~Ten years ago...~

The streets bustled with traffic and nighttime passersby. You crouched in the alleyway, a small portion of burger clenched in your freezing hands. You were about eight years old. Your stomach growled with intense hunger. You glanced up at the apartment windows above. Even from so far below you could hear your father's drunken revel with his gambling buddies. On nights like these, you were too afraid to stick around, so you always left when no one was looking.

You had gotten your hands on the measly scrap of burger by digging through the nearby garbage can. Father never fed you, so this was what you had to resort to. He never stocked the apartment with actual food, and the food he didget, you weren't allowed to touch. Thus, you ate whatever you got your hands on.

Despite it being such a cold night, there you were, hungrily devouring that sliver of hamburger. Regardless of the miserable situation down in the alley, it was better than being up there. Whenever your father had his buddies over, they would touch you and tug you in ways you didn't like. They hurt you, even more than your father did when you were alone with him. You were much happier--and safer--down in that alley.

At least, for a little while.

Once you had finished your pitiful scrap, you stumbled to your feet. Your stomach still wailed, but hopefully once that morsel set in, your hunger would fade a bit.

Just as you had stood up, you heard a shout from above.

"(Y/N)! (Y/N), where are you?!"

Your father. His head stuck out from the window. "(Y/N), you li'l bitch. Did you run away again?" His voice slurred, and he obviously stumbled over his words. His tone was full of aggression, and it scared you.

His gaze shifted down to you. Immediately, you froze. His expression turned to pure rage. He climbed out of the window and onto the fire escape.

Your first instinct: run.

You scampered outof the alley. You were so weak and feeble, you couldn't move very quickly. You tripped over your own feet as you shoved meekly through the night-goers. You knew, despite your father being so far away, that he would catch up to you.

Just as this thought hit you, you heard heavy, drunken footfalls from behind you. Still, you didn't look back until you felt a hand grip your wrist. It was like iron, turning it to mush. You cried out in pain, but no one seemed to notice. A few glanced, but looked away out of fear.

Your father began to drag you back towards the alleyway.

"Papa! No, please--"

"Shut up, you stupid little fucker!" he growled, "You're as much of a bitch as your mother." He sniffed. "Makes me glad the whore killed herself."

He tightened his grip further. You yelped again in pain.

Soon, you had returned to the alley. Your father threw you against the wall. You were too weak to run, so instead you slumped against the cold concrete building. Your father raised his fist and began pounding your tiny body.

Over and over again, they hit you. The pain was excruciating. It was as though every bone in your body was shattering. Even worse was the emotional pain.

Ever since your mother's suicide, he had gone mad. He wasn't even your Papa anymore. He was a monster. A true monster, not those poor, somewhat sad monsters you read and heard about. A real, evil one.

As you gave up on crying, your father's punches lessened. After a while, he stopped, panting and looking down on you. "This is the last time I'll deal with your shit, (Y/N)." He raised his foot and bashed it down into your skull, and the blackness enveloped you.

When you opened your eyes, you had no idea where you were. It was like a void. An endless, white void. Were you dead? Was this Heaven, or Hell, or Purgatory? It was so empty.

You tried to call out, but your voice was lost. Your body still ached from the beating. This let you know you were still alive.

You attempted to stand, for you were laying on the seemingly nonexistent floor. You wobbled for a bit, then immediately fell to your knees. Your voice seemed to return, and you cried out.

Who knew how long you remained there, on your knees. You couldn't process your situation. You weren't dead--you just knew it, from the way your heart beat rapidly in your chest to the ache in your bones.

Your mind went completely blank. Nothing could have broken you out of your state, which was an emptiness almost comparative to the world you lingered in. That is, until you heard footsteps approaching.

You forced yourself to look up. Above you stood what appeared to be a skeleton. Only...it--he, you assumed--was alive.Not only that, but he appeared to be sentient.

