A/N: Okay everyone we're almost to the end! I want ya'll to tell me if you have any questions or requests for extended scenes, I'll gladly write them. I know the ending is a bit abrupt, but I can't finish it any other way, I have writer's block. Plus I want to bring this story to a close. I'd like to thank my reviewers for giving me motivation: Meta Knight LOVER, Bloodlush Vampire, Juliethebold, Authenti, and MisoSoupwithEggplant. Thank you peoples!!

Two days of Kirby slaying demon beasts, and several worried phone calls later…

"Oh thank God," I stated as my slammed my phone shut. I just got a call from my parents; apparently Valerie's softball team is so badassed they made it to the European tournament. The good news is another week of non-incognito alien activity; the bad news is Stalker Kid will still be here.

"What's up?" Mac came up behind me, giving me the biggest heart-attack a thirteen year-old has ever endured.

"What the hell, Mac? Do you enjoy scaring the ever-living crap out of me?" I didn't say crap, I said the profanity version. Shoot. Mac had super-wide eyes and a gaping mouth to boot.

"You cussed! I knew I was rubbing off on you! Ha." She started smile an angel's smile. I threw some pretty disgusting looks at her. I felt a sharp pang in my head.

Ever since these freaking nightmares started, I've been having splitting headaches. They would turn up whenever my emotions got on the irritated or angry side. Because of that I've been giving Carter a wide berth. Let's face it—the kid is infuriating!

A large crash boomed outside. Mac and I inclined our heads simultaneously towards the sound.

"Is it another demon beast?" Mac questioned me as if we were talking about the weather.

"Probable,"

"Wanna watch Kirby kick arse?" Now it sounded like we were discussing golf.

"Sure, why not? It's not like I have anything better to do."

Now Kirby was fighting some kind of feline creature, clad in fire and all that two-hundred degrees Fahrenheit jazz. I noticed Mac was gone. I heard running water. She came out holding a small water balloon. She looked bored, Carter looked bored, I felt bored, Meta Knight was pretty self-explanatory, and Kirby was fighting. It's not that alien violence wasn't cool or exciting; we were just tired of the two demon beasts a day schedule. I don't know how the characters in the anime put up with this.

"Yo Kirby, eat this!" Kirby turned towards Mac as she chucked the balloon straight at him. He seemed to understand what was going on, so he swallowed it. The usual flash and Kirby was wearing a purple turban while his body looked entirely composed of water.

Kirby started to douse the fiery monster, eventually weakening it until it exploded—nothing out of the ordinary here; except my head started to ache, very badly.

"Ouch! Dang it!" I exclaimed. The sharp pain started to increase. I held my head, vainly trying to dull the agony.

I didn't realize I was on my knees until someone had their arms on my waist. I was too distracted to get angry at my supporter.

"Vivian, are you okay? What happened?" Carter's voice was at my ear. He sounded like he was in hysterics.

"Head... pain... help!" I managed to gasp. Vertigo and exhaustion started to take over. I only realized I was on the couch when a pillow was under my head. I could hear Mac's repeated Oh my Gods in the background.

The exhaustion grew, trying to make me succumb. No matter how hard I fought, I drowned in tiredness, sinking into unconsciousness.

***

Meta Knight's POV

Vivian went completely unconscious, the tense muscles of her face relaxed. Mackenzie became hysterical.

"Meta Knight, do something! I don't care what you do to her. I want my sister alive! Save her!" She clutched my cape and started to sob from worry.

I wish I knew what to do. I was a knight, not a medical expert. Despite my lack of experience in this field, I still felt bad. Mackenzie would fall apart from the loss of her closest confidant. Vivian kept her sane. Carter tried to calm her.

"Mac, she's still breathing. Relax. Now, before Vivian passed out, she said something about her head hurting. Do you know anything that could be connected to the migraines?" Carter was exceptionally calm and rational. He must be very good at keeping his head.

Mac looked up at him with a tear-stained face. Vivian must be her anchor on rationality.

