Two days later:
"Master Nightmare! An informant has relayed information on another Curtain, but she is not from a world of her own it looks like," Eyeball said, as he entered the throne room.
Nightmare flashed a smile and said, "Oh really? But can I work with her? I can't have what happened last time happen again. Finding a Curtain as brash and as cold blooded… I need one who's alone."
"She is being held in a Multiverse prison for blowing up an AU and forcing a reset. She seemed willing to be arrested, but she fought the guards for fun and escaped. She was recently captured for staying idle in a world, and is being held in the prison basement because they fear her escape and power. The prison is new and is set near the center of the Multiverse in a neutral space," Eyeball replied.
"Blowing up an AU... that sounds interesting. I'd like to talk to her. Bring me to the prison, Eyeball," Nightmare said.
"Of course, master. But one thing I should mention is that this prison was said to be built for one prisoner, but they expanded it to hold more room to house other Multiverse law breakers... which would include you," Eyeball said.
"Tsk. No prison can hold me. And who do they think they are to make a stupid prison like that? It's a waste of time," Nightmare said, and they left to the Multiverse prison.
The prison:
The Multiverse prison is comprised of sub-levels deep in the ground, a basement area just above that, and the rest of the levels are above ground. It is a large, engineered fortress that stands seven stories just above ground, and seven more below.
The only way in and out of the prison is from the top level, and a secret exit on the final floor of the sub-level that is never used and locked up. Guards patrol each level, which was comprised of interconnected halls, center rooms for the guards to meet, and the jail cells of the prisoners at the corners of each level.
However, one prisoner had taken half of the basement and was alone on the floor. She was visited by guards who gave her food, and was chained by each of her wrists and ankles to the wall opposite the door. A muzzle was wrapped over her mouth, as she stood sitting on her bed that was near the wall opposite the door. The long chains helped her move around the room if she wanted to, but she couldn't go anywhere near the door. There was an incident where a guard was being choked by her, which was why the chains were shortened, and the guard put on a respirator.
On this day, she was waiting patiently for her food to arrive, and was happy to know that the muzzle would have to be removed by a brave guard, who would have to unlock it. She was swinging her feet off the edge of her bed and was humming a depressing tune. She heard footsteps and smirked as two female guards entered. One was a cat monster holding a tray of food, and the other was an alligator monster.
"Time to like, eat some food," the alligator said, as she closed the door behind them.
"Yeah, like, time to dine," the cat monster said, her hands slightly trembling.
She smiled and said, "Aah, my two favorite guards: Bratty and Catty. So, what's today's grub?"
As the alligator, Bratty, began unlocking the muzzle, the cat, Catty, explained, "Oh, like, the usually mashed potatoes and gravy with diced grilled chicken. Your, like, preference."
"Heh heh. Of course. After that choking accident, the prison decided to make my stay a little more comfortable with at least giving me good food. That's all I wanted, and I've been well behaved since," she said, and Bratty finished taking off the muzzle.
"But like, didn't you choke them out on purpose?" Bratty asked.
"Maybe, maybe not. I can't really say. I was too hungry at that moment, like right now," she said, and Catty quickly gave her the tray of food.
"Thank you, dearies. I may have mercy on you two since you've been so efficient," she said, as she started eating, and the two guards looked at each other with fear and uncertainty.
Meanwhile, Nightmare stood outside of the prison. He brought up a tentacle and tore off a piece of it as it restored itself. The piece he tore off he held, as he crushed one side of it with one hand while his blue eye glowed brighter. When he opened his hand, the piece he grabbed had formed into a snake with glowing blue eyes like his own eye. He set his hand down, as the serpent slithered into the building by fazing through it.
She finished her meal, as Catty took the tray, and Bratty began to fasten the muzzle on her face.
"Try not to pull it too tight, okay?" She said, and Bratty nodded.
Afterward, Bratty and Catty left the cell, as they said simultaneously, "Bye, Kagemi. See you soon."
"Bye," the prisoner, Kagemi, said as the guards left and locked the door.
'How tragic. Forced to remain in a cell for a reset. Heehee. I was just trying to lighten up the mood there. I didn't make them reset on purpose,' Kagemi thought, and she laid down on her bed to look at the ceiling.
'Well, maybe I went too far, but it was too funny to see them run and panic like that. Priceless... I guess I should make sure I don't destroy too much next time. Prison can become boring after a while, and being chased by them isn't as fun anymore...' Kagemi thought, and then she noticed something glowing from the bottom of the cell door.
