Chapter 1: The Flying Pirate Man
My little character here is a little girl, her vocabs are still gibberish. She could not pronounce the letter 'R' and she pronounce it 'W' instead. 'R' front words like Rose will be pronounced Wose by her, like when she pronounces her name. But words with 'R' will still be typed 'R' so to not confuse you, unless some words that could be guessed. I'm going to use it often on names from now on.
Disclaimer: I don't own HNKNA and any characters in it, they belong to Quinrose. I only own my character and this story.
She stirred slowly in her sleep and felt her head on something soft. She whimpered as she felt pain shot through her head. The pain was unbearable. It's painful. She didn't like it. She wanted her sister to kiss it goodbye. She wanted her brother to hum a battle song and help fight the bad pain away. She whimpered again, now slightly louder, before she cried. Sister, brother, where are you?
"Hhu.. Huu.." she cried.
And then she felt two gentle hands picked her up and cradled her on a shoulder.
"Shh~ It's okay little one. You will meet your brother and sister soon." Said the person. She felt her back rubbed gently by firm fingers that felt slightly like her brothers as she sobbed and a pair of cold lips brushed her head. But she knew, the person's not her brother. She cried softly. Her head was in so much pain now to think of anything.
Nightmare cradled the little girl softly on his shoulder and tried to calm her down. He hummed slowly in her ears and swayed back and forth, creating a dance-like motion.
Poor little girl hit her head when she fell into the hole. He vomited blood when the stupid bunny came to his office cradling the little girl with a bloody forehead. He would never be able to forget that. His stomach churned and tempted to vomit some blood again, but forced it back down. He would not dirty the little girl in his arms.
"Now now child. What would make you feel better?" the caterpillar asked. Rubbing her back softly and not stopping his swaying movement.
The girl sobbed still, signing she didn't want to talk yet. Nightmare's lips twitched slightly outward.
Poor little girl.
"Shh~ Shh~ Shh~" Nightmare cooed.
A knock came to his door.
"Master Nightmare?" called the voice from outside the door.
"Come in, Gray."
The door opened to reveal a tall man with raven hair and golden eyes. The man closed the door and came near, his eyes looking at the crying little girl in his master's arms. He felt heart broken when he saw the little one's state back then. Her forehead was bleeding and her dress was crumpled and dirty. What in the heaven's name was that rabbit doing? He wounded a little girl and now off to who knows where. As if he cares. His only concerned now was the little girl and his master. He let his expression fell slightly seeing the little girl, but he couldn't help founding it pretty amusing at his master's act.
"Master." He called softly.
Nightmare looked at him, "She's in shock and in pain. Get her pain killers." Ordered his master.
He bowed slightly and fled the room.
Nightmare flew lightly in his office, still swaying and not stopping his humming while he held her in his arms. She's so light. Of course, she's just a little girl. The little girl only thought of her sister's kiss and his brother's humming right now. But only in images. He could only kiss her like her sister did in her mind just now, and he did, but he could not hum like her brother as she did not think of anything other than her siblings' images. So he just hummed away random notes, silently hoping it would calm her down a bit.
But who was he kidding; the girl knew he wasn't her relatives just by feeling the back rub. And by looking at her who was still crying her eyes out, he could conclude it was pretty useless. But he wasn't one to back down.
Gray came back with a tray of tea, a pill of pain killer, and water. He put the tray on his master's coffee table as his master followed close. He crushed the pill on a spoon and filled it a bit with water to make the little one swallow it better.
Nightmare sat on his couch. He changed her position so that she's leaning her back on his right upper arm. He took a handkerchief and wiped her wet face before setting it under her chin. He gently raised her chin upward as he saw her still closed eyes.
"Come dear, drink this. It will help fight the pain." Said Nightmare softly.
The little girl did not comply and just continue to cry. They're strangers. She did not know them, they did not smell like anyone she knew. Well..only the person who was cradling her smelled of something like smoke. Kind of remind her of the kind man with no hair at the coffee shop. He smelled of smoke, like this man. But his voice was not the same. The no hair man's was heavy and cracked; this man was softer and deep. She was too scared to open her eyes. And the fact that the pain was near her eyes too, above her eyes, she didn't want to. Her sister and brother said not to trust strangers because they might do bad things to her. But this man had not done bad things to her. He was giving her back rub and listening to her cries. He was so gentle too. What must she do?