"Vi's been having nightmares—bad ones. She wakes up in the middle of the night, babbles nonsense, and even screams bloody murder. You have to know she's one heck of a heavy sleeper. I don't know what's wrong with her." Another wave of hysterics claimed Mac's sanity.

"Okay, so Vivian has been having nightmares. Maybe the lack of sleep and bad dreams are giving her headaches. But doesn't it seem strange that she had a migraine episode right after Kirby killed that lion thing?" He had a point. Her headaches seemed connected to that demon beast. And she's been having reoccurring nightmares. Oh no. This means one being is responsible for Vivian's: Nightmare.

Three sets of curious eyes turned to me. I never realized I said the word aloud.

Mac cursed lowly, which turned into a stream of profanities, half-pouring out of her mouth. I even heard some of those words from Carter, but much louder and clearer.

I thought a million things at once—the theories and solutions mixing together— forming an incoherent buzz. Nightmare must have invaded Vivian's mind. Taking root in her subconscious, waiting for the right moment to emerge… which was now.

I should have known. If Nightmare's monstrous creations ended up here, no doubt his power would have, too. Humans are such complex creatures; intelligent and yet so ignorant and naïve—I at least gathered that much about them from my visit. Vivian was no exception to the human race; she could succumb easily due to her unshielded mind.

I heard a piercing scream of pure pain. The source was Mackenzie. She was doubled over, holding her head tightly—just as Vivian was moments before. Carter's hands fluttered helplessly around her.

"It is no use," The human child looked stiffly towards me, "Nightmare is taking our minds over. One by one, until all of us are where he wants us." Carter nodded stiffly as Mackenzie's screeches ceased and she collapsed on the floor. He looked defeated and seethed a bit. Humans like him do not enjoy feeling weak or helpless.

"What will happen to us? Are we goners now?"

"I don't know." Silence now claimed the atmosphere.

The room's tense aura was now broken by a loud 'poyo'. Carter covered his ears.

"Kirby's done in. Jeez, his scream was louder than Mac's. How much you wanna bet I'm next?" I was right—this kid is very good at keeping his head straight.

"I don't gamble,"

I should have expected this happening. I should have kept these children from getting involved. The most that saddened me, though, was the fact this wretched war cannot be won.

I decided I could hope for the best. Keep a grip on things like this teenager beside me. If we do not die, we could do something about Nightmare. Kirby could do something, despite his lack of experience. I know his natural talent will show, and potentially overpower Nightmare.

Carter looked at Vivian with a painful expression. Anyone could tell what he thought about Vivian, except for Vivian—who is completely oblivious to this fact. People of any race let their insecurities block their emotions. It was really a pity.

"You are infatuated by her." I just put it bluntly.

"Yeah, is it really that obvious?"

"Anyone without the ability to see can tell." Again, I was blunt.

"I know. I guess she has no sense of attraction at all." He sighed. I had no clue what to say to him. My life experience came from the fighting arts and war. I've only felt friendship and brotherhood so far.

"Try again. If you want to acquire something important to you, do not let the opportunity out of your grasp. Just be a little more stubborn." I guess it was acceptable advice to give. He now had a thoughtful look on his face.

"Good point. But I'm taking girl advice from what, a thousand year-old soldier—who still hasn't found his other half." We both chuckled at that.

"I'm a knight, not a matchmaker. I have no experience in that kind of territory."

"You still have an excellent point, though." His smirk grew an iota.

"Thank you."

Carter started to hiss. His teeth clenched, and his head was now held between his head.

"Guess it's my time to go." The words slid out of his teeth.

I started to feel great respect for his bravery. He never shows weakness, even now, as he gave in to the pain of the headache.

I know awaited my turn—and my chance—to face Nightmare again.

***

Vivian's POV

I struggled to wake up, my body felt weak and disconnected. I tried my eyes first. Lifting my heavy lids, my eyes beheld a dark, black hole-like sky.

I knew this place. This was the setting of my nightmare.

I heard a familiar screech. My head turned up towards the sky, seeing a falling figure heading straight for the ground. That scream was Mac's.

