Dream a Nightmare

The other Dream didn't seem too put off by being killed. In fact, he seemed strangely confident. Why was that? Surely he...

He knew that TommyInnit had hidden the discs.

A chill ran down Dream's ethereal spine as he looked down at those black spots on the other Dream's mask.

He knew that TommyInnit had hidden them, and he intended to find them. He had absolutely no idea where TommyInnit had hidden them, but it didn't matter. He was confident that he could. And, in truth, he probably could. It may take him a while, sure, but he would be able to find them eventually.

Dream floated down closer. Why was this who the other Dream was? Surely they should be similar? If they were really the same person, then wouldn't they have the same opinion?

Maybe?

Or... not?

Dream didn't know. He didn't understand who he was. Or why he was.

He only knew that he was. And he had died. But then he had come here.

Was that all? Surely there must be more, right?

It was all very confusing.

If he and this other Dream were the same person, then why did they have such different reactions to TommyInnit's antics? Should they not have the same way of thinking? Why, then, was this Dream so bothered by TommyInnit's actions, while he was...

Dream hesitated. Was he? Hadn't he felt the same before? Before he had realized that he had a purpose. What was that purpose? He needed to see.

He felt like he was blind, stumbling along like a fool in the dark. He didn't understand his own existence. He didn't understand the world. Not really. How did people just keep coming back after death? Didn't everyone have three given lives, and...

Something itched at his memory. Something that didn't fit. What was it? Something about three given lives? Could it be possible this TommyInnit had more? Was that why he was so wasteful? No, that wasn't right. There was something... missing from this world.

Dream couldn't describe it. He floated along behind the other Dream as he excavated the hillside around TommyInnit's home. He was distracted from his musings by the first bang that came when the other Dream lit a TnT. Dream winced, a piece inside of him quavering at the explosion. He didn't like violence. Did he?

This other Dream seemed to almost enjoy it. How strange, that they should be the same person, but so different. Maybe something had happened to him as he died. After all, there must be some sort of measures to prevent spirits like him from returning whenever they want, right? Otherwise, what was the point of death?

Although, Dream didn't really have any reason to believe that this world was like his last one, he felt too many things. He continuously got the strangest feelings of deja vu, like he knew these events and people three times over. He had to grit his teeth to stop them from overwhelming him, as they threatened to do now.

He remembered an unwavering determination. An absolute will. He remembered the look behind the mask. For a moment, he felt as if the other Dream's mask became transparent, and he saw the manic grin beneath. No, the facade of a manic grin. The truth was much darker.

And he could see it, too. The Nightmare. A dark, twisting mass over the other Dream's head, that seemed to trail him wherever he went, and left odd after-effects behind him. Of course, this was a major part of the other Dream's plan. What is the best way to win a game of poker?

Naturally, it was to hold all the cards going in. And that was what the other Dream was going to do. Dream was sure of it. He tried to send a message out, but he could not get any reaction. He was only able to influence TommyInnit, for some reason. And TommyInnit wasn't here right now.

Dream was forced to watch in dread as the other Dream excavated the entire area, eventually finding the hidden chest that had been buried in the hill. When there had been a hill...

Dream imagined the triumph on the other Dream's face beneath the mask, and couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. Why was that? It didn't matter.

All that mattered was the growing pit of dread in Dream's heart, set there by the way the other Dream's exultant laugh sounded. Dream wavered. Hadn't he said he was supposed to help create joy?

Nothing made sense.

Nothing....