title: Somniare
summary: She would stay with them, her dear Dreamers, as they created their worlds and loved their little dream. She would stay, until the Nightmares began. Even then, she would love them, and they her.
pairing: Uchiha/Sakura. Madara/Sakura, Shisui/Sakura, Tobi/Sakura, Itachi/Sakura, and Sasuke/Sakura
genre: Romance, Drama, Angst, Adventure
AU?: Yes, yes it is
inspiration: The VOCALOID song Alice Human Sacrifice (or Human Sacrifice Alice, Hitobashira Alice, ect.) sung by Meiko, Kaito, Miku, and Len and Rin
warning: OOCness and probable spelling and grammatical errors. I'm not really sure what else to warn you about. The overuse of the word 'dream'?
disclaimer: Naruto and its characters rightfully belong to Masashi Kishimoto. All quotes/lyrics used belong to their respectful owner. I own nothing but the plot and possible OCs used.
dedication: StormDragon666. A thank you for that beast of a oneshot-prize she wrote for me and for being such an awesome friend. A congrats/farewell present for her upcoming move to a university?
notes: Another addition to my Spring Spectacular! This one is a drabble for StormDragon666 based on (yet another) VOCALOID song.
I won't be saying any names (maybe only once), much like what I did in Luxuria, but it shouldn't be too hard to figure out who is who. If you still don't know which is which after reading everything or want to know before hand, the little pairing-section up above gives the order of which the parings appear.
If you are familiar with Alice Human Sacrifice you probably know what happens here, but I've changed bits and pieces to fit with the story and molded it into a bit different tale from the VOCALOID song.
What happens to the 'Alice's' is still the same, but you'll find quite a few twists here and there.
Enjoy!
See you at the bottom.
::
Somniare
To Dream
::
It had been so long since she had played with anyone.
Is this what would become of her? A forgotten dream left to wither away with no one to care for her? She didn't like to think that. But who would play with her? Who would be her friend? No one would let her in. They all had other dreams that they cherished and played with, leaving her sad and lonely.
She had an idea.
She would appear to them. Let them choose. But she would already know they would pick her. She would promise them wonderful dreams. Make them want her rather than their other, boring dreams.
She would lure the Dreamers to her.
She would have friends at last.
And she would never let them leave.
But, why would they want to? They would want to stay with her. They wouldn't realize how long they stayed with their dream.
She would help them. Help them create wonderful worlds with her. Worlds where they were the rulers, where everything they could ever want would be there before them.
She hoped they wouldn't get too caught up in their worlds and forget her. Hoped they didn't change or let anyone else in.
She hated sharing with Nightmares.
She was a dream – a happy little dream that only wanted to play and make her Dreamers happy.
But, if they lost control and let bad things happen...
There was nothing she could do.
She was too weak to fight a Nightmare.
So, she'd keep them content and stay by their side. Playing and dreaming.
She didn't want to be lonely anymore.
::
Primum
The First
::
Her First Dreamer liked to call her Love.
He was very kind and always kept close to her, never straying very far. She liked that. She didn't feel lonely around him.
She'd appeared just as he was falling asleep.
She smiled and held her hand out to him. He had seemed hesitant, glancing over at the door next to her.
She wasn't mean; she would let them choose if they wanted to play with her.
He had two choices.
Her, the lovely little dream with petal hair and emerald eyes and pale skin. She'd created this image for herself so long ago; she was fond of how she looked. She was a different dream from the others.
But his other choice...
His normal dreams of planning and plotting. Dreams of a world of peace which he would never obtain. Ugly, mean dreams that taunted him and never let him be happy. Where his demons roamed and twisted his mind.
If he had chosen the door, she would have been sad. But she wouldn't have been able to change his mind. The Nightmare wouldn't have let her. She would have left him; he had only one chance to choose to play with her. Only once and she was gone.
She was happy he had chosen her.
He took her hand and she led him into the forest which materialized behind her. He didn't glance back at the door, even as it faded away.
She smiled and walked next to him, telling him how beautiful the forest was.
Did he realize that he was already creating his world? The forest was his first creation, so she liked it the most.
They played in the forest. Hiding behind trees and running over fallen leaves.
They laughed together as they rolled in the grass of the meadow he'd made.
They swam in the shimmering lake he created.
They walked through the village, but kept away from the other people his mind made.
She was so happy to have a friend.
He created beautiful clothes for them. Elegant dresses for her and noble outfits for him with a silver sword in his hand. Like a Knight and his Princess.
She liked this Dreamer. Her first real Dreamer in so long. In a way, he was her First Dreamer.