She looked at the blue-eyed serpent that invaded her cell, and she sat up. The serpent looked at her, and through his eyes, Nightmare could see the prisoner clearly:
Her hair was black with purple ends in a ponytail. Her clothes consisted of jean shorts that reached her knees with black stockings, a black leather jacket that was unzipped to show a purple shirt underneath, and short, black leather boots. A scarf around her neck was blue like her left eye color, but her right eye color was yellow with a scar over her right eye.
Her fang could clearly be seen if not for the muzzle, but the scarf and hair was enough for Nightmare to know that she was a Curtain, and the muzzle and chains were enough for him to see that she must be a prisoner. As he slithered towards her cautiously, he could sense a dark neutrality within her being.
"Hmm, how quaint. Looks like I have company," Kagemi said, as she got up from the bed and knelt down before the little invader.
The serpent slithered cautiously towards her, as she showed him her backhand. When he noticed her claws, the serpent recoiled back a little.
"Don't be alarmed, little darling. I always have my claws showing," Kagemi said, in her more deeper and sultry voice than some Curtains.
The serpent nuzzled his nose on her backhand, and then he looked at the chain on her wrist. Kagemi let the serpent see the chain on her wrist, and she was surprised to see the serpent unlock it with his tail. She rubbed her wrist with her other hand, and she smirked and asked,
"How peculiar, are you helping me to escape, little darling?"
The serpent slithered up on her lap to her other wrist and unlocked the other chain.
"I assume that's a yes," Kagemi said, and the serpent nodded at her.
"Well, if this is a prison-break, it's sure to be fun," Kagemi said, as she lifted the serpent to her shoulder, and he slithered on top.
As the serpent unlocked the muzzle, Kagemi cut off the chains on her ankles. She caught the muzzle before it could hit the ground, and then crushed it in her hand and let it drop to the floor.
"And that's that. The chains were nothing compared to wearing that annoying thing. Now, my little friend, let's get out of here and find out who sent you. I'm curious," Kagemi said as she cracked her knuckles a bit, and then headed for the door.
Kagemi walked out of her room and started walking towards where a stationed guard was while humming a tune. The guard was ready to attack, but the serpent spat black goop at their eyes to blind them. Kagemi quickly knocked out the guard with a swift punch to the gut, and thanked the serpent as she continued walking. They kept bumping into guards and overpowering them, although Kagemi was too quick for the serpent to really help out much.
Finally, Kagemi was able to use the vents to reach the warden's room on the top floor and beat them down until they lost consciousness. She then took out one of the glass panes of the window and threw it out the window. As it fell, Kagemi watched it until it reached two stories down, and then she jumped into the glass pane that was still in the window. As the glass fell closer to the ground, Kagemi jumped out of it with the serpent in her hand, and landed on the ground perfectly. The glass landed and shattered, as Kagemi ran off to get far away from the jail. She ran towards a darker part of the world, and then she slowed down to a stop.
"Hah! I have to say, that was fun, partner. Now, who sent you to help me?" Kagemi asked, as she bend down to let the serpent slither off her hand to the ground.
"That would be me," A dark voice echoed, as Kagemi turned towards the source, and saw Nightmare Sans.
The serpent quickly slithered towards him, as he extended a tentacle towards it, and the snake fused back into the tentacle. Kagemi stood up as she examined Nightmare and said,
"I see, he was a part of you. Fascinating. So, you wanted to set me free. I thank you, but I do wonder why, stranger."
"My name is Nightmare. I heard the two guards call you Kagemi, but may I assume you are a form of Curtain?" Nightmare replied with a smirk, as Kagemi's eyes slightly narrowed.
"Hmm, so you did intend to break me out, specifically. Yes, you are correct, and my name is Kagemi. Apologies if I seem repetitive, but why did you break me out of prison? I am quite dangerous," Kagemi asked, crossing her arms with a smile.
"Oh, I'm aware of that. I would like to ask you a question first, have you heard of Serentime?" Nightmare asked.
"I have. Why? Do you wish to enter there?" Kagemi asked.
"Apparently, I need a watcher to get in, and I was wondering if you are one," Nightmare replied.
"Hmm... I might, or I might not be," Kagemi said, as she slowly walked closer to Nightmare, and added, "But your motive is unclear, and you have already released me without knowing if I was or wasn't a watcher, which brings into question on what you intend to do if I answer either or."