He wore a golden cape with a maroon clasp, which had a white star on it. He also wore an elegant golden crown and golden boots. His shirt was blue and white, and his pants were the same shade of blue. He had a solid gold belt with the initials DS,and on the belt were little dark blue vials with white stars on them.

She stared at him, trying to process what he was, and what was going on. It was too much for your young mind to process.

"A-are you okay?"

You blinked out of your trance. His voice was light and airy, and seemed to have an English accent.

The skeleton knelt down before you hurriedly, his marigold eyes full of concern. "H-how...how did you get here? I didn't think a human--let alone a child--could get here..."

Your mouth remained shut. You were so confused.

That was when you heard another voice.

"Dream! Did you see where he went?"

Another skeleton arrived. He was even more strange than the first. Around his neck was wrapped a long brown scarf covered in scribbles. His wore a deep chocolate shirt with long, lighter-coloured sleeves. His leggings were also a dark brown, with small designs on the sides. Wrapped around his waist was a dull blue sweater. Across his chest hung a sash holding a multitude of paints. Every time he blinked, his eyes changed colour and shape. Stars, triangles, circles, teardrops--you name a shape, his eyes were it, each side different.

He was running towards you and the first skeleton, but slowed when his gaze laid on you. You were strangely intimidated by him--you could sense his power surging from him.

"What...who's...who's this?" he asked.

"I'm...I'm not sure," the first replied. He looked to you. "What is your name?"

You couldn't find the words. You were so afraid. After a struggle, you meekly squeaked, "(Y-Y/N)(L/N)..."

"(Y/N) (L/N)..." The first skeleton began to fumble through the vials on his belt, dropping a few as he did so.

"A human...?" the other said, "But how did she get here...?" You had expected him to be angry, but instead he sounded curious, tapping his chin with a -literally- bony finger. After a bit, he smiled down at you. "Oh, yeah. I'm Ink!" He then motioned towards his companion. "You can call him Dream."

The one named Dream gasped in glee. He held out a vial. "This is it! (Y/N) (L/N)!" He pressed in the star on the vial, and you were flooded in memories.

There was you, your mother, and your father--before everything turned to misery. You were on the beach, building a sand castle with your Papa as your mother took pictures. That was only three years ago. The memories rushed through all the sweetness and joy until it suddenly became horrible and twisted. You saw yourself, seven years old, walking in on your mother hung from the ceiling, your father screaming in anguish from the backroom. Then it went to all those nights your father beat you, and the nights his friends touched you in those awful ways, and then to you running away, and finally to watching your father's boot come down on your skull--

The memories ended, and you cried out in pain. They were so disgusting, so terrible, you could hardly stand it--why would he do that? Why would he show you those, make you relive through those visions? Was he evil? Why would he do that to you, and how?

As the young you sobbed, you felt arms wrap around you. You froze. Dream was holding you. "Oh, you poor human! I am so sorry!"

"What? What was it?" Ink asked desperately, "What did you see?"

Dream released you and turned to him. "It's...it's nothing. I don't understand how she got here, but she seemed unconscious when it happened. In all honesty, she may not actuallybe here at all. It may just be her subconscious."

At this, Ink crouched and placed his hands on your shoulders. You tensed, but relaxed when you sensed the kindness emanating from him. "Don't worry, kid. We'll figure out what's going on."

As soon as he said that, you began to grow dizzy. Your eyes closed drearily, and you leaned against him. You were so tired, so exhausted...your body was giving up.

You let the exhaustion get to you, and found the white, empty world around become engulfed in darkness...

When you awoke, you were in an ambulance. As you opened your eyes, your whole body racked in pain, you thought about what had happened to those skeletons. It had all ended so suddenly, you couldn't even comprehend it.

You concluded that it must have all been a dream. Despite that, you couldn't help but feel a surging warmth throughout your chest. You wished you would see those strange beings one day again...

What a silly wish,you thought as your body lost consciousness once more.