His happiness made him handsome. All the stress of the Outside life melted away and he soon forgot all those plans and that world that he wanted but would never have.
But, he had this world.
And her.
They played for so long, each happy in the other's company.
But, his inner demons didn't like the happiness.
The dream and her Dreamer had been lying under a tree in his forest when the Nightmare began.
With his head in her lap, she brushed his beautiful, long charcoal hair out of his eyes and smiled down at him. He murmured the name he had given her, Love, under his breath and looked up at her, his own lips tilting up in a smile.
His eyes flashed red.
The demons took over.
A monster appeared.
He jumped to his feet, her brave Dreamer, and fought the monster. He told her that he'd protect her, protect his lovely dream. She wanted to help him, wanted to stop him.
But she couldn't.
The Nightmare wouldn't let her.
She wasn't strong enough.
He cut down the monster with his sword, the blood coating the forest floor.
His eyes turned red.
He grinned as the Madness captured him.
The monsters appeared, one by one, and he carved a path through the forest, leaving her behind.
The corpses of his fallen victims left a trail of red.
She watched him sadly, wishing she could stop him. He didn't know what he was doing. The demons made his eyes red and the Madness made him see everything differently. Those weren't monsters.
Weren't attacking him.
The villagers were cut down.
He had become the monster.
He enjoyed killing them, thinking he was doing a good deed. Thought he was protecting his little dream.
The Nightmare grew and the demons laughed.
He traveled deeper into the forest until no one was left to oppose him. He stopped, standing at the end of the bloody path he had made, and turned to look back at her.
"It's safe now, love. I-"
He froze, eyes clearing, and saw the bodies of his victims. He dropped his blood-coated sword and gazed at the path in horror.
The demons laughed.
The Madness paused.
But the Nightmare wasn't done.
His eyes finally found her, standing at the other end of the red path. Tears ran down her cheeks as she realized that the happiness was gone and her Dreamer was no longer hers.
He stepped forward.
One step.
Two steps.
He wanted to run to her.
Run to his lovely dream and hold her close.
The Nightmare wouldn't let him go, once he had him in its clutches.
He began to run to her.
She could only watch sadly as the trees reached out for him and held him back, trapping him in their barren limbs.
Recrimination for his crime.
He was caged like a criminal by the Madness and the Nightmare.
The demons grinned evil grins and laughed hysterically to themselves.
She cried to herself and picked her way slowly down the bloody path once she was allowed to move forward. The little dream approached her Dreamer's thorny cage and gazed at him from beyond the wooden bars. His eyes flashed red, on and off as he fought the Madness. She wanted to help him, but she couldn't.
"Please! Help me, love." He begged, held back by the thorny vines and branches.
She reached forward desperately, through the cage. She wanted to help him, wanted to save her Dreamer.
She cried out as her hand burned and turned to ash.
Such a little dream could not exist in the realm of a Nightmare.
She pulled back and held her arm close, watching as her hand reappeared.
He called out to her and the forest grew dark.
The dream watched him with sad, sad eyes, tears forming a puddle at her feet, as she shook her head.
She couldn't.
She didn't belong to him anymore.
The demons laughed and tore at his mind and she was forced to watch.
She stayed with him for as long as she could.
He braved his Madness, wishing he could hold his dream in his arms once more.
And, when she could no longer stay and was forced to disappear, he lost himself in his Nightmare.
He was trapped for all eternity, never to venture to the Outside again.
His screams echoed through the forest and he was forgotten by the rest of his world.
Aside from the path he made in the forest, there is no sign that he existed.
A ring of glittering tears circles his prison, left behind by his little dream's tears.
::
Secundo
The Second
::
The Second Dreamer called her Flower.
He was sweet but didn't talk very much. When he did, it made her happy and the loneliness was washed away. He had such a lovely voice.
He'd been deep in dreamless sleep when she had appeared. It had been so long since she'd had someone to play with and thoughts of the First Dreamer had been forced from her mind. She smiled at him, head tilted to the side as he sat in the darkness.
He hadn't noticed her yet. Eyes closed with a calm expression painted over his face. She crouched down in front of him and played with his dark, unruly hair. His eyes snapped open and he peered up at the little dream in surprise.
She smiled and stood, holding her hand out to him. Almost instantly, the door to his normal dreams appeared and he glanced over at it. She smiled softly, waiting for him to make his choice.
His other dreams were happy enough. But they were sometimes boring. Simply sitting in a blank room, thinking about his future. About the things he wanted to create, but couldn't.
But, with her, he would mold his world and thoughts of a pointless future would be brushed aside with his own happiness and glory.
