Eater just keeps laughing at what he sees on the TV, when Ethan asks his stuttering question, he points at the Nightmare King and grins. "Yep, that's definitely Malice! Moons, look how drunk he is! Hahahahaha! Ahh, poor Bubble Brain, you can tell she didn't enjoy dancing with him," he snickers.

--

Ethan slowly nodded his head making a confused face "o-ok if you say so..." He look over at the TV, it was hard to believe /THAT/ was Malice king of Nightmares "... He d-oesn't look like the king I heard about but I guess been drunk changes things..." He whispers thinking out loud.

Meanwhile Crimson was tossing and turning on his bed, the red Prince was being plague by nightmares from Scarlet...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Crimson look out a crossed his burning Kingdom " NOO!" he screamed but when the boy tried to move forward chains bounded him.

[ Do you hear them?... Their screams? Isn't it beautiful?... ]

The scenery changed to a hazy field, shapes could be made out in the fog, rows of dead Nightmares impaled and hang on Stones or crystal's Spears scattered throughout the field on this play.

It took a moment for Crimson to realize we're he was after seen his home be destroyed again // this isn't real...I was just talking to Crystal...I can't be back// the Dragon shapeshifter put his hands on his forehead the blood sword was messing with his head but this time he knew it " SCARLET STOP THIS!" He demanded

The mist swirled in one spot, a pool of red crimson Blood bubbled up from the ground and soon took shape of a dragon " do you not remember master?...do you not hear them?..." Scarlet asked.

Crimson glare up at Scarlet, The Dragon of blood had a sleek elegant shape, she stood on four legs and had a pair of wings on her back that drip with blood, her head was angular like a viper, she had black dead eyes and she had fin like ears, her appearance was that of a Vampiric Nethersglade. " SHUT UP!! GET OUT OF MY HEAD SCARLET!! I I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE! " The boy pointed at her " DON'T CALL ME /MASTER/! I KNOW WHO YOU /REALLY/ BELONG TO! YOUR ONE OF SOLEDORMIR CURSED WEAPONS!! AND I WANT NO PART OF YOU!! " Crim shouted slashing his hand in a 'no way' gesture

" master you act surprised? But did you not know this? Did you not know?... You and I made a pack...I am yours just as much as you belong to him..." Scarlet spoke in her monotone way

Crimson slowly step back away from the blood Dragon " no... There has to be a way out! I don't belong to him like some tool! That wasn't the deal we made Scarlet! We we're to kill Malice! Rid the realms from Nightmares! Not what you made me do!" The dragon shapeshifter turned and ran into the fog...

[ There's no going back... There's no denying who you are master ] Scarlet voice whispered in his mind

Crimson race through the mist passing corpses of Nightmares // I have to get out of here! This has to be a dream! I remember I was with Crystals, we were talking that the last thing I remember, I told her...I love her // and with that memory "I know this isn't real!"

Scarlett narrowed her black eyes, she knew what the boy was thinking, ever since the Human girl and the Dragon Prince became friends, he had been changing, listening to Crystal and relying on her instead of Scarlett...

Crimson wasn't expecting what happened next, as he was running a figure took shape in front of him, the boy slid to a stop, his eyes widened with horror as Mina body was on display just like the Nightmares corpses, the dragon shapeshifter step back and cover his mouth feeling sick // oh moons... Mina... I-I... I d-idn't want to do it! //

A blood claw reached up behind Crimson and grip his face " did you not enjoy it? Killing her?...to feel her life slip through your claws master?... Was it like the good times we had? All the Nightmares we killed?... wasn't her life sweeter to take?....one of the chosen candidate master?" Scarlet whispered in his ear

Crimson heart felt like it was going to explosion this chest, fear course through his veins // N-no! I didn't want to kill her! I-I didn't! Oh moons! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry Mina!! This is all my fault!! // Tears ran down the princess face in shame

Scarlet turn the boy around so he was facing her
" Death is what you were made for master...you remember death don't you?" She asked, more Spears emerged from the fog each one had a body of a candidate impaled on it "remember this is what you are...a Prince of red....."
Crimson was trembling seen the bodys of the others on display " i-im not a monster... "
Scarlet gave a soft smile at the red Prince, she took her claw under his chin " A monster is what you are now, but you can be free for that... you were so close to being free, take off your shackles and free yourself... don't you want to come home? "
Crimson had tears running down his face, he used to believe her and even now her Whispers still had some influence, a part of him wanted to believe her just like he used to but he knew now the blood sword was nothing but lies "NO! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!!" he shouted pulling away from the blood dragon.

Crimson was panicking he didn't want to be here anymore, he wants to go back to Crystal, back to the world of light not this dark place of death " CRYSTAL!! CRYSTAL!! SOMEONE HELP ME!! " he desperately called hoping someone in reality could hear him

Scarlet narrowed her eyes at him again, she did not like the Human girl and the hope she gave Crimson, and right now the Prince was resisting the Blood sword " very well master....but do you really think they will let you live when they know who you are? What you have done?... They will reject you... They will turn their backs on you.... they will try to kill you..." and with that Scarlet let go of her hold of the prince dream, her last words echoed in his mind
"...but know master I will always be here for you...to guide you home..."

Crimson gasped waking up from his Nightmare, his body was trembling with fear as tears streamed down his face, he immediately set up taking short panic breaths, his wrist felt like fire form the bracelet still working on controlling his corruption, the prince look around his cell and notice no one was around...

Crimson hug himself feeling alone... All he wanted right now was someone anyone to keep his mind from slipping back.

The white haired boy got up and paced in his cell before setting down in the back of the room, Crim cover his face feeling sick of all he had done and what Scarlet said...

"Yeah, well a lot of weird stuff has been happening with him lately..." Dreameater replies, snickering a bit more before he remembers what he was doing, and sighs. "Well... I guess I'll get going, I uh... I'm going to go see Crimson, so if everything blows up again, you'll know why... I'll try not to agitate him though, so hopefully he won't be a nuke... Talk to ya later, Ethan, thanks again for the help," he says, waving nervously to the wolf boy before heading off toward his room...

Ethan just slowly nodded 'o-k' at what the young Nightmare said, there was a lot he didn't understand yet but he was going to go with the flow...the wolf boy made a small shy wave as Eater left // I really hope nothing blow up again...//

Crimson was setting on the floor in the far back corner of the cell, he was hugging his legs with his face buried in his knees, the red Prince had been crying from everything that happened // I couldn't stop...I killed her... Crystal I'm so sorry, I try, I really tried, but I'm nothing more than a monster... I'm not strong enough to fight it...I'm so sorry...//

Eater slowly creaks open the door to the basement and peers down the stairs, even though he knows everything is under control, he's still a bit nervous... but at the same time, he's curious, and concerned. //... He's absolutely miserable... so he's definitely back to normal... I don't need to panic or anything... I'll still be careful though...// the young Nightmare tells himself, swallowing before slowly taking one step at a time down the stairs... "... Hey... Crimson...? ... Will you explode if you see me...? I'm the Nightmare with the group..." Dreameater quietly calls, stopping before he reaches the bottom of the stairs and crouching, trying to be sneaky