Word count: 1,013.

So, I came up with this teensy Yume Nikki headcanon and made a thing. This is it. My contribution for NaNoWriMo.

This oneshot has mentions of molestation/rape and abuse. So if you're not comfortable with that, don't force yourself to read this, okay? Okay. uwu

I am Poniko.

I am a blonde-haired girl with bright blue eyes. I love wearing green sweaters and mahogany skirts. I keep my hair in a side ponytail. I live all by myself. I always spend my time in a pink room. I live in a tall, rainbow-colored structure near the Pink Sea. I love leaving the lights on. I am calm, cool, confident.

I am a fake. Poniko is a fake. An act, a lie, a façade, a joke. Poniko is Uboa.

I am Uboa.

I resemble a severed head. My being is black, while my face is the only part that is white. My face is stuck in a creepy smile. My right eye has a scar over it.

I am scarred. Cursed.

I scream in agony. Screaming is the only sound I can make. I can't talk when I am Uboa. However, I can talk when I am Poniko.

I was born into the Dream World as Uboa. I am one of the rare creatures with the ability to trap others in a realm in which I live alone.

The other creatures despised me and treated me as an outcast. Toriningen would chase me away every single time I try to approach them. Sekomu-masada, the pianist, would gaze at me in fear. That is just the tip of the iceberg, and I do not want to recall the rest of my struggles in the Dream World.

I eventually got tired of being lonely, so I travelled far and wide for a new body. I found a lamp with some magic light in it, and became Poniko. Everyone loved her—she was nice and pretty, unlike old, ghastly Uboa. The more they admired me, the more I thought of living with them instead of wallowing in my realm.

So I built a house and kept the magic light in a single light bulb on the ceiling. A lot of my friends would drop by and play with me. Sometimes, they wondered if I ever turn the light bulb off. Out of their curiosity, they flicked the switch repeatedly. I begged them to stop, but they wouldn't. On, off, on, off. My disguise soon disintegrated. My friends discovered that I am Uboa, so they left. They never came back.

They decided never to have anything to do about me again, because I was cursed. I had the ability to imprison them, unless they were from the Real World. I never knew anyone from the Real World.

That is, until you came. You had those dreamy eyes, that silky, brown hair. You had this charm surrounding you. When you first tried to talk to me, I was a bit cold towards you. Nevertheless, you tried to befriend me, and I eventually warmed up to you. You would drop by for a chat every single day. You admired me so much, and I soon gained some respect for you. We became the best of friends.

We had so much fun together—we played games, walked by the shores of the Pink Sea, braided each other's hair, watched cartoons and anime during rainy and snowy days, and made some delicious pastries!

And then you discovered my secret. There came a day when you dropped by while I was making cupcakes. You were talking about a video game called Nasu, about the time when you beat your own high score, and about how I should try it when I have the chance. We were laughing so hard, you accidentally hit the switch with your shoulder. The light bulb went off, and you finally met Uboa.

You were surprised with the sudden change. At first, you wanted to run away. I could tell. But you decided to stay. Was it because of fear, or curiosity? I couldn't remember.

I approached you, trying to tell you that it's okay. I forgot that I could only scream. We suddenly touched.

You were no longer in my makeshift house, but I could see you. You were in my prison. You looked around curiously, only to discover that you were waist-deep in white, and a creature with many hands lingered mid-air. You meditated for a while, and I saw memories.

Back in the Real World, you knew the real Poniko. She was Pauline, a foreigner who moved to your school. She was admired by many, and you wanted to befriend her. She seemed stoic, but she warmed up to you after a couple of weeks. You figured out that she was afraid of the dark, so you accompanied her whenever she would walk home during night. Pauline became your best friend in the Real World.

You never thought that she would keep a secret from you, but she actually did. She called you one night, asking if she could drop by your home, and you agreed. Pauline then revealed that before she moved to Japan, she was abused and molested by her own father every now and then during midnight, which explained her fear of the dark. Her mother found out, and decided that she would take Pauline with her to Japan. Despite the truth, you still stayed by her side. You understood her, given how you were once raped by your own neighbor, and moved to a flat with your parents a month later.

You were so kind to a traumatized girl. No wonder I liked you so much.

I heard your voice in my prison. It wasn't laced with contempt and disgust, but with kindness. "Hello, Pauline. I miss you so much."

I was taken aback. You still liked me as Uboa.

"You've made it to my dream world, huh? Don't worry." You laughed softly, a sound that enchanted me ever since I first heard it. "You won't have to worry about things anymore. We'll be much happier here. Just let me wake up, okay? I'll be back, and then we can play together again. I promise."

If Uboa had the ability to cry, my house would probably end up flooded.

You pinched your cheek, and left the realm.