Just a Dream

I wandered aimlessly through the dream realm. Every once and awhile I'd observe the dreamer's pretty creative ideas. So many wondrous ideas. I have seen plans about bio-friendly cities, new forms of transportation, and peace treaties between foreign countries. Even fevered nightmares have peeked my interest. People being disemboweled by ravenous wild animals, a sense of despair when a loved one dies, and plots of fantastical murders. If I might say, you humans have quite twisted and self tormented souls. Grabbing onto the ends of the silver threads that supported the dreams, they pulled me across half of the dream universe, to the hub world as I like to call it. This is the heart of the dream universe and the place I like to roam around in the most. Several billion dreams are all crammed together here, making one big yet mismatched puzzle. In the darkest corner of the realm, I saw something no someone look at me and stir in the darkness. Two shockingly green blurs stared for just a second before vanishing into what I thought were endless voids of forgotten dreams. As I drifted closer out of a new curiosity, the darkness seemed to retreat from my grasp.

"Wait. Where are you going?" I asked no one in particular, but the darkness stopped and green eyes looked at me again.

"I don't know who I am. I have no name nor recollection of my origins." It spoke to me in a hushed yet velvety voice. The quills on my arms stood up.

"Your eyes are like mine, but silver. You also have crystals." It said in amazement, getting slightly closer. I could now see that around it's sclera had a tinge of red becoming more prominent.

"I've noticed that too."

"Are we related?" The darkness questioned me, floating closer and holding a sea blue crystal in a poorly materialized hand.

"No. You're not part of my family. Besides, you don't physically exist yet." I said gently, as to not upset or confuse him further. "By the way, do you at least know your gender?"

"Yes, I am male. I thought my voice might have hinted you at that." He responded, withdrawing his arm that turned back to smoke.

"Hey, around here things change all the time." I said, looking at the crystal he had given me.

"Oh I did not know that. So what is your species?" He asked, "and if you physically exist, how are you in this realm?"

"That second part is a long story but I am a demon. My full title is Irisatine Octavia The Vain."

"Irisatine is it? I've never heard a name like that before." He said, drifting around me in thought. "Please, would you tell me all you know about your homeland in the physical world? I'm quite an inquisitive fellow."

"Oh yeah no problem. I'll tell you as much as I know and feel free to ask questions."

"I will always feel free to ask, thanks." He replied in a cold sarcastic manner. If he could smirk he would have here.

"All right wise guy I get it." I replied, smirking back at him.

Well he should be an interesting guy to converse with.

So after I explained as much as I knew about the Flame Core, Mobius, humans, and anthros, he thought in a quiet contemplation. Then he asked me more personal questions about my family and friends.

"I think I would like to take you dream walking. It's very relaxing and stimulates thinking processes, at least for me. Would you like to?" I ask him, really hoping he'd say yes.

"Of course princess I'd love to."

Oh no he's gonna call me princess.

"Um, you don't need to call me that Iris is fine."

"Are you certain? But its your birth right..."

"No, no Iris is good."

"Alright so where to first?"

"I'll let you pick, there are billions to choose from."

"Really? All right then." He slowly brought out a twig like arm and pointed to a dream where a group of starving men had converted to cannibalism and devoured their friends. He chuckled darkly.

"Oh good choice. Isn't it fascinating how a loved one, so close to the other's heart, can be turned on so quickly for the sake of survival? No remorse is shown in even the most primitive of actions of which we think we've become so highly evolved in? Emotions erased in the need to survive... uh..."

I had stopped my examination there because I saw him staring at me out of the corner of my eyes.

"I'm sorry but I tend to ramble."

"No, continue. I want to hear your viewpoints on this."

Raising an eyebrow, I say, "Really? You want me to continue?"

"I Have always wanted to talk about certain moral understandings with other beings. And what you say I have thought of in a similar manner."

By this time, I was feeling a little giddy and empowered that he had looked up to me with such inquisitive eyes. Blushing a slight violet and heart picking up speed, I had to calm myself down quickly. Did I really feel this "connection" with a mere idea? A man that only exists in dreams? Oh I wish he was physically real.

"Are you alright, Iris? You're a shade of purple and your heart is slightly racing." He asked me out of concern, placing his misty hand over my heart. I froze.

He feels so cool to the touch like, like a morning's mist. Yes that's it he feels like mist!

"Can...I try something?"

"Sure." He said, shifting nervously and averting my eyes.

Taking a couple breaths, I walked up steadily towards him and gave him a small hug. It felt like a refreshing breeze had enveloped my body, giving me a pulse of energy. He must have felt it too because he gasped and did something unexpected.

He took the sides of my face in a kind of rough manner and stared into my eyes, looking exhilarated himself. The red in his sclera was now totally visible and his wispy, mist like arms caressed one of my quills. "wow." He stated. "Was that energy from you?"

"I think from both of us. That's never happened before with me." I sighed, feeling calmer since he let go of my face.

"Hey you're the first person I've ever touched so..strange."

"Yeah. Hey...uh..."

"Mephiles."

"Excuse me?" I questioned in a confused manner.

"He just named me, Mephiles The Dark," Mephiles stated. "Iris, you're fading."

"I must be waking up then. I sleep until night time so I can hunt. I'll see you when I go to sleep again though. Hopefully."

"Yes, I wish to see you again too. I will wait here until you return. Until then, farewell Iris." He said, drifting a little closer but unsure if he should touch me again.

I smiled and gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder, then I vanished leaving Mephiles to await my return. When the night was over, I was so eager to go back to sleep and tell him of my experiences but he was...gone. He wouldn't have wandered off like that without telling me would he? Maybe finally, he was real.

(This is the point where the people that were part of the Solaris Project created Mephiles. This is why he is confused and when Shadow comes and seals him in the scepter of darkness, he hates him for imprisoning him upon his release. Poor Mephy...)