The Awakening From a Living Nightmare/The Nightmare

***The Nightmare*** is the second part of *The Awakening From a Living Nightmare*.

## Plot

*[Darkness. There was only darkness until suddenly the illuminated figure of Chloe appeared, seemingly falling further into the dark void. Her eyes filled with fear and confusion, Chloe suddenly found herself having fallen against the ground. Getting up, she saw the Nomaly house in the midst of the darkness. Heading to the front door, she opened and entered, seeing the other four friends in the living room, with Mason and Devin in their human forms.]*

Mason: Oh, hey, Chloe.

Chloe: Hey guys, wh-

*[Chloe cut herself off as she became even more confused. She looked at Alan and Alexis, and noticed the two of them holding hands.]*

Alexis: ...Chloe?

Alexis: What's wrong?

Chloe: I... I don't... *[holds sides of head]* I'm so confused. What's going on?

*[Mananofy quickly flew through the woods, quickly dodging some trees while phasing through others. Stopping, he breathed heavily to catch her breath.]*

Mananofy: *[sighs]* That didn't go as planned.

*[The bushes ruffled near Mananofy. He turned nervously, hearing a low growl within them before Wildmutt lunged out of the bushes and tackled Mananofy, grabbing him in his mouth and swinging him around before throwing him against a tree. Mananofy held his head while looking up at Wildmutt becomint Alan, who angrily breathed heavily.]*

Alan: What exactly *was* the plan then?!

*[Mananofy looked from Alan's face to the Stabilized Simplicitrix.]*

Mananofy: ...That.

Alan: Oh? Oh, you want *this*? *[holds up Stabilized Simplicitrix]* This is what you want? Is that it?! *[grabs Mananofy by the neck]* I'll fucking give it to you! And when you have it, when you try to do whatever it is you're wanting to use it for... *[leans in and whispers]* You'll see what kind of monster I become.

*[Mananofy gulped as he looked back at Alan. Alan looked Mananofy over, his anger changing to realization.]*

Alan: ...You're... A Nemuina?

Mananofy: *Was* a Nemuina. Until *that* thing destroyed me.

*[Alan looked back down at the Stabilized Simplicitrix before removing his grip on Mananofy.]*

Alan: You're an... Imperfect.

Mananofy: A *what*?

Alan: An Imperfect. It's what I call the DNA donors.

Pride *(voice)*: Ahem.

Alan: Aside from the Ectonurite. *[sighs and turns, holding the bridge of his nose]* ...It can't help you.

Mananofy: What can't help?

Alan: The Simplicitrix, it can't help. It's too busy trying to stabilize my DNA. Even if it could help, you'd still have altered DNA in some fashion. I'm sorry.

Mananofy: How do you know that?!

Alan: Because I've met other DNA donors and it wasn't able to help them. *[groans]* Why do you people always end up being attracted back to the device instead of the person who made it? The person who made you... this?

Mananofy: Are you insane? Do you have any idea the level of security Locuss Carceran has?

Alan: And do *you* have any idea the level of consequence you'll have if Chloe doesn't pull out of whatever you did to her?

Mananofy: ...That was your fault anyway.

*[Alan stared daggers into Mananofy.]*

Alan: I fucking beg your pardon?

Mananofy: I said, that was you-

*[Using his Stabilized Simplicitrix arm, Alan hit Mananofy against a tree, almost knocking him out.]*

Alan: I *heard* what you said. I was giving you a chance to *change* what you said.

Mananofy: *[sitting up while groaning]* I'm not wrong. When you used the Simplicitrix to block the attack, the dust recollected behind you to hit her.

*[Mananofy suddenly found himself on the ground again, holding his stomach where Alan had kicked him.]*

Alan: Do not pin *your* attack on *me*.

*[Mananofy attempted to get up, only to get swarmed with a red light as he became paralyzed, Alan having used Clockwork's powers to freeze him in time.]*

Alan: Come with me. We've got some business to attend to.

