Chapter 8: My Insomnia
...
"Dib, your mumbling is making me want to punch you."
"I'm sorry Gaz, I can't help it!" The older sibling whines over the frying pan of scrambled eggs. "You and I both know Zim snuck out to his new secret base again last night. Who knows what he's planning behind our backs?"
"Burn those eggs and I'll burn you."
Dib sighs and mutters, "It's like I'm the only person who cares." while transferring the cooked eggs to three individual plates. He yawns, tired from the late hours of reading all the books Sid (a freakin zombie!) recommended to him about witches. The books were legit, borrowed from the academy's library- some even written by Headmaster Death himself, who has had the most experience in dealing with them.
The books are also where the siblings discover that Death is actually DEATH and not some guy in a persona, confirmed by both Sid and Professor Stein. It made a lot of sense, but the fact that the whole time they've been talking to a GOD, it took a bit of time for them to process.
"Hey Rev, is the toast done yet?"
When he got no response, he checks on her to find the girl stand still before the toaster on the counter. Only two slices of bread had been placed into the machine the entire time Dib was cooking and weren't taken out.
"Rev?" Dib could see her blank expression, eyes in somewhat of a trance-like state, staring at the wall. "Rev. Hey, you okay?"
He grasps her shoulder, gives a firm shake. She stares at the beige painted wall, expression changing to horror. Only air leaves her trembling lips. When tears fall wordlessly from her blue eyes, Dib panics. He grabs both shoulders and forces her to face him.
"Rev come on, talk to me! What's wrong?!" Her body shakes violently. "Rêver!"
Had Gaz not have the incentive to yank him back by the collar of his shirt, he really would've died right then. The blade Rev summoned only missed him a few inches.
"Holy shit!" he wheezes. That was way too close!
Rev comes to, sees her blade impaled deep in the tiles of the kitchen floor, then finds Dib on the floor feet away from where he once stood. Dib sees her put the pieces together. Sees more tears cascade down her shocked face. He could practically hear what she's thinking, her body tensing, ready to flee the moment someone utters a word. Before she gets the chance to, Dib yells. "This doesn't change anything!"
That makes her stop and she regards him cautiously. Demon eyes fearful of rejection as they've experienced this tale more than once with the same ending result. Well Dib says not this time.
"We already know what type of person you are Rev. You're not a murderer nor are you a monster and you'll never be one, even if it's by accident. So please stop thinking like that and don't run away thinking it's the only option you have."
Rev says nothing. She slides to the ground, head down, her sniffles wet. Dib moves across the floor to her side and gently, like she's fragile glass ready to break if mishandled only slightly, he transfers her head to rest on his shoulder. "We're friends remember? Nothing's going to change that. I really want to help you, but only if you let me."
"I…" She pauses. She sniffles again. "T-Thanks. Just… thank you." Rev wishes she could say more, wants to convey the things they've done for her, for sticking with her despite her uncontrollable episodes. Despite all the trouble she constantly rains down on them.
"Get up. You need to eat." Despite the choice of words, Gaz's tone was close to her ear and soft like cotton.
"She's right. Come on." Dib helps Rev up to the table. Gaz had finished making the toast and had everything set up while Dib was talking, so they sat and dove in straightaway.
The tense atmosphere still lingered but the three ate in content silence. The eggs were a little cold but no one complained.
"It's the reason why I don't sleep."
The siblings pause between bites. Rev was a little behind in finishing her food. She eyes a spot on her plate as she decides to finally confess what's been grating the others' minds since they first noticed the problem.
"I… sort of lied when I said I couldn't remember anything. Since waking up from the hospital years ago, there had always been this one piece of imagery that would play when I sleep. It would be the only thing that plays in my head. And it felt too real, too important to be a dream."
She recounts to Dib and Gaz how there'd be two women with powerful magical abilities. How she as a little girl would hide and watch as one of them murders the other, ripping the soul out of their body.
