~Vigor's Point of View~

The Nightmare continued from where it left off last time- I was knocked down when escaping a burning room, a light before me…

As I fell… the light got brighter…

And for the first time, the Nightmare shifted into a different dream.

I found myself lying in a field of green grass. The bright light was the sun shining in a blue sky, a few white, puffy clouds passing overhead as a warm wind blew.

Huh? Where am I? I wondered within the dream, sitting up. It was quiet and calm… something I wasn't used to in my slumber. I felt like I was going to wake up… but my subconscious must have felt I had to stay asleep in order to see what all was here.

"You can help him..."

…Or rather, who was here.

…?!

I sat up quick, turning in the direction of the voice.

There was a tall man standing there, his back to me. He was wearing all-white, his skin pale as if he had never seen the sun, and his hair was shoulder-length and messy.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"You don't remember me?"

I blinked. "…do you… know me?"

"Do I? …This is your dream, your mind. Surely you must know something about me,"

I stood up, approaching him. "Let me see your face…"

But when I got closer, he vanished with the wind, appearing on the other side of me, turned away from me as before. "You cannot see what you can't remember. I'm sure you will remember in time. Your memory is starting to clear up after so long,"

"After so long…?"

"Those shots. They weren't just vaccinations- they wanted to make sure you forgot everything. But you remembered to be strong. …You always were a stubborn guy."

I only stared. This stranger in my dreams was so ambiguous.

I felt lightheaded, kneeling to the ground. "I… I don't understand… if I can't remember you, how can I remember that you know me? Y-You must know! Who am I?!"

"Sometimes dreams are based off of desires. You are hoping someone out there remembers you… even though you've changed a great deal."

"I want to see your face… I want to remember someone!"

"Oh… so you want to see a face to help you remember? …How are you so sure you haven't already?"

"H-Huh?" My head was swimming. I fell back, rubbing my face. "Can't you give me a clear answer? …ugh, my head…"

"…Don't force yourself. Your mind has been through a lot- it will take a lot of time for your memory to return."

"But I was with Biff for a month! W-Why didn't it clear up then?"

"Like I said, it's going to take a lot of time. Those drugs they used on you really fogged you up."

"You mean fucked me up?"

"Hey, watch the language."

I blinked. His voice was starting to sound familiar…

"In the meantime… you should help him."

"What? …Help who?"

"He's been through a lot as well… you can tell that, can't you? It's not easy when people see you as a monster. His mind is in a dark place… he needs to remember what his heart is for. I know you can help—you're the only one who can."

I thought for a moment. "You mean… Mandible? How do you know him?! How do you know me?!"

"Like I said… it's your dream, your mind. I can only tell you what you feel- what you hope for. You want to change him, don't you?"

I tried to get up… but I was stuck on the ground. It felt so soft…

"See you next time you dream…"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

When I woke up, I heard heavy breathing; my mattress felt softer… seemed to rise and fall in rhythm to my breathing… kind of smelled funny…

When I opened my eyes, I realized my sleeping arrangements changed during the night.

Rather than sleeping on my mattress… I was lying on top of Mandible!

Oh shit! I lied still, knowing if I hurried I would probably wake him up. The werewolf was snoring heavily, as if he had yet to notice. I looked over at the mattress.

Timing myself, I rolled back onto the mattress, lying still and looking back. The werewolf stirred, but didn't get up, turning on his side.

I sighed. How did I even get in that position anyway?

"…You drool in your sleep,"

"Huh?" I gasped, looking at the werewolf.

"There's saliva in my fur- and I'm pretty sure it's not mine. Plus I knew you what you did,"

"What makes you think I did something?" I asked, trying to play it cool.

"Because I woke up when you crawled on top of me!"

I flinched. Of course that was the reason…

"I was going to throw you back on the mattress and tie you there… though, as quiet as you got, I figured I'd deal with it. Better to use some runt as a blanket than listen to him cry in his sleep again," he sat up, looking at his fur, rubbing a damp spot on his abdomen. "…come to think of it, I think this is from tears rather than spit."

"I was crying in my sleep…?"

"You didn't know? You pretty much do it every night- when you don't cry, you always have a freaked out expression." He rested an arm on one knee, shifting to get comfortable as he spoke. "You dosed off after I talked to you last night, and for a minute I figured the story would give you something else to dream about rather than whatever fucked-up nightmare you keep having. I drifted off myself when suddenly you started rolling around in your sleep, ending up on top of me… then just lied there.

"At first I thought you'd wake up, but you didn't. I tried waking you up, but you were out cold- didn't really surprise me, since you went a couple nights without sleep. Then your breathing steadied, your crying stopped, and you went as limp as a ragdoll. …I was going to put you back, but I didn't want to risk causing some new nightmare to occur."

