A/N: Hi everyone! I noticed a lack of Makomo fics so I tried writing one! I was writing 2 other stories (which will be uploaded shortly) at the same time so I hope this is alright! Please enjoy!

Chapter 1: Nightmare

"Remember, we have to be quiet until Grandpa's class is finished."

Makomo slid open the door and beckoned her cousin Emiko to walk first. The happy six year old skipped inside and marveled at the students practicing kendo. Shutting the door, Makomo took her cousin's hand and walked to a nearby bench. There was till half an hour left in the class, which meant keeping a hyperactive child entertained for an entire thirty minutes. She handed Emiko a notebook and pencil before observing the class. Her Grandpa, Sakonji Urokodaki, was wearing his usual tengu mask. Did he ever take that off?

"No, no, you need to put more into your swing."

"Yes Urokodaki-sensei!" the children chimed in unison before trying again.

"Still not there," He sighed. "Makomo, come show them how to do it properly."

Looking up, Makomo saw several pairs of curious eyes looking at her. "Yes Gra- I mean Urokodaki-sensei."

Taking the shinai from her Grandpa, Makomo swiftly executed the swings. Once finished, she explained the footing and gave each student advice on how to better their stance. Before she knew it, the class was over and parents came to pick up their children.

"Good work today," Makomo smiled gently as she saw the children off. "Keep practicing!"

"The children love when you visit," her Grandpa placed a hand on her shoulder. "You have a way with the youngsters. This is why you should get married soon! I want great-grandchildren!"

Makomo couldn't help but laugh. She worked as an elementary school teacher, thus she had to be good with children. Plus she looked after Emiko since her parents were killed in a car crash. But the idea of getting married and leaving her family pained her. Sure she was twenty-three, a good age to find a husband, yet she felt guilty even thinking of leaving her Grandpa and cousin. They needed her.

"Never mind that," Makomo turned to face her Grandpa. "Won't you retire soon? I can support us."

"When you get married!"

He was not going to drop the topic. Before Makomo could reply, Emiko ran over to show them her drawings. They were all of their Grandpa fighting off dozens of stickmen, posing heroically.

"This is good Emi," he smiled. "You drew my mask very well."

Emiko grinned and began jumping with joy. Once the studio was cleaned, they went home together to stick the drawings to the fridge.

"Grandpa," Makomo looked up from her marking. "There weren't that many students in your class today."

Emiko was already asleep so Makomo felt it was a good time to ask. Even her class at school had significantly fewer students present.

"It's that curse," he grumbled. "Those poor children…"

A strange illness wreaked havoc across the globe. Individuals of all ages were falling into an unending slumber and slowly dying. Doctors couldn't find anything wrong with the patients and any efforts to wake them up were in vain. Others referred to it as an illness or virus. Makomo's Grandpa called it a curse.

"That's why I made these," he handed her a box. "I added a protective spell to keep you and Emiko safe."

Opening the box, Makomo found two hand carved fox mask hair clips. Both had tiny flowers painted on one side.

"Thank you Grandpa," she set the box down on the table. "I'm sure Emiko will love it too."

"I already lost her mother and your father," he shook his head. "I'm not losing you both as well."

Then he cheekily added, "Not before I meet my great-grandchildren!"

The tense atmosphere melted away with their laughter.

It was unusual for anyone in the Urokodaki household to sleep in past ten o'clock on a Saturday. Makomo and her Grandpa waited for Emiko in the kitchen, enjoying a cup of green tea. Usually the energetic girl was the first to wake up at six in the morning, yet she was still in bed. Concerned, Makomo went to wake her.

Emiko was crying and flailing in her sleep. Shaking her did nothing.

"Grandpa!" Makomo cried. "Emiko isn't waking up!"

He came running. At first they thought they could bring her to the hospital, but she reacted violently and fearfully to any touch. They had to remove her blanket to prevent her from tangling up in it. Makomo rushed to call a doctor. Unfortunately, the doctor could not find anything wrong with Emiko. It was the illness that was previously discussed.

She can't die, she can't die…

Makomo didn't know how long she cried for. Her head hurt and she could barely see. Glancing over, she saw her Grandpa sitting next to Emiko's bed. Behing his mask tears flowed, dripping onto his lap. They decided to read studies and reports on the illness.

Many dubbed it the sleep curse. Since victims of the sleep curse could not eat or drink, they began to waste away. Nurses would visit the homes of patients and bring equipment to keep them alive. Despite all their efforts, most victims still died for unknown reasons. Makomo was determined to not let that happen to Emiko.

"If only I could defeat the nightmare plaguing you Emi," Makomo whispered. "I wish I could destroy this curse for you."

Remembering her Grandpa's gift, Makomo brought the box over. She clipped the fox mask with blue flowers to her own hair. As she tried to secure the clip with pink flowers to Emiko's hair, the girl began screaming and flailing. Whatever she saw in her nightmare was horrifying. Makomo's hand shook. How dare this curse hurt an innocent little girl!

"Grandpa, get some rest." Makomo offered. "I'll stay here with her tonight."

He knew better than to argue with either of his granddaughters. Makomo watched her Grandpa shuffle away dejectedly. Sitting down on Emiko's bed, she pulled her knees to her chest and drew in a shaky breath.

Please, let me fight for her. Let me do something, anything…

It was dark when Makomo woke up. The surface she rested on was especially hard. Standing up, she glanced around. Where was Emiko's bed? Makomo turned and realized she couldn't even find the walls of the room.

This must be a dream.

She began to walk forward, though it looked like she was going nowhere. The scenery, or lack thereof, did not change. Somehow the ground shone brighter than the eerily dark sky. Makomo began to run. Again, it seemed she barely moved. She couldn't see where she came from or anything in the distance. Slowing to a stop, Makomo evaluated her surroundings. It almost seemed like a tutorial stage of a video game…

"What a weird dream…" she muttered to herself. "If nothing happens-"

Before she finished, the ground shook violently.

"Finally, something…"

A crack appeared at her feet. Taking a few steps back, Makomo watched. Shadowy claws broke through the surface. A monster of nightmarish proportions crawled menacingly towards her.

Makomo wasn't afraid…

… until she saw the stuffed rabbit dripping with blood, impaled by one of its claws.

It was Emiko's rabbit.

Nightmare: 1. A fearsome or unpleasant dream
2. (formerly) a monster or evil spirit thought to oppress individuals during sleep

Note: All the research I did about dreams came from Dream Moods and The Curious Dreamer