He waited so long before finally choosing, reaching out for her extended hand.
She smiled happily, pulling him to his feet.
His confused expression left him and he grinned at her, following his little dream down a glittering hallway. The door faded away and they were immersed in white.
They gazed at the elaborate portraits that appeared and she smiled at him, tugging his hand and leading him further down the hallway.
He created an amazing city. With rich people and elaborate buildings and so much to do. So many places to play.
His world stemmed off from the quiet, calm world of the First Dreamer's. The two worlds were connected, but he never ventured out of his wonderful city.
Never returned to the Outside.
He took his dream to the many different shops and theaters. They saw plays and movies and were engrossed in an entire culture that he created.
She liked the art he had made. The paintings and sculptures that appeared at his hand. The buildings that sprung up from the ground with carved pillars and beautiful stained glass windows. The twisting and turning paths of a rose-hedge labyrinth that grew instantly at his call.
He had such a creative mind.
He always kept her close. He didn't like it when she left his sight and she was content to stay by his side.
He created a happy world, full of such beautiful things.
She liked this bright world. The loneliness was pushed away by the light.
But, his creative mind was his eventual downfall.
His own demons didn't like the beauty.
The Nightmare slowly took control, well without the dream's knowledge.
He had been sketching a portrait of her when his eyes flashed red and his pencil fell from his hand. He stared ahead, as his face twisted into a confused frown. She watched him cautiously, having not seen the brief Madness in his eyes.
Suddenly, he stood and approached a rose that bloomed from one of the hedges surrounding them. She followed him and watched as the petals unfolded and a quill and piece of parchment fell into his hands.
He smiled and turned to her, eyes flashing red momentarily.
"Do you like songs, flower? I'm going to write you one."
The quill needed no ink and he wrote on the parchment, a path of blue following the tip of the quill as the words flowed out.
He spent many days in the labyrinth, writing his song for his dream. She became concerned as the flashes of red became more and more frequent and the Madness set in.
His demons were much calmer and simply waited for the Nightmare to darken.
A flutter of papers.
The path of the maze was littered with rejected lyrics and verses. Roses had bloomed; fresh pieces of paper plucked from their depths, and the little dream followed the flowers, searching for her Second Dreamer.
She found him amongst a sea of blue and white, his finished song held triumphantly in his hand. The quill fell to the ground and he turned to her, a wide grin splitting his face.
He took her hand and led her to the beginning of the maze.
A soft melody began, the notes twirling around the two.
He sang.
And she believed that the Nightmare had been beat.
She smiled and listened to his lovely voice as he sang to her.
People gathered, lured by his song and voice.
He noticed and sang all the stronger, confidence and joy flowing with the words.
It was once he finished the song that she realized that the Nightmare was still present.
The people begged him to sing again.
And so, he did.
And again.
And again.
And again.
He sang until his voice left him.
The people of the city rioted, wanting to hear him sing the song again.
They chased him and his dream into the labyrinth, the Madness shining in their eyes.
The demons grinned to themselves.
She thought they were safe, deep in the maze of hedges. She looked over at her Second Dreamer, reaching for his hand. But, he was distressed. He held her close and whispered into her ear, voice soon growing stronger.
"Dear flower, would you like me to write you another song?"
She looked up at him and felt tears fall down her cheeks.
He was grinning a twisted grin.
His eyes completely red.
And the Madness took her Second Dreamer.
They were trapped in the labyrinth for days.
But, he was unable to write the second song. His quill would not produce ink and the paper turned to ash in his hands.
As the people tore down the hedges trying to find their beloved singer, he laughed to himself.
Why wouldn't his mind make the beautiful things anymore?
Nothing would appear. Not a painting, nor a sculpture.
His magnificent creative mind.
Why had it failed him?
A cross-eyed man appeared, a silver pistol held in his hand.
She watched sadly, knowing that there was nothing she could do to help.
The man's eyes were red and the Madness glinted evilly at the Second Dreamer and his little dream.
"A mind that cannot create is a useless mind."
The barrel of the pistol was held against his head but he simply laughed and grinned at the cross-eyed man.
The sky darkened.
The trigger was pulled.
The city fell silent.
The little dream cried as she held her Second Dreamer in her arms, the blood flowing from his head-wound and pooling around them.
The people left and the mirror shattered.
The gun fell from the Dreamer's hands as he stared ahead with red eyes.
The Madness had won.
The Nightmare completed.
The demons amused.
His body disappeared and, in its place, blooms a red, red rose.
He makes one bright red flower bloom, and, admired by all, he withers.