"I would have such strong reactions whenever I see it. I would either cry for hours after waking up or erupt violently out of rage… More than once my grandad got hurt for trying to wake me. I would hurt other people without meaning to, thinking I was about to get attacked or see things that were never there." She laughs sardonically. "And now I'm hearing voices, telling me it's my fault. That she died a meaningless death to protect me."
"But you don't know that for sure," Dib reasons.
"And you do?"
"No, but that's part of the reason we're here right? You have questions that need answers, and we'll help you get them. So how about we don't draw any conclusions yet? Besides, I don't think voices in one's head count as a legitimate source for information."
Gaz scoffs. "Says the same guy who took a stranger's word that he could hear and talk to ghosts."
The older sibling groans. "I was seven Gaz. SEVEN. Is it too much to let that go?"
"You were almost kidnaped by a guy labeled as a child predator so no."
"WHAT?!" Rev gasps.
"Almost! It didn't actually happen," Dib reluctantly explains. "My dad was able to stop him and put him to jail, now back to the point. The point is-"
"Practice what you preach?" His sister finishes.
Dib whines. "No! Stop bringing up my past mistakes!"
"But brother," she quips with fake innocence. "How will you ever learn otherwise?"
The axe weapon giggles, finding their little sibling banter slowly lifting her spirits. "Don't worry, I get what you're saying Dib. I… I'll try to not let this get to me."
Dib smiles for the both of them. "I know it's asking a lot, but you can trust us."
Rev nods, managing a small smile in return. "I know. I do."
Later, after eating and clearing their plates, the trio leaves their temporary complex. Zim had not returned so they make their way to the DWMA without him, much to Dib's dismay, wanting to find him and his base hidden within the city. But it could be anywhere.
Conveniently, they run into Maka and Soul, two students that live nearby and were around to witness their friend Black Star fight.
"Good morning!" Maka greets with a friendly smile. Her weapon yawns a simple hello.
"Morning to you as well!" Rêver returns with the same energy, adjusting her goggles.
The pigtailed girl looks around. "Where's your meister? It'd be bad for him to miss school on his second day."
Dib speaks. "He's-"
Gaz cuts him. "Gone ahead of us. He knows not to ditch if he knows what's good for him."
Dib sighs, but doesn't attempt to correct with the truth. "Yeah, that."
The young residents of Death City don't voice their confusion or their suspicions, a given since the topic is Zim: a walking anomaly and a mystery to everyone, at least to those who don't know him well.
"Hey, Maka right? Is it okay if I ask you a few questions?" Dib asks. "It's just to sate my curiosity about meisters. I hope you don't mind."
Maka didn't seem to mind at all. In fact, she seemed to brighten up. "Sure. Ask me anything!"
For most of the walk, Maka and Dib filled the air of conversation, the two very immersed in their discussion of meisters. The topic would then shift to weapons until it would soon trail to Maka and Soul's experience with witches.
Now for Soul, he isn't much of a conversationalist, never has been. He isn't a social butterfly like his meister. And taking in the silence from the two females near him, they are on the same boat. This is bad.
Why? Because Soul Eater Evans has questions. He just doesn't know how to ask them or when is the time to ask appropriate enough. Because Rêver, pretty sure the same Rêver who died in a fire years ago, is alive and kicking.
Did Wes know and didn't tell him? Perhaps? The two don't really talk much nowadays. Soul doesn't make the effort to anyway. It's not that he has anything against his bro, he admires him a lot. It just wouldn't be ideal to bother him while he's making it big with the family and Soul also wants to distance himself from that life.
Soul wonders if Rêver recognizes him at all. Well even if she does, their first meeting back when they were younger didn't go so well. They didn't meet again after that incident and it was before Soul discovered his own demon weapon capabilities as well as his ancestry of those like him. What good would come out of bringing all of that up again?
Soul doesn't know her like his brother Wes. Does he know what she's been up to after she was found alive? That brings up his next concerning thought: her meister. Zim gives off a troubling vibe, his soul can't be identified by even Death, and he looks down on all humans like they're ants to be stepped on. He's also got a motive that is unclear to all except his peers. Whatever they know, they won't tell. This includes Rêver. How deep is she involved with them?