"Mac!" I shouted.

She crashed to the ground. I ran towards her, praying that she was still alive.

"Mac? Mac?! Are you alright? Mac, listen to me! Mackenzie!" I kept calling her, shaking her until she was conscious again.

"Uh." She groaned.

"Mac! You're okay!" Thank you God!

"Vi? Where the heck am I? Are you okay? You are the one who scared the bejeezus out of me."

"Well, I think we're in my nightmare. I'm fine; the migraine's gone. I'm sorry for scaring you." I hugged her; happy and relieved I have my closest friend with me again.

We distracted ourselves from the horrific setting for a few minutes by having easy conversation.

The end of the conversing came when we heard a boyish squeal—no doubt it belonged to Kirby. Mac and I searched frantically, trying to find Kirby. I felt something crash on top of me, causing me to face-plant on the checkered-tiled floor.

"Found him." My response was muffled by the floor. I raised my head to face Mac.

She blinked twice, before bursting into loud, shrill laughs.

"Very funny, I'd like to see you on the ground after getting pummeled by a pink puff." She only laughed harder. Mac never takes my threats seriously.

"Hey Kirby, what's up?" I asked him, he only stared blankly.

"The ceiling!" Mac shouted next to me.

"Nobody asked you, you jerk."

"It takes one to know one, honey. You of all people should know that." Mac stated knowingly.

"Are you trying to tell me something? Or did you get involved with some liquor?" She only laughed in response.

Our slightly insulting banter was broken by a loud thump. I turned around and saw—what do you know—my personal stalker. Joy.

"I'll get 'im," Mac sing-songed next to me, springing lithely to her feet. She jogged over to him.

"Hey, stalker-man, wake up," Mac started to shake him, "Carter, get up!" now she slapped his face. I couldn't help it; I started laughing. Now he woke up. I wondered if it was because I laughed. A thrill of disgust and flattery shot up my spine.

"What the hell?" Carter started to rub the red spot on his cheek. Mac must've slapped him pretty hard. I laughed a bit more, only to have his gaze locked on mine.

"Did you enjoy your wake-up call?" Mac asked him with faux sweetness. Carter narrowed his eyes and slowly shook his head.

"No, Mackenzie, I did not enjoy that at all."

"We did, right Vivian?" I smiled sheepishly.

His anger seemed to disappear. I liked the fact I could calm him like that. Wait. I enjoyed causing this kid something besides pain?

I froze, but shook it off. I'll worry about it later. My life is complicated enough. No need to feed the flame.

"I'm assuming you guys haven't seen Nightmare yet?" Carter asked beside me. I gave him a quizzical look.

"No. What about him?"

He looked at Mac, who was giving him the same look. Heck, Kirby even looked confused—well, he always looked confused.

"You don't remember?" She shook her head.

"Honest to God," She swore, crossing her heart.

He looked straight towards me now. "Vi, Nightmare's been giving you the bad dreams. We think it's to get to Kirby and, possibly, the rest of us. I don't know how we're gonna get out. It seems like we're trapped in your subconscious, our physical bodies are still in the living room, though; that's why we couldn't feel the fall."

"See, I told you your conscience was trying to tell you something." Mac stated, proud her theory was right.

"If you count a sadistic villain bent on trying to take over the universe as my conscience, then yeah, totally." I could feel the sarcasm dripping in each word.

"Sadistic is an excellent term for Nightmare's personality." I knew that Spanish-vampire accent anywhere.

"Meta Knight, where the heck did you come from?" Mac asked him. I could almost hear the struggle it took her to say 'heck' instead of 'hell'. She must be cutting back for my sake.

He pointed up to the void-like ceiling looming over our heads.

"The same way everyone else arrived here, I assume." We nodded our heads.

Meta Knight's eyes narrowed and flashed red. Before I could figure out what was going on, something yanked my collar, lifting me off the ground.

A/N: Cliffhanger! I know you hate me for it. Just review, pretty please?