The dream's tears fall and water the flower, deep in the middle of the labyrinth, hidden from the rest of the city.
::
Tertia
The Third
::
Her Third Dreamer referred to her as his Princess.
In the Outside, he was much ignored. He loved the attention his dream gave him and she was happy to fulfill his requests. She hoped that, if they focused entirely on each other, no Nightmare or Madness would appear.
He relished the attention.
He was so childlike.
Young, but not.
She appeared to him as he was in the midst of one of his normal dreams. The toys surrounding him stared blankly at the little dream and she curtsied. The crown perched upon his head tipped to the side as he nodded welcomingly.
He wished to be a king. A great ruler.
But, in his regular dreams, he would never be the king of anything but a toy-chest. A simple escape from the people Outside who ignored him.
She held out her hand, smile at her lips. It was not as happy as it had once been. She missed her Dreamers. But, she was not allowed to think of them.
She just wanted someone to play with. Someone to drive away the loneliness.
She could give him all the attention he desired; give him a place where he could be a king. Help him create a world that was entirely his.
His choice was instant.
He reached for her hand, somehow knowing that he would never be ignored by her.
She led him through the door to escape his other dreams. The door faded and a cobblestone path appeared before them, winding up a hill to a large castle.
His world was created quickly. A kingdom over which he ruled. She stayed by his side, showering him with her attention. They played in the halls of the castle he created. They explored the many rooms. They were always with each other.
He was much loved by his subjects and they praised their King.
There were great feasts with court jesters and musicians performing for the King and his lovely dream.
He was such a handsome King, happy and kind.
He loved to play many different games with her. He was like a child, with such an innocent mind.
His world was connected to that of the First Dreamer and the Second Dreamer's, and, from the summit of his castle, he ruled over both the abandoned worlds. The great forest and the elegant city both joined with his kingdom.
But he stayed in his castle, with his dream.
He forgot about the Outside and those that had ignored him.
All the attention his subjects gave him, the gifts and adoration, he was content with it.
He wanted to keep it forever.
Years and years and years passed and he remained King.
No one seemed to notice that their beloved King looked just the same as he had when he'd first created his world. They were happy with their ruler.
His dream smiled to herself. She was happy to grant his wishes and stopping time from touching her Third Dreamer had been simple.
She was so happy.
She hadn't felt the bitter grip of loneliness in so long.
Had forgotten what it felt like.
For this, she was grateful.
The King was well-known for his magnificent parties. All of his subjects were invited and everyone wore the most elegant of clothing.
She liked dancing with her Third Dreamer.
As did he.
He loved being the center of his dream's attention and, held in each other's arms, they focused entirely on one another.
"We should throw a grand masquerade ball!" he had said one day as they had their daily tea party. "Everyone would wear pretty masks and we would dance for the entire night! And, at midnight, we remove the masks and see who it is that we'd been dancing with. How does that sound, Princess?"
She smiled and nodded, taking a sip from her teacup.
Excited, he instantly jumped to his feet and called for a herald. Once he was sure that news of the masquerade would be spread quickly through his kingdom, he took her hand and led her away, the remnants of the tea party left behind.
He enjoyed dressing his dream up. He had a beautiful, pale green ball gown brought to his changing chambers, as well as a matching outfit for himself. His dark hair stood out against the light green, her own pink hair blending prettily.
Once dressed, he twirled her around in her dress and asked her to speed time up, ever so slightly, so that the ball would be ready.
Happy to please, his little dream granted his wish and dusk fell.
He wasn't sure what type of mask to wear so he had an assortment of masks brought to him.
He picked one out for her quickly and told her that she could go enjoy the party while he picked out a mask.
She left.
Unaware that his inner demons had finally decided that they wanted to play as well.
A cursed mask was mixed in with the ones brought to him, one that held the Madness.
The Nightmare began.
The little dream traveled the floor of the ballroom, searching for her Third Dreamer. She wished she had stayed with him so that she would know what his mask looked like. Everyone seemed to be wearing green; it was hard to pick her King out from his subjects.
A flash of orange caught her eye and the dream looked over, finally spotting her beloved Dreamer.
He was at the center of a large group of people, all who were striving to talk to their King.
A bright orange, swirled mask covered his entire face, letting him look out through a single eyehole.
She was happy that he was receiving so much attention, so she walked on, a smile at her lips.
He watched, saddened that his dream hadn't approached him.
The night progressed and midnight was nearing.
The demons played with the dream and her Dreamer.
The happy subjects were captured and the cruel demons tainted their minds from behind the masks.