"Open your mouth, sweetheart. I promise you, the pain will go away." Said the man.
Will the pain go away?
"Yes, it will. I promise. But you must drink the medicine."
She could not trust him, or could she? But he said pain will go away and she wanted the pain to go. He promised, too. Maybe, maybe he was not a bad man. Maybe? Oh it hurts so much... She could not stand the pain anymore. So she opened her mouth and felt something cold and bitter entered her mouth. She swallowed the bitter water and whimpered at the taste. Sister and brother always made tasty medicine. This one's taste bad.
Nightmare smiled at her thought.
"Now that wasn't so hard was it?" he said, wiping the spilled water on her face with his handkerchief. "Calm down and let the medicine work."
She licked her lips and tried to wash the bitter away. She stopped crying and tried to hold it in like a big girl. Her breathing did not though, and now she looked like she had run laps.
Gray crouched on his side while still looking at the little girl's form. Her head had swelled a bit on the forehead, he knew, below the bandages, and it's making him concerned. His master did too, however, not as worried as him now the little one has calmed down. He could only wonder why foreigners are so fragile. He took her trembling little hands and held it in his own hands. So tiny... And cute. Yet so fragile... It made him want to keep her here at the tower and away from all those wretched things in the world. Especially those Role Holders. If that Prime Minister of The Heart could not protect a tiny little foreigner from harm, no one should be trusted to handle her. She's better here with his master and himself.
Nightmare, silently agreed with Gray. She would be safer here than anywhere else. He wasn't thinking of making her an excuse to skip work... Well, a bit. But she's just as interesting and not to mention, cute. He wanted to spend his time with her, playing and doing things she liked, until she's all healed up and ready to be sent back home.
She could feel the pain slowly go away, and also feel a bit sleepy. She pulled away her hands from a pair of big warm hands and held them close to her chest. Her still wet eyes remained close as she tried to fight the sleepy feeling from her body. No use, she felt tired after crying like that.
"Don't fight it, sweetheart. Just sleep. We can play later." Said the smokey man, his fingers brushed her cheek as he rocked her left and right.
Nightmare smiled as he heard her saying 'okay..' in her mind and let her succumb to the dream world. He would meet her in her dream later on, but now, he'll let her sleep. He looked to Gray and noticed his assistant had a bit of pink on his cheek. Oh Gray, you're an open book. He coughed a bit and made the lizard turned towards him.
"Why don't you prepare our little foreigner a place to stay, I'll keep her company until you're done with the room." he said.
Gray stood up and brought the cup of tea to his master's desk, setting it down before walking back.
"I've prepared it. Now if you please, continue your work, Master Nightmare. I would not let the little foreigner be your excuse as the other foreigner was." he said, picking up the tray.
Nightmare pursed his lips and held the little one close, "She's staying."
"She's staying. Just not in your office. I will return to bring her to her room." Gray said, bringing the tray and leaving the room. All the way putting up a poker face.
Nightmare huffed.
She fluttered her eyes open and see blue and green sky. A dream? She sat up and looked around. She's in a weird place. Only blue and green sky. But the colors are pretty, like the sky and grass. Like the sea too! She unconsciously smiled.
"Little one~" sang a voice behind her.
She recognized the voice immediately. It was the man who comforted her before she went to sleep. She turned around and saw a tall man wearing high boots, black pants, and sleeveless suit. His hair was grey and he wore an eye patch on his right eye. Her pink salmon eyes locked his, and the first thing that popped into her mind was this man looked like a pirate. Is he a pirate? And he's flying! Flying pirate?
"Oh no no, I'm not a pirate. Not even a flying pirate. People wearing eye patch doesn't always mean pirate, sweetheart. And I can fly, that's all." Said the man, smiling at her. His voice was deep, not like her brother's, but she liked it.
"Are you the man rubbing Wemy's back?" she asked.
"That'd be me, yes." The man nodded, flying closer to her. "I'm sorry if it's not as good as you want it to be. But I don't know what else to do to calm you down." He seemed apologetic.
She shook her head a bit. "It's okay. It calmed Wemy. Wemy surprised, but Wemy okay now. Thank you." She smiled to the man. He did try to make her relax even though she's too confused and in pain at that time to comprehend. She could at least say that she's thankful.
The man smiled softly, "Wemy, is that your name?"
The girl shook her head again, "No. I cannot say 'ah'."
The man frowned a bit, "You cannot say what?"