*[Alan picked up Mananofy and then made his way back to the house.]*

*[The scene cut to the living room, where the others had moved Chloe to the couch. Alan entered through the front door and tossed Mananofy on the ground before undoing the paralysis, prompting a groan from Mananofy before he looked around, then back to Alan.]*

Alan: Whatever you did, undo it.

Mananofy: ...I can't.

Mason: Can't or won't?

Mananofy: I can't! Ever since my DNA was altered, I've only been able to utilize it to a certain extent.

*[The conversation was interrupted by the sound of Alan transforming, the group turning to see he had become Pesky Dust, prompting an uncomfortable look from Mananofy.]*

Pesky Dust: Fine. If you won't do it, I will.

*[Pesky Dust flew over to Chloe and put his hand out, generating dust that dissipated when it got close to her.]*

Pesky Dust: Huh?

*[Pesky Dust tried it a few more times, each not working to wake Chloe up, and then he turned angrily towards Mananofy.]*

Pesky Dust: Why isn't it working?!

Mananofy: Are you some kind of idiot?

Devin: Jury's still out on that one.

Mananofy: It's not working because you're using your Nemunia form! My dust is more powerful because of the Umbra Exterreri DNA I've been merged with.

Pesky Dust: I'm sorry, the *what*?

Pride *(voice)*: May I?

*[Pesky Dust hit the Simplicitrix and transformed back. Alan then closed his eyes as he let Pride take over, dark markings surrounding his eyes as they changed to purple. Mananofy backed up slightly in fear.]*

Mananofy: An... Ectonurite?

Pride: Correct.

Mananofy: So, instead of having your DNA mutated, you just got trapped in the device?

Pride: It has its perks.

Mananofy: Such as?

Pride: Not being a mutant, half-breed low-life like yourself, for one.

Mananofy: I could very well put *you* into a nightmare as well!

Pride: Wrong.

Mananofy: What?

Pride: You're incorrect.

Mananofy: How?!

Pride: The Umbra Exterreri come from Anur Espedee. In the Anur System. Which is also the location of Anur Phaetos. *My* homeworld. Anur species aren't affected by their nightmare powers.

Mason: Pause on the banter for a minute. What exactly is the difference between Pesky Dust and... those things?

Pride: Nemuinas essentially create illusions based on dreams and nightmares. The Umbra Extererri, however... Are a bit more deadly. The nightmares can get a lot more physical, and anything that happens inside the dream will affect the physical body in the real world.

Devin: So, all Alan has to do is turn into one of these things and get Chloe out?

Alan *(voice)*: Sounds simple enough.

Pride: If only. *[begins scrolling through the Stabilized Simplicitrix]* It's a simple manner of getting into the dream. But Alan's consciousness is his own. It's human. Once inside, he will be susceptible to the nightmare, as well. His body won't be affected in the same way, but his brain is a different story. If we do this right, however, both of us will be transported into the dreamscape. I can then use my immunity to help.

*[Pride finished turning the Stabilized Simplicitrix's core as the hologram of a humanoid with a flaming head, skeletal hands, and flat feet appeared.]*

Pride: There. Interactions with Mananofy probably unlocked the sample. Just... Be careful.

Alan *(voice)*: Aw, you *do* care.

Pride: Do not confuse my wants for this vessel to remain intact with actual compassion for you.

Alan *(voice)*: Whatever you say, darling.

*[Pride groaned as he relinquished control back to Alan, who then studied the hologram on the Stabilized Simplicitrix before transforming. He lifted up his left hand, of which the skin retracted to reveal dark grey bones. His body was covered in a dark shadow as it thinned and elongated, then his feet lit up with a pale red flame. This red then lit up on a stripe on his chest, and then around his head, including his eyes and mouth. He lifted up his right hand, just as skeletal as the left, and the Simplicitrix appeared on a ring on his middle finger before flashing red. He stood there in his new transformation: Phantasy.]*

Phantasy: Alright. Let's do this.

Alexis: Be careful.

Phantasy: I'm always careful.

Alexis: That's a fucking lie.

Phantasy: You're absolutely right.

*[Phantasy put his hands out to Chloe. His body then disintegrated into pale red dust that fell over Chloe.]*

Alan: Chloe, you're acting weird.