They whispered horrible things into the King's ear, telling him that his beloved little dream was ignoring him. That she no longer wanted to give him her attention. That he wasn't deserving of her attention.
He refused to believe such things and sought her out.
The demons were cunning.
The Madness twisted his mind.
He found her, dancing with one of the demons dressed as a wealthy, handsome man.
The Third Dreamer's eyes flashed red and the Nightmare wrapped him in its darkness.
He tossed the man away from his dream and held her close, announcing that the ball was over.
The subjects became upset, demanding that the ball continue.
They reached out for the King and his dream as the demons laughed. She realized they all had red eyes and she became confused before watching in horror. It had been so long since she'd seen the Madness, she'd nearly forgotten about it.
They said cruel things, saying that he was unfit to be king. Much too greedy and selfish. He'd been a king for too long. Why hadn't he rotted and died? They cried out against their King, forgetting all the kind deeds of his past. Forgetting how much they loved him.
The guards appeared, forcefully escorting the people from the castle, just as midnight came and the clock struck 12, ringing loudly throughout the ballroom. The possessed people were removed.
But not before the man who had danced with the dream reached out and ripped the orange mask from the Dreamer's face and held up a silver mirror.
The Third Dreamer screamed as he saw his reflection, the Madness shining in his eyes.
The face of a grotesque corpse stared back at him, only one of its eyes red.
He swatted the silver mirror from the man's hand and it fell to the floor, the glass breaking.
He fell into the Madness and the dream was unable to stop her beloved Dreamer from clawing at his face and ripping the red eye from its socket.
He bled and cried and laughed hysterically in the empty ballroom, the lights flickering out.
She held him close and tried to comfort him as they kneeled on the floor.
"Who could ever pay attention to such a horrible looking creature, Princess?"
She was silent and tried to calm him.
He suddenly smiled and stood, leaving her arms. As he continued to laugh she could only watch in horror.
He reached for the orange mask that lay on the floor and replaced it on his face, his remaining eye staring out of the eyehole. It shone red in the darkness and she cried as he stood, leaving her in the ballroom with only the echoes of his laugh.
"I'll make them pay attention to me."
The Nightmare never truly ended.
The Madness stole her Third Dreamer from her and the demons were content to watch as he ruled his kingdom with an iron fist. The broken silver mirror held in his hand to glance into occasionally, checking his reflection. He laughed throughout his Nightmare.
He couldn't see his dream any more. He no longer recognized her.
He was blinded by the Madness, lost within his Nightmare.
She ran from the castle and collapsed at the base of the hill, tear cascading down her cheeks.
Fearing his decaying body, he ruled from the summit of the country.
A moat surrounds his palace, created by his dream's fallen tears.
::
Quarto et Quinto
The Fouth and The Fifth
::
Her Fourth Dreamer liked to call her little one while her Fifth Dreamer called her annoying playfully.
They were brothers, comfortable in each other's company. They were quiet, the older Dreamer much more than the younger. A stubborn younger brother and an intelligent older brother. They were content with sharing their dream.
It was difficult, appearing to both of the Dreamers at the same time. But the brothers were so close to each other in the Outside, almost sharing the same thoughts.
The dream split herself and appeared to each of the Dreamers just as they fell asleep.
After so long with her Third Dreamer, she hadn't thought she would want another Dreamer again. He wasn't gone like her First Dreamer and her Second Dreamer, but she couldn't get close to him without turning to ash. The power of his Nightmare was too great. So she'd left, only finding a new Dreamer when the loneliness became too much for her to bear.
And so, she appeared to the brothers.
The elder had just sat down to read a book in his normal dream – in a large library with a fire burning in a fireplace next to him. She had approached him, hands clasped behind her back as she looked over his shoulder at the book in his lap.
Blank pages stared up at her and she frowned, only slightly.
Her petal hair fell over his shoulder and into his line of sight. He looked up and she stepped around his chair to stand before him. He watched her silently with calm, intelligent eyes. She held her hand out and smiled.
At the same time, she walked towards the younger brother as he sat at the end of a wooden dock perched over a large lake in his dream. She followed him as he stood and stepped off the dock to walk over the water.
The sound of her stepping onto the water caught his ear and he turned, looked at her with distrusting, annoyed eyes. They stood atop the lake's water, watching each other.
The little dream smiled and held out her hand to the younger brother.
The brothers both waited the same amount of time before making their choice.
They left behind their normal dreams of being the best at what they do and making their father proud. Of trying to find a way to escape. Of trying to find the serenity.
Within their separate dreams, they took the little dream's hand and chose to create a world together, one where the peace of each other's company would never be interrupted.