Lastly, should this matter to him? Should he care? Rêver doesn't look like she's here against her will. She looks happy with her new friends and though she and Zim argued before facing Black Star, in general she shows to genuinely care for him and tries to keep him out of trouble.
Soul isn't sure, not right now. He'll leave things be and maybe later, he can approach her. He never did hate her for accidentally hurting him. He'd just like to let her know. And after that, maybe things can patch from there.
What a hassle this is going to be, he thinks, gazing up towards the morning sky. Confronting the past.
…
"…I get it, you know."
Rev had not anticipated for Gaz to speak at all during the walk. The two were side by side while the others were a bit ahead. Her statement left her curious, wondering what the younger girl could mean.
Gaz crosses her arms, hard eyes looking forward. She's not playing her games either.
"I told you before, how our mom died at childbirth. She actually had a choice. Her life or mine. Our dad never wants to admit it, but her absence is part of the reason why he's hardly around. Sometimes I would wonder how different things would be if she valued her life more. Dad wouldn't slave away at his job so much. Dib would likely have a better childhood. At least he'd have someone to talk to. Get advice, support, and comfort. All I have that compares to her is her looks."
Gaz looks to her, her brown eyes saying she hasn't had an open discussion about this before. "Mothers would sacrifice anything for their child. The cost doesn't matter to them, even if the child is better off not existing."
Rev had purposely left out that the woman who died looked a lot like herself if she was older. From the beginning, she had always known but didn't want to believe it, put up a false hope that her family was still around and maybe looking for her. What if it was only her mother who wanted her and payed the price?
"It's kind of unfair isn't it?" Rev says quietly.
"There's still hope for you though. For once I agree with Dib. Don't jump to conclusions yet."
"…You shouldn't jump to conclusions either." Feeling a little bold, Rev takes the other girl's hand. The act makes Gaz appear like she's been stung, her eyes wide awake and alert, staring up at Rev like the weapon just grew extra limbs. Rev just smiles and laces their finger casually before adding, "I've known you guys for a short time, but I can tell Dib really likes having you here as is sister despite everything. You shouldn't take that for granted."
Gaz silently stares at her, then at their twined hands before giving an irritated huff. "I know. And that's the most annoying thing."
"I'm glad I met you Gaz."
The violet head grumbles, appearing angry but there was a tinge of pink on her cheeks. "I bit off more than I can chew with this. The hell was I thinking?"
Rev's only response was to laugh. Their hands were still locked together, but neither girl attempting to break it.
…
Crona was startled awake by Ragnarok fussing over wanting food. Looking around, they were surprised they fell asleep while tiding one of Stein's offices. The meister was on the rug, surrounded by old books the scientist never took the time to put away. A blanket, once wrapped around their thin form, fell off when their weapon appeared from their back.
"What time is it…"
"Time to eat, what else?! Now move it!"
The pink head yawns and makes to stand. Something falls from their lap with a thud!
"Huh?" Crona leans and picks up a hardcover they apparently held onto before napping. "Oh!"
It was an album, filled with pictures dated back to when Mr. Stein, Ms. Marie, Maka's father and other adults were students in Death's academy. When discovering it, curiosity took over the young sword wielder and shuffled through it, forgoing their task and eventually falling asleep.
"Ow!" The meister wails in pain.
Ragnarok pulls at their cheeks harder. "Stop stalling! I'm starving you useless bitch- OUCH!"
"No cursing in the house." Stein lowers his hand after chopping the black blood weapon's head. "A shame. And right when I was about to take us out to eat for the day. There's still a chance though, that is if you behave."
Ragnarok rubs his sore head grumpily, but gets the message. He descends back into Crona's back without fuss.
"T-Thanks Professor," Crona softly mumbles. "B-But are you sure you don't want me to make anything? Maka taught me how to make Eggs in Hell."
Stein smiles fondly and gently ruffles the meister's pink head. The kid has definitely come a long way from where they started. "Maybe tomorrow, but today you deserve a break. You've done an excellent job as Marie's replacement."
