Shendu kept his distance when he watched his daughter. He could understand why she didn't want to sleep. After further studying the collars dark magic, he found that to be the cause. In his stone state he could do nothing to help her. Even if he wasn't a statue he couldn't use the good magic that would be needed to help her. This was something she was going to have to fix herself. He just wasn't sure if she could without going insane first.
Dominic sat up on her hind legs as she tried to control the shadows. The shadows were by far her worst ability. She managed to get them to form lumps like before but when she tried to form other things the shadows would snap back at her. She was not going to be taken down by the Shadow Con again. Dominic growled in frustration.
"OK just take a breath. You can do this." She told herself as she tried again. The shadows responded by slamming her in the chest knocking the breath out of her.
"Ow" she groaned getting back to her feet.
"You're trying too hard." Shendu commented. Dominic turned and growled.
"What do you want?" she demanded.
"Is that anyway to speak to your father?" Shendu hissed.
"In this case yes." Dominic countered.
"You are understandably angry but I have found the collar is the reason for your nightmares." Shendu informed her.
"I figured considering it is the same thing I saw when I was guarding your talisman at least when I didn't astral project to escape it." Dominic stated. "and angry doesn't cover it."
"Because I forced you to sleep?" Shendu asked.
"Because I didn't want you to see your own death." Dominic growled.
Shendu was taken aback by this. "
What?" he asked.
"You shouldn't have to see your own death." She repeated.
"Little one, you do not need to shield me from your nightmares. Let me help you." Shendu requested.
"You can't" Dominic turned away "You can't use good magic."
Shendu moved to her side "But I can stand by you so you're not alone." He promised.
Dominic bit her lip. She didn't want to watch her world fall apart again but what choice did she have?
"OK." She finally agreed. Dominic was incredibly nervous as she laid down.
"You're never going to fall asleep if you don't calm down." Shendu stated.
"I can't!" Dominic said getting back to her feet. "This isn't going to work."
"I could get the Shadow Con to put you to sleep." Shendu suggested.
"Don't you dare." Dominic growled taking to the sky.
Shendu gave chase but was surprised when she landed on a cloud.
"What are you doing?" Shendu asked as she curled up on the cloud.
"In case you haven't noticed the Shadow Con are a large part of the nightmares and they can't get to me up here. Well at least not the kind you use." Dominic stated. "That and I would prefer not to lose complete control of my powers again."
"Very well." Shendu agreed. "Tell me something my daughter, are your nightmares what the future holds?"
"Not if I can stop it." Dominic said looking up at the stars.
"You seem to like the stars." Her father observed.
"Yeah they're beautiful. We don't have them nor the sun or moon in the future I came from. It's just darkness." Dominic commented.
"What happened?" Shendu asked.
"I don't know exactly." "She admitted "All I know is that at some point you lose control of your Shadow Con and they take over the world and you are one of the few who oppose them."
"I see." Shendu narrowed his eyes.
They were both silent for a long time until Dominic began to hum. Shendu couldn't help but laugh as he listened to the haunting melody.
"What?" Dominic asked.
"That song is a dragon lullaby. Where did you learn it?" Shendu asked.
"From you." Dominic said.
"My mother would always sing it to me when I was young." Shendu smiled.
Dominic grinned and continued to hum until she drifted to sleep.
Dominic was met the same nightmare but this time Shendu intervened almost immediately reminding her it wasn't real. The young dragon fought the Shadow Con just like before only this time something was different. With each ninja she defeated, the dream seemed to lighten.
"Are you doing that?" Dominic asked.
"No you are." Shendu stated.
"If only it was this easy in real life." She sighed as she continued to push the darkness back until the dream changed to a peaceful field.
"Was that so difficult?" Shendu asked.
"Very." She grunted with a look of intense focus on her face. "I have to constantly keep the nightmare back."
"It will get easier." Shendu assured as he brushed against her cheek with his face affectionately.
"I hope you are right." She sighed relaxing into his affection a bit.