I smirked. I had to make a crack. "Either that or you just wanted a snuggle-buddy,"

Mandible sneered. "I'd rather have a sexy she-wolf with a long tail and green eyes." He stood up, looking through a crack in the boarded-up window. "It's barely sunrise. We can sleep in some more,"

"Sleep in? Normally you put me to work the moment I wake up!"

"Yeah, well, as much as you've been cleaning the last three days dust has barely had time to settle. Not really much you can do this early, since you've done everything yesterday."

I thought for a moment. "What about the stove-pipe? It's broken,"

"I'LL fix that. Like I'm going to risk my slave slipping and falling off the roof again," He began walking out the door. "The only thing I can think of is having you sweep up the debris in the kitchen, but it can wait. Until then, sleep before you get sick again."

With that he left.

I sat on the mattress for a moment, left with my ponderings. My 'master' was being rather generous this morning…

Was it because of our position this morning?

I woke him up when I lied on top of him, he said; he could have just put me on the mattress but didn't; and now he's letting me sleep in? I wondered. I didn't buy his excuse revolving around wanting a good night's sleep.

I thought back to yesterday, back to my panic attack. I rubbed my cheek, still feeling where the werewolf slapped me. As amazing as his strength was, he could have broken my neck with one swipe… but he held back enough to just snap me out of it, speaking to me calmly.

I thought back to nights prior, when I had a different nightmare, delirious with fear as I believed someone was still in the house. Despite his irritation, he searched around the house to reassure me that I was safe.

He stayed by my bedside that night too, though when I woke up the next morning I found he had left. I had spaced out then, thinking about the nightmare… wondering just how long I would remain safe out here… thinking about how I could never walk the streets of society again…

After that, I stopped sleeping, only lying awake in bed, thinking about Biff, that woman, and Sunny. I knew I would just have the Nightmare again, as I did every night- if not the main Nightmare, then a different one.

I grew afraid to fall asleep…

That is… until last night.

I thought about this new dream I had. The stranger in my dreams was vague… but at least he wasn't trying to rape or kill me. There was no fire, no shadows, no monstrous howls or screams of pain, no blood… just a beautiful field on a beautiful day.

His voice was soothing too… despite he wasn't giving me a clear answer, I felt no alarm.

He said I might have seen familiar faces I had yet to remember.

Was he talking about Biff? I racked my brains, but the most I could remember about him was how he took me in for a month.

Was it the woman? I tried to think, but I couldn't even place a name, outside of Sunny's. Both of them had dark skin and black hair. I wonder if they were related…

He also said I had to help Mandible 'remember what his heart is for'.

I lied down, thinking about that. His mind is in a dark place, that I know for certain… but his heart?

I thought back to our conversation the night I got sick. How I believed he wasn't a monster… and how pissed he was, believing otherwise.

He killed innocent people, it was easy to guess…

But… he couldn't help himself, could he?

I remember the bloodlust in his eyes when I cut my hand. It was a miracle he didn't snap back then!

He was part-animal. Animals, when hungry enough, develop hunting instincts. It's just their nature to feed themselves, no different than when wolves hunt to eat. In the vice-versa, humans also hunt animals- hell, often just for the sake of sport!

He was part human too, wasn't he? A human-half overcome with animal urges…

Yet… he wasn't a monster…

I had seen real monsters. A real monster kills for pleasure, for gain, for dominance. Sometimes they don't even kill- they like to torture someone to their breaking point, force them to be their slave to follow their every order, or make them their toy to fuck with whenever they please.

Mandible made me his slave… yet… he did something that no one else would do if they had power over someone. He could threaten me with his strength, beat me as much as he pleased, force me to work until I passed out, lock me away for days, starve me and make me beg for scraps… pretty much train me to do his bidding, as Cain had tried to do.

But he wasn't Cain.

He wasn't a monster.

There was no need to compare.

Unlike them… he was more human.

He showed me mercy. He gave me food, a place to sleep, bathed me, dressed my wounds… saved my life… let me sleep on him, just to make sure I wouldn't have another nightmare.

No… despite what he did in the past—I don't care. Right now, to me, he wasn't some beast.

Despite his dominance over me, he showed me kindness.

Yet the question remained.

How long would it last?

My eyelids grew heavy, and I fell asleep…

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

*CLANG!*

I fire in my nightmare barely had time to become a tiny flame when I woke up to the sound downstairs, followed by a voice…

"Agh, fucking dammit- stupid fucking pipe, you fucking piece of shit, fucking fuck fuck aaaggghhhh…!"

I had to cover my mouth to stifle a laugh.

Deciding I could rest later, I went downstairs to see if Mandible could use some help… even if he denied it.