*[Chloe continued her confused gaze at Alan and Alexis holding hands, the two of them soon realizing this.]*

Chloe: You just... You guys never... Do *that*.

Alexis: ...We do it *all* the time, though?

Alan: That's part of dating, y'know?

*[This remark further confused Chloe and also seemed to hurt her.]*

Chloe: Wh- No. N-No! That's not right!

Mason: Chloe, they've been dating for years.

Devin: Yeah, what's going on with you?

*[Chloe turned around as she heard footsteps entering the room, seeing Ember behind her.]*

Chloe: Ember?

*[Ember simply nodded in response before she quickly ran up the stairs. Chloe looked up after her.]*

Chloe: Ember!

Voice: What's going on in there?

*[Chloe's eyes swelled with fear as she recognized the voice. She slowly turned to the kitchen to see Samael walking out. Samael saw Chloe then a soft smile came over his face.]*

Samael: Oh, Chloe, dear. How lovely to see you again.

*[Samael approached the apprehensive Chloe, quickly pulling her in for a hug and planting a kiss on her forehead.]*

Samael: It just isn't *normal* here without you.

*[Hearing his trigger word, Chloe violently pulled away, beginning to hyperventilate. The others came closer, concerned. She suddenly bolted out of the room, running up the stairs and entering a different room, closing and locking the door behind her. She slid down to the ground, putting her arms on her knees as she buried her face in them. Her voice broke as the memory of Samael replayed in her head.]*

Chloe: ...What the *fuck* is going on...?

*[Alan found himself falling through the void before ungracefully landing on a black, metal mesh with papers strewn over it, a dark, gooey liquid below the metal. He groaned as he stood up, looking around to find himself in his own mind's visual representation.]*

Alan: I thought we were in Chloe's dream?

Pride *(voice):* We are. This is what I was talking about, though. Your consciousness being affected by the dreamscape.

*[Pride suddenly and effortlessly phased out of Alan, causing the latter to turn back in surprise.]*

Alan: Is that part of the dreamscape, too?

Pride: Indeed. Though I'm immune to the effects of the dreamscape in regards to my consciousness, I can bypass certain laws of physics. Including this.

*[Pride lifted his arms up, and the shackles on his wrists abruptly shattered, as did the ones on his upper arms. His neck and waist shackle then followed suit, and the chains on his chest crumbled. Sharp spikes then shot out from his shoulders, and his chest opened up to reveal black and purple tentacles. His arms became larger as his outer skin disappeared, revealing his inner self to have dark purple skin, and his fingers long and pointy. As the remaining skin tore off, his true face was revealed to be an upside down skeleton with a single eye.]*

Alan: ...Are you sure Mananofy is the one causing the nightmares?

Pride: You hush! You're lucky to feast your eyes on such a prime Ectonurite specimen as myself!

*[A sly grin came over Alan's face.]*

Pride: Don't do it.

Alan: Wh-

Pride: I know what you're thinking. *Don't*.

Alan: I don't-

Pride: ***Don't.***

Alan: Fine.

*[The two stayed silent for a moment.]*

Alan: More like Pride Ectonurite specimen.

Pride: I'm going to kill you.

*[Suddenly, a blast of fire hit just before the two of them.]*

Voice: *You* won't.

*[The two looked up to see Cinder approaching, another fireball primed in her hand. Following behind were Emerald, Mercury, and Neo.]*

Alan: *This* is my nightmare? Taking you four out was easy! I'm not scared of you.

Cinder: True. But what about them?

*[A loud grunting was heard as the gigantic, lumbering Hazel jumped down to meet them. Alan's face fell as he realized what was happening. Next to Hazel landed Adam, readying his sword. The wind picked up and the stray papers swirled around in a cyclone before revealing the death-glaring Salem. Finally, there was a bird-sounding screech. Looking up, Alan's fears were fulfilled, as the sight of the deep-blue colored Kickin Hawk landed, being consumed in cyan light before looking up, revealing it to be Richard.]*

Hazel: They may not be your nightmares.

Adam: But what about us?

Salem: The ones you can't forget.

Richard: And the ones you've killed.