They took her hand and she led them to the doors out of their dreams.
The paths merged and her two selves joined and she was one again.
The brothers smiled at each other and walked down a yellow path, their little dream in the middle as they each held one of her hands.
They traveled down the path through a small forest. Light broke through the branches overhead and they eventually came upon a red door.
The brothers worked together to lift the heavy wooden plank which barred the door and pushed the door open, fingers brushing over the carving of a silver sword. They smiled at their dream and took her hands once again, walking through a darker, denser forest. The red door closed behind them.
Their path wound around a large pond. They paused before a red path that began from somewhere else in the forest and led across the water to a small island. A large cluster of trees and thorny vines stood in the middle of the island and the younger brother stepped forward curiously. Just as he was about to step foot on the red path, the older brother stopped her Fifth Dreamer.
They stepped over the path and continued down their yellow path, sending no glances back at the island and the red door.
The dream shed a single tear and her Fourth Dreamer brushed it away with a comforting smile.
The tear fell into the pond with all the others and the two Dreamers and their dream traveled on.
Once they left the pond's side, they came upon a blue door. They gazed at the carving of a silver pistol before lifting the wooden beam which kept the door closed. The dream watched her Dreamers with a smile.
They dropped the plank and pushed the door open, once again taking her hands. She glanced back at the red path, the pond, and its island only once as she stepped through the doorway with the brothers. She turned away from the sight and looked at her Dreamers, smiling at them.
The blue door closed behind the three, silencing the screams of the First Dreamer just as he began to scream for his dream.
They followed their yellow path through a maze of bloomless rose hedges. The labyrinth was so large, but they knew they wouldn't become lost as long as they stuck to their path. They finally came to the center of the maze and saw a single rose growing from a small patch of grass surrounded by a large ring of water, forever watering the flower.
The three paused, contemplating the lone rose. The elder brother crouched down and reached out for the flower. His brother grasped his hand and stopped him. The Fourth Dreamer stood and smiled at his brother and their dream.
A tear fell down the dream's cheek but the Fifth Dreamer caught it and flicked it away with a smirk. She smiled and took their hands, following the yellow path once more.
The tear fell and joined the others in the ring around the rose.
They came to the end of the labyrinth and stopped before a green door. The carving of a silver mirror stood out against the green, behind the wooden plank.
The brothers lifted the beam easier than the last time and pushed the green door open.
The dream glanced back the way they had come, in the direction the rose had been, before looking at her smiling dreamers. They squeezed her hands comfortingly and stepped over the threshold.
The green door closed behind them as they followed the yellow path, silencing the Second Dream as he began to desperately sing for his dream.
They traveled the halls of a large castle, following the yellow of their path
It was silent in the castle and they never crossed paths with any other people.
They finally came to a pair of large double doors which towered above the three. The brothers stepped forward to push the doors open when the sound of music and voices traveled through the doors to them. They paused, exchanging glances before walking on, leaving the party within undisturbed.
The Fourth and Fifth Dreamer took their dream's hands and followed the yellow path out of the castle and down the hill upon which the palace was perched. The path crossed the moat surrounding the hill and the dream paused as she let their hands go and peered over the edge of the path.
She stared at the water below and felt twin tears fall down her cheeks.
Her Dreamers were at her sides and the kissed away the damp trail the tears had left behind. She smiled at them and they took her hands, lips tilted up in soft smiles.
The two tears fell to the moat and were lost in the depth of the rest.
They came to a yellow door at last. This door wasn't barred by a wooden plank and the brothers pushed it open easily.
The dream looked over her shoulder, up at the castle on the hill, before following her Fourth and Fifth Dreamers.
The yellow door closed behind them and they finally entered their world.
The hysterical laughs of the Third Dreamer echoed through the castle and turned to cries for his dream as the door closed.
The world the brothers created was a silent and solitude world. They were perfectly content with just each other and their beloved dream. They spent their time having tea under a large rosebush. The yellow blooms falling occasionally to decorate their table.
They read the books the elder made and played in the lake the younger created.
They were all happy and the loneliness was driven from the dream at last.
They played and read and enjoyed each other's company.
No one came to their world.
They were left alone but they didn't mind.
All they needed was their little dream.
And she only needed them.
But they had their inner demons as well.
And they weren't content.
The Madness came with an invitation.
A card from the palace of the Third Dreamer.
The Ace of Hearts.
For the first time, the brothers fought.
The younger wanted to visit the palace. He wanted to see what the King wanted.
But the elder thought it was a trap of some sort. They'd spent so long in their world, how could the King possibly know of them? He didn't want to go.