"'Ah'..."
The man blinked. "Err.. Why don't you think about it in your mind, sweetheart? I can read minds, so it should help you telling me what you want to say."
The girl blinked. He could read minds? Cool! She met a man who looked like a pirate, he could fly, and he could read minds! Awesome!
"Y-You could read minds?" she asked excitedly. Wide eyes and big smile on her face.
The man's visible eye twitched a bit, still couldn't accept being called a pirate. But he was amused by her reactions at the mention of his ability. None of the Wonderlands reacted like her about it. They're either scared, cautious, and some even hate him. But this girl, she's interested. Perhaps it's because that she's still young and couldn't yet see how it's annoying for people's minds to be pricked into? Annoying to people but useful to him. Not to mention, fun. He decided to reply in her mind.
'Of course I can.'
The girl's eyes went wide again that the man thought those were about to explode.
"A...AWESOME!" shouted the little girl. She grinned, and then she laughed.
The man tensed at her outburst and didn't know how to react. She... She complimented his ability. What he could do, which everybody despised of and always insult with care. And she even laughed at it. Not a mocking laugh, but... A positive laugh.
"You... You don't think it's strange?" he felt his lips moving on his own.
She giggled. "It's strange, sir. But great!"
Strange. But great.
"Really? Many people hate me because of it. They say it's bad luck. " He said with a sad smile, flying around aimlessly.
The girl followed him on her feet. "Wemy think it's nice, sir!"
The man turned around and looked at her. A smile beamed on her face. He couldn't help but smile too. This little girl is interesting. He stopped and looked at her, making her stopped her steps in front of him and looked him back. Smiling all the way.
"Thank you. You're the first one to say that, my dear."
"You're welcome!" she beamed.
He chuckled and lowered himself to her. "So, what is your name, sweetheart? Think it on your mind now."
The girl nodded.
'Remilia. Remilia Popin Sierra.'
"Remilia. And your siblings call you Remy."
"Yep! You can call me that too!"
He nodded. "Well Remy dear, my name is Nightmare Gottschalk. You can call me Nightmare."
"Hello Nightmare. Nice to meetchu!"
He chuckled, "The same can be said to you, my dear."
The girl giggled.
"Do you want to fly?" Nightmare asked.
The girl tilted her head. "I can't fly like you Nightmare."
"Oh you can. This is your dream after all." He stretched his hands to the side.
"Wemy... I'm dreaming?" she asked, still confused.
"Yes. We are having a conversation in your dream." He flew around again.
"So this is all a dream?" she frowned. She liked meeting this man. He's so relaxed and that made her relaxed too. If this only a dream, he will go when she woke up. She wanted him to stay a bit more.
He smiled. "Yes. But I'll still be here when you wake up." He made puffs of clouds appear in the landscape.
She didn't quite get it, but she nodded anyway.
Nightmare chuckled again and turned to her. "Why don't you show me what you wanted to see the most right now?"
"What I want to see?"
"Yes. Just think about it."
The little girl closed her eyes. She thought about something and smiled. She sat on the ground. And then the landscape changed into a green grassy hill with her sitting on a checkered blanket. There were picnic stuffs on the blanket. She opened her eyes and looked at her surroundings and nodded.
Nightmare's feet touched the ground as he sat beside her. "Do you like having picnic?" he asked, looking at her.
"Yes! Sister and brother picnic with me every weekend. It was fun!" she exclaimed. She made a tea set appeared in front of them and took the small kettle with both hands. "We played and talked and eat a lot!"
"Really now? I bet it was fun." Nightmare replied, small smile embedded on his lips seeing her actions.
"So much fun!" she tilted the kettle and poured the imaginary tea into two cups. Then she put the kettle down. "We also had tea every time. Sister makes the best tea!"
Nightmare raised the cup and plate on both hands and smelled it like there was tea inside the cup.
"Hmm~ But your tea smelled delicious." Said Nightmare, looking at her with a wide smile.
She grinned. "Really?"
"Oh yes. I bet it tasted a hundred times better." He winked, raised the cup and took a sip. "Mm! It is!"
She giggled and bowed, "Thank you."
They had tea, talked, and ran around chasing each other. All the way smiling, giggling, and laughing. They enjoyed that dream, both of them. And Nightmare was glad he could make her enjoy her time. When it was time for her to wake up, he kissed her forehead and let her raised herself from her slumber as the landscape fades away.