunter if they knew about their ability to dreamwalk.) (You're forced to wear a mask if you want to be accepted.) (Hiding and repressing your true self is such a painful, lonely way to live.) (And in that moment, I realized. She was a little like me. Not much... but a little.)

Y'know, I forgot all about that! You're so adorable, I think I fell in love the moment I saw you!

Teehee! I can't blame you! I'm the most beautiful girl in the world, after all!

Yes, you are. And it's truly a privilege to be your minion.

Besides, with what happened in my world, it kinda ended up for the best that I became a Nightmare.

So thank you, my sweet. I'm only alive now because of you.

Oh... In that case...you can show your gratitude by doting on me like crazy!

Your wish is my command, Princess. Ah, looks like our cakes are here!