"Heh. You caught on pretty quick. Well, if you are a watcher, I can get into Serentime and study how it functions so that I can rule over it. But, if you're not, then I'll make a proposal for you to join me or return to the prison. I may have use for your knowledge, especially if you know of Corruptions. So, what's your answer?" Nightmare asked, noticing that Kagemi was circling around him as he spoke.
"Hmm... I guess you broke out the right jailbird. I am a watcher of Serentime. But if you intend on having me help you, I do have conditions of course. I don't want to work for free, you know," Kagemi said, standing in front of him.
"I would think breaking you out of prison was enough," Nightmare said, walking closer to her as they stood a foot apart.
He reached a tentacle towards her as he placed it under her chin and pulled her closer towards himself.
"Of course, I could just keep you locked in one of my dungeons until you agree. For the record, my dungeon has a reputation of being a living nightmare," Nightmare said, almost wishing she would reject him for some reason.
Kagemi smirked, very intrigued by him, and said, "But no other watcher would help you, would they? I'm the only one who could get you in. You're one of the most dangerous on the list after all~"
Nightmare was a little surprised by her counter, and he released her chin as he said, "You already knew who I am, and yet you play with me?"
"You seem intriguing enough, and I do like playing games which is why I became a watcher of Serentime. Though to be noticed by one as dark and as powerful as yourself… I'm honored," Kagemi said, as Nightmare couldn't help but smirk at her.
"Well, since you seem to respect me well enough, what are your conditions?"
"Are you taking me to your world after this?" Kagemi asked, and Nightmare nodded.
"Well, I'd like a bedroom and bathroom of my own, three meals served to me daily, and clothing too. That's all," Kagemi said, and Nightmare chuckled.
"Such simple request. Very well. I'll fulfill your conditions and not return you to prison, and you will be my watcher into Serentime and give me information of the Corruptions. Deal?" Nightmare said, as he extended a hand towards her.
"You're such a gentleman, Nightmare. How could you be sooo evil as others say?" Kagemi said, as she took his hand.
"Heh. The only reason I'm being kind to you is because I can respect someone who's as dark as myself," Nightmare said, as they shook hands.
Kagemi noticed that his grip on her hand stood firm, and Nightmare pulled her close as he teleported them from the prison world to his own.
Nightmare's castle:
"What... the freaking hell man?! I didn't know you lived in a castle! It's so refined, and terrifying... ahh. It's so comforting it feels like I'm on vacation," Kagemi said, looking around as Nightmare was leading her to the throne room.
"Heh. I've never heard anyone refer to my home as a vacation before. It's usually fear-based screams or insults," Nightmare said.
"Well you have a dungeon where I'm certain you torture people or monsters who get in your way... or until they agree to obey you," Kagemi said, stepping closer to Nightmare to emphasize the end of her sentence.
"Considering your admiration, I'm sure putting you in a dungeon wouldn't have been the best idea," Nightmare said, as they entered the throne room.
"Probably not. I'm quite the rowdy prisoner, especially when I'm hungry," Kagemi said, as Nightmare decided to remember that.
"Sounds like a challenge. But let's get down to business at the moment. I have a room ready for you with what you've asked, and considering that you ate in the prison, I'm sure you're full. For your clothes, there are some copies of what your wearing in the closet," Nightmare said.
"My word, you work fast, don't you? I'd like to look at my room, and maybe a snack. Escaping that prison worked up my appetite again. If you don't mind, your majesty," Kagemi said, as she curtsied, and he chuckled.
"Pfft. That's fine. Lead her to her room!" Nightmare called out to a guard near the door, and they nodded as Kagemi followed them out of the throne room.
Eyeball was watching as he stood next to Nightmare. He noticed that Nightmare had a smile on his face, but not a fake one or filled with malice.
"Sire, is this the girl you were looking for?" Eyeball asked.
"Yeah. She's perfect, filled with darkness, trickery, and quite humorous. I think we'll get along just fine," Nightmare said.
"Um, master, are you sure it's just business?" Eyeball asked, and he cringed when Nightmare turned to him with a scowl.
"What's that supposed to mean, Eyeball? We are partners until this deal is over! What gave you the freaking impression that it's not?" Nightmare asked.
"S-Sorry sire. I was just making sure you wouldn't f-fall like those other fools, most evil one," Eyeball said, and Nightmare relaxed a bit.
"Good," Nightmare said, as he gooped away, and Eyeball was relieved to still be alive, unlike the last servant.