The dream could only watch, hoping they'd resolve their fight.
But as their eyes flashed red, she knew the Madness was coming for her Dreamers.
And the Nightmare would begin.
She cried, her tears falling in to her empty teacup. It filled to the brim with her glittering tears quickly.
They noticed their dream's distress and were quickly at her side, trying to comfort her.
"Hush, hush now, little one. There is no need to cry." Her Fourth Dreamer whispered as he took her hand.
"C-come on, you don't have to be so annoying. What's wrong?" Her Fifth Dreamer said in a panic, taking her hand.
Her Dreamers held her close and, for the first time in so long, the little dream spoke.
"Please, don't fight. I don't want to be alone again." She threw her arms around the brothers and hugged them tightly, hoping the red had left their eyes.
They hugged her back, feeling terrible that they had made their dream cry.
But the demons would have none of that.
They laughed and twisted their minds, turning the brothers against each other.
"It's your fault! You won't let us go to the palace and upset her!"
"No, foolish brother, the fault is your own. She sees the logic in not going to the castle. It's obviously a trap! And you worry her with your stubbornness."
Their eyes bled red and the Madness tore the brothers apart.
The Nightmare fell upon the three, grasping the brothers in its clutches.
The lake boiled and bubbled, soon becoming dry.
The books burned and turned to ash.
A storm raged and the dream was left at the table with the tea set, the rain mixing with her tears.
The brothers shouted and argued before they suddenly, blinded by their frustration and the Madness, separated and traveled into the forest surrounding them. They went in opposite directions, leaving their forgotten dream.
They became lost and, even once they fought the Madness and won, they never found their way back to their little dream.
The demons laughed, watching the distressed dream.
She couldn't choose which of her Dreamers to follow.
So she waited under the rose bush.
Even once the yellow roses wilted and the brothers fell in their Nightmare.
She still waited.
Her loneliness tearing at her until she was just a shell of a dream. A sad little thought that no one paid any mind. She traveled through the four worlds blindly, never able to come across any of her Dreamers.
Her Fourth and Fifth Dreamers...
They won't wake from their Nightmare. They're lost in the Madness.
Their forgotten tea party sits under the dead rose bush, the cups and pot filled with their dream's tears.
::
Finalis Somnium
The Final Dream
::
One day, a different dream stumbled upon the four worlds. He was a golden dream with wild hair and bright eyes and a strong heart. He was the dream of a young girl with violet hair and moon-like eyes, but she was busy with the Outside and unable to dream at the moment.
He came to the worlds of the Dreamers out of curiosity. He was able to see what had happened in each of the worlds and the sadness of the little dream forced him to find her.
He had been to the pond, the labyrinth, the castle, and the rosebush, but still hadn't found the little dream.
The golden dream was about ready to give up when he found the small pink door, floating with the clouds above the four worlds. It was such a small door, he had almost missed it.
He opened the door gently, afraid that he might break it. Inside was only whiteness. It stretched on forever in all directions. But he found the little dream. She stood out against the whiteness perfectly and he quickly approached her.
Her once bright emerald eyes were blank and lifeless. She stared ahead blindly, knees tucked up close to her as her arms wrapped around herself.
She had been such a pretty little dream, the golden dream realized.
He crouched down in front of her wiping the tears gathered in her eyes away. They hadn't fallen but he didn't like the look of such sadness. He brushed her hair back and she finally focused her gaze on him, her sad, lonely eyes piercing through his strong heart.
He decided he would help her.
He decided that she would never be sad again.
He decided to push away the loneliness.
He decided to call her Sakura-chan.
"Come with me. I'm going to set things right. You'll be happy again, I promise, Sakura-chan."
Her eyes glistened with tears again, threatening to fall, but he smiled at her.
The golden dream stood and held his hand out to the little dream.
She was hesitant, but slowly reached for his hand.
He grinned and pulled her to her feet before scooping her up and carrying her in his arms. He left the white room and closed the pink door firmly behind him. It disappeared and neither looked back.
He brought her to the end of the four worlds. Beyond the worlds was only darkness, but he would have none of that. With a determined grin, he created an orange door. The golden dream opened the door to a meadow of flowers. Reds and blues and greens and yellows and pinks and oranges swirled all around them in a beautiful display of blooms.
He set the little dream down carefully and smiled at her.
"I'll be back soon, I promise." He placed a kiss to her forehead and turned back to the orange door.
He went to the world of First Dreamer. He followed the red path to the pond and approached the thorny prison on the island.
The little dream was much too weak to fight the nightmares of her Dreamers. But the golden dream was a very strong dream and had driven away his Dreamer's nightmares plenty of times.