Crona tries to hide their smile and red cheeks from the compliment. Stein eyes the album held in the youngster's arms with mild surprise.
"I almost forgot I had that. So it's been here the whole time?"
Crona nods their head and hands it to him. "You… don't look much different… from when you were younger."
Stein chuckles at that. "I wasn't very approachable back then, but that's my own fault." He briefly looks through the pages of book. "This album isn't actually mine. Someone I grew up with had plans for the future and created this as a timeline. Wanted to give this to his kids as a helpful guide should they become students of DWMA like him and his wife."
"Then… why is it here?"
The doctor sighs and closes the book. "At the time, they couldn't conceive a child despite their efforts. What's more, circumstances had them quit the DWMA, leaving Death City and everything that ties with it, hence this book. He didn't want to toss it, so he gave it to me before he left for good."
A nearby eatery was at walking distance from their home. Crona usually prefers to keep to themselves quietly unless if directly spoken to. But during the trip, the discussion with the album fills their thoughts until the timid meister couldn't keep quiet any longer. They've always been encouraged to speak their mind about stuff since no harm will come to them for doing so.
"Um… P-Professor?"
"Yes Crona?" The doctor regards patiently.
"This person that gave you the book… you're c-close friends with him, right?"
Stein tilts his head up skyward in thought. "Hm. In a way. We had a lot in common which made things easier for me as a kid. On the other hand, our personalities were vastly different. He was very energetic and social. Childish and a troublemaker to a point where people saw him as a little brother who needed to be watched over. He was well-liked by many, even Lord Death, for his strength, his determination, and optimism."
"Do you miss him?"
"Well…" He gives Crona a sideways smile, casual and lazy. The illuminated lenses hide away his eyes. "I'd be lying if I try to deny it. But I respected his decision since the beginning… even as he began to drastically change because of it. For better or worse, that still remains to be seen."
…
"Oi. Ooooiiiiiii!" Death's foam hand waves from a circular booth by the window. It's not a big surprise to anyone, now that the God is free to roam around his city after centuries of sealing Asura within his academy. What's really baffling was who's sitting with him.
Stein stares inquisitively as Zim tries to make himself unnoticeable behind a menu booklet. Meanwhile, Death motions to come sit with them, not appearing to notice his tablemate's plight.
Oh this'll be fun.
"Do you mind Crona?" Stein politely asks the young meister.
Honestly, yes they do mind. Crona isn't sure if they could deal with the strange new kid. However, they don't want to disappoint Stein and Lord Death. So they nod. After a brief talk with the hostess, the woman redirects to two to Death's table and hands them their menus.
And that's when Zim finds himself between a kooky looking yet extremely powerful headmaster of DWMA and a deranged scientist who since day one made very clear of his interest in Zim's anatomy. He should've listened to his gut and stayed inside his dwelling with the others and not sneak to his base.
"You've got me intrigued once again Zim, having a casual breakfast with the Grim Reaper." The professor's grin is wide with mirth as he skims through his menu, his arm draped across the booth's cushions behind the poor alien's head, further making him feel caged. "May I ask what this special occasion might be for?"
"Oh will you stop teasing him Stein?" Death reprimands lightly. "If you must know, I invited him over to simply eat and chat. Oh and by the way, his lab he built underground is simply amazing!"
Zim tenses.
"There were so many unique contraptions. And so many buttons! His robot companions were quite adorable too. One of them was even strong enough to lift me off the ground despite being so small!"
"A little tech wizard huh? Interesting. Perhaps I should visit."
This is worse that the thought of Dib infiltrating his base! Compared to these two, he's not much of a threat to learning his race's technology.
A waitress waltzes up to their table. The uniforms here consist of the headmaster's mask plastered as a design feature in various places. So does the décor in this diner. And in possibly every corner in this city. Zim is willing to believe this 'Grim Reaper' as Stein called him, may be the supreme ruler of this town and not just the school. Thanks to this weird newly developed perception skill, Zim could hear the drawl hum of Death's essence everywhere, and unfortunately, that may have been what lead to Death discovering his hideout.