With a grin stretched across his tan face, he tore the branches and vines down. He fought the demons of the First Dreamer and battled the Nightmare. He found the First Dreamer, deep within the prison. He was a ghost of his former self but, as the golden dream wiped away the Madness, he finally became himself.
He searched wildly for his little dream, begging the golden dream to tell him where she was.
The golden dream smiled and told him to follow him. He would take him to his dream, but they weren't done just yet.
He followed the strong dream, leaving behind his Nightmare and his inner demons in his world.
They traveled to the world of the Second Dreamer. They entered the labyrinth and, even though the hedges moved and tried to confuse them, they did not become lost. The golden dream found the center of the maze and carefully approached the blooming rose. With a soft smile, he plucked the flower and waited.
The demons appeared and fought the golden dream, trying to take back the rose. But the dream was too strong and defeated them. The Nightmare broke and the Second Dreamer appeared. His eyes slowly opened and the golden dream did away with the Madness.
The Second Dreamer panicked, asking where his little dream was. The golden dream calmed him and told him what he had told the First Dreamer.
The two Dreamers followed him out of the labyrinth, accepting each other as fellow Dreamers.
They came to the world of the Third Dreamer. They arrived at the palace and pushed open the huge double doors of the throne room. The demons frowned behind their masks and fought the golden dream, trying to keep him from the King.
He defeated the demons and took the mirror from the Third Dreamer, shattering it into thousands of pieces. The King simply laughed. But the golden dream removed the mask and broke it as well. Enraged, the Third Dreamer attacked the golden dream.
With a soft smile, he held the boy in his arms and wiped the Madness from him. He returned his eye to him and the King began to cry, calling out for his little dream.
It was such a sad sight. The First and Second Dreamers accepted the young Third Dreamer and they left the castle, following the golden dream who knew where their little dream was.
They finally went to the world of the Fourth and Fifth Dreamers. The shriveled rosebush still stood over the broken cups and plates of the tea party. From the rosebush they went into the forest, following a path of charred pieces of paper.
They soon found the Fourth Dreamer, his demons huddled around him as they whispered cruelly to him. The golden dream fought off the demons and pushed away the Madness. He couldn't destroy the nightmare until they found the last Dreamer.
The Fourth Dreamer looked at him sadly, telling him he wanted to apologize to his brother and their dream. The golden dream smiled and gestured for him to follow.
They found the Fifth Dreamer. He glared at them angrily and his demons told him they were coming to hurt him. He fought the golden dream and, the moment he got rid of the Madness calmed the Dreamer, the demons attacked as well.
They were defeated and the final Nightmare was destroyed.
The Fifth Dreamer finally recognized his brother and embraced him, apologizing over and over. Finally all the Dreamers turned to the golden dream, demanding their little dream.
He smiled and led them to the end of the four worlds. He showed them the orange door and told them that their dream was waiting inside.
They quickly stepped over the threshold and ran to their little dream. She still sat in the meadow where the golden dream had left her, surrounded by the colorful flowers.
As each of the Dreamers stepped into the meadow, their world outside dissolved and disappeared. Everything they had created was gone, but they didn't care.
In the meadow was a different world. A world in which the little dream controlled. The golden dream had made the door so that no demons or Madness or Nightmares could pass into her world.
The Dreamers embraced their little dream at last and she could only sit there in shock. Finally, her unshed tears dried and she smiled the happiest smile she had ever smiled. Her loneliness was driven away permanently and the golden dream smiled to himself, stepping out of the meadow and through the orange door.
He locked it from the outside and returned to his own Dreamer, leaving the lovely little dream with her beloved Dreamers.
She created a world with her Dreamers and they were happy forever, never disturbed.
They'd long disappeared from the Outside, a family of sickly men who had passed on with happy smiles in their sleep.
They needed nothing but their little dream.
And she would never be without her Dreamers again.
::
notes: Okay, so that wasn't really a drabble. 21 page fairy-tale? That sounds more like it.
But, you have no idea how proud I am of this. I did this all in ONE FREAKING DAY. I would have had it uploaded yesterday had the site not been acting wonky and let me upload this. :I
A much happier ending than Luxuria. I've been writing quite a bit of angst lately, haven't I?
Well, I really enjoyed writing this. Things just kind of flowed and it's somewhat different than I thought it was going to be.
Any thoughts? I'd love some reviews!
Hope you liked it Storm!
More Spectacular things to come! Be sure to check out my other Spring Spectacular oneshot, Luxuria!
Make some smiles people :)
::Thirrin73::