"Are you all ready to order?"
Before anyone could answer, Zim shouts. "YES PLEASE."
The outburst startles woman, and the pink head human, and maybe half of the diner's customers, but Zim would not allow these men to further compromise his mission any longer!
"…Well in that case, I guess we're all ready!" Death confirms.
A black mass manifests from the pink head human's back and Zim's eyes watch in repulsiveness as it morphs into a face with an upper torso and arms. Like the result of a siamese experiment gone wrong.
It yells, "FINALLY!"
…
…
Whatever that thing was, Zim never wants to see it eat again.
He tries not to think about the five seconds of unspeakable horror he had to witness once the food was brought, forcing down every bite of his waffles and fighting the urge to puke.
The headphones his weapon loaned hung around his neck. Zim can't seem to escape the noise of souls the same way he can't escape the sight of them. What he could do, he discovered recently, is… mentally turn down its volume? Now the noise falls in level with the murmurs of humans chattering amongst themselves as they ate. It'll have to do.
While eating, he half-listens to the conversation Death and Stein were having with the horridly odd pink human, who he vaguely remembers seeing at school when he thinks on it. They are a meister apparently, and what he's gathering is they've received an offer to help hunt the threat responsible for the mutants. Death is building a select army to assist the investigative team with tracking the witch's location and…
Wait…
What?
"WHAT?!"
The customers are slightly getting irritated now, some shooting glares at their table. But Zim either doesn't notice, doesn't care, or both as he stands and aims his finger at Death.
"YOU NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT AN ARMY!"
"I haven't yet announced it, mostly because it is still in the drafts." Death raises his foam hands in a placated manner. "Now please calm down or else we might get kicked out-"
"LIES! Zim will not accept this! I came to you because I seek to destroy this witch, so why am I not in the army?!"
"Because this witch has proven themselves dangerous to meisters and especially to demon weapons and to be sure we don't lose any more lives than necessary, I will need my top students, should we confront her directly. I'm sorry to say Zim, but since you and Rêver are new to this, I cannot risk relying on you two in addition."
"But… but-"
"I'm afraid he's right. We can't afford to have any more souls taken. And who knows how many they have currently." Stein adds. "Keshins transform out of devouring a large quantity of pure human souls. We may not know her motives yet, but we cannot rule out the possibility of her wanting to create one. This won't be the first time a witch has tried to attempt this."
Crona shifts uncomfortably in their seat, taking small bites of their blueberry pancake. Heavy silence clouds around them.
"And even if she doesn't plan on giving birth to a new Keshin, the fact remains that demon weapons are her primary target. Should Rêver be taken from you, then you stand little to no chance in defeating her." Death warns in conclusion. "Your abilities do hold the potential to aid us tremendously, but you'll need time to perfect it. You will also need time to utilize your weapon's power."
At Zim's silent, furrowed look, Death elaborates. "There's more to using a demon weapon than to simply wield it. Black Star's demonstration to you yesterday explains this best. Soul Resonance requires cooperative efforts between both meister and weapon, amplifying their wavelengths to achieve greater power and abilities while not overpowering the other. Balance is key to this process, something you'll learn during your lessons here in my academy."
"And how long will that take?"
Death hums thoughtfully, casting a sideways glace at the alien while tapping his chin. "That depends solely on you and Rêver I'm afraid. Each meister and weapon achieves power differently. To understand what power they have would be to understand themselves as a person. You, for instance, have already got a foundation to start with. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for Rêver. Thanks to her memory loss, she'll have a more difficult time assisting you when she's got no clue what kind of power she holds in the first place. That's quite a handicap."
"So then what do I do about that?!" Death leans further back when Zim impulsively leans closer over him. Stein pointedly grasps his shoulder to set him back down.
"I think the answer is simple." The man states while finishing his plain muffin. "Help her gain her memories back. Doing so will also strengthen your wavelength compatibility with her, another crucial point to achieve a strong Soul Resonance."
…
The time they arrive at the academy was where the group had to go their separate ways.
"Good luck with the investigation!" Rev waves the siblings goodbye.
"Yeah, we appreciate the extra help." Maka adds, waving as well. "Good luck!"
"We'll do our best, don't you worry! And thanks for your input on witches by the way Maka!" Dib and Gaz weave through passing students down one hallway. Dib, nearly forgetting, abruptly turns walking backwards shouting, "Oh, and if you find Zim, ask him where he's been, will you?"
Rev nods. "You got it!"
"Thanks!"
"Does he worry about Zim a lot?" Maka questions as the remaining three head down the opposite hall to Crescent Moon.
"Uh, well…" The doll-like girl fumbles. "I guess that's a way to put it?"
"He's pretty weird," Soul says with his arms folded behind his head. "I mean, who calls themselves a paranormal investigator?"
"Well I think he's alright," Maka asserts. "There are a lot of things in existence we still don't know about, places that haven't been properly explored yet."
Her weapon grunts. "Of course you'd be into some mysterious and philosophical jubo. Nerd."
CHOP!
Soul moans in pain, nursing a dent on his head. Maka smacks her hardcover book on her palm. "Soul doesn't mean what he says. Your friends are great." She smiles to Rev, who awkwardly laughs.
"Honestly, if it weren't for them, I wouldn't have any friends to start with."
Aaaaand it's in rare occasions like this, Soul believes Maka's brutal chops to the head are one hundred percent justified. Congrats on making another bad first impression Soul. You win the award for biggest asshole.
Upon the tiered rows of students seated in class Crescent Moon, Rev does find Zim. What a relief! She bids Maka and Soul farewell before heading to sit with her partner.
Zim seemed to be off in space. His arms and head rest on the wooden desk while music blasts through the speakers of Rev's headset. She wonders what he's listening to. Or what he's thinking about. She can't place it, but something about him is off. What has he been doing?
Rev was going to ask, but something catches her attention as her eyes trailed to her mp3 in Zim's hand.
The Irken nearly falls out of his seat at his weapon's squeal. How long ago had she been here?!
"You're listening to Wes Evans! What do you think? He's amazing isn't he?"
Zim honestly hadn't been paying attention to what he was listening to, not after his recent conversation with Death and Stein. He usually just lets the music device play whatever it wanted and if he found the song displeasing, he'd skip it. Although, Zim is well accustomed enough to like the sounds of violin instruments the more he listens to them. A few electronic sounding ones were also interesting to him.
Whoever this Wes person is has made his weapon partner highly ecstatic.
"So he's like you?"
Rev shakes her head, her long hair swaying wildly with her movements. "Oh no no no, not even close! He's leagues ahead of almost every violinist that's out there! Here!" She swipes the device and scrolls through it. "We've still got a few minutes. I'll show you the best one he's made! In my opinion of course. He's made a lot of hits."
The song was titled, Adrift. There were no lyrics or vocals. You can say it's the violin itself that's singing in this piece, in its own foreign language yet you can oddly understand its conveying message.
"Rev?"
"Yes?" She perks up, eager for his thoughts on the artist and his song.
"Why would you like something so…" Zim thinks for the right word. "Bleak?"
She's thrown at the unsuspecting question. "Well, I guess it's because… it's relatable?"
"You relate to sad songs? Because you are sad?" Zim doesn't see the point in it. "I thought you humans prefer to get rid of sadness! Why retain it if all it'll do is get in the way of your mission?"
"What?" Wow this has escalated. She did not expect to have a talk like this. Although she should understand that Zim is from a different race and their customs are different. How wide that difference stretches, she's unsure, but to think they may not have something as simple as music is something she can't fathom. Do Irkens have resources that allow them to express themselves? Is domination their only way of living?
Okay let's not fly off tangent here. One step at a time Rêver. For now, just answer his question.
"Well, generally there doesn't need to be a reason, for listening to anything really," she starts. Zim doesn't seem pleased at all with that so Rev continues before he tries to rebuke. "What I mean is there are people who just like listening to sad and bleak songs. They like it because it's okay to feel that way, just like it's okay to feel happy or upset. It's enjoyable for some and therapeutic for others, especially if you have nothing or no one to share those feelings with. It's better to have an outlet to help let your feelings out rather than bottling them inside. Music helps with this a lot."
"That sounds… unnecessary."
"You've had days where you felt sad or lonely right?"
"Absolutely not."
"Not even once?"
"Zim has no use for such trivial emotions. No."
"But it's not about having use for them, it's-"
RIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNG!
"Alright, everyone to your seats! We've got a lot to cover toda- Ack!" Stein's stitched up roller chair gets caught on bottom door frame and he skids across the floor before his students. Once he stops, he continues where he left off, not moving to get up. "Starting today, we will forgo our normal subjects for the time being. We will instead dedicate our time doing physical training exercises and following that will be some survival and rescue techniques."
Confused noises and whispers fill the classroom. Stein raises his voice over them. "I'm sure most of you are well aware, either through rumors or experience, of the fact that Keshin Eggs are becoming more dangerous as you embark on your extracurricular assignments." That fully brings their undivided attention back, the students silent and tense, waiting to hear more. Stein slowly rights himself in his chair. "For some, what's supposed to be a simple mission suddenly turns into a fight for their lives. And when this started, lives of both meisters and weapons were lost and their souls taken. It's the reason why the new rule was placed, where all missions should be done in pairs or in groups. But now, we're thinking this may not be enough."
He regards every student with serious eyes. "You students aren't the only ones affected by this. Every demon weapon in the world, people who prefer to live their lives peacefully, are targets for reasons still unknown to us. But one thing is clear. As protectors of the innocent, we won't allow these crimes to continue." Stein heaves a long sigh. His eyes become softer as he closes with, "And finally, as you continue to risk your lives to counter this threat, I want you all to promise that you'll look out for each other. Because though you may have fought tougher battles in the past, at the same time, you never know what could happen."
He stands up. "Alright. With that said, everyone follow me to the training grounds. There, you will be given further instructions on what we've prepared for you."
Rev didn't know why, but the man's eyes remained hard on her and possibly Zim as he says, "Let's hope these lessons carry you to the battlefield."
…
"I thought you said you were better. Why am I still carting you around the place?"
"I stated no such thing. That was your assumption."
Bong sighs while traversing the young woman through the wide halls with the help of a wheelchair. The woman giggles. "My body is still undergoing some changes, but my power continues to grow stronger by the day."
"And thus, you wanna start this next phase," Bong dully finishes.
The bandaged covered woman smiles. "Love your enthusiasm."
"Where am I taking you?"
"Upstairs. In the attic. I called for some… assistants."
Bong obeys without questioning her vagueness. He takes her to a fancy-looking elevator and presses the button that would take them to the top floor. The woman in the wheelchair hums softly to herself, her bowl of souls rests on her lap. The doors open to the sparse open attic and Bong gapes.
"Are these…"
"Nightopians? Yes." She confirms. A nostalgic sigh passes her lips. "It's been so long… and they still look as brainless as ever."
Trapped in a giant golden bird cage are flocks of fairly-like creatures with round bodies, teardrop-shaped heads and large round eyes. Each were adorned in pink fairy wings and a gold halo. Sounds of fear and distress were evident as they flitter around in their cage, looking for an exit.
"So these things are the entities responsible for creating dreams?"
"And they are now under my control."
Upon noticing them, the Nightopians cower together. They back away with the limited space they have in their cage. A few were close to tears.
"How does this help us exactly? I doubt they could swat flies."
"Radius purposely made them dumb for a reason. In actuality, their magic will be quite useful to us." She takes a soul from her bowl. "They just need a bit of influence."
Bong makes a committed noise and eyes the trapped entities with a bit more interest. "So shall I grab one for you?"
The woman's smile was wide, eager and abnormal. "Please do~"
AN: Aaaaa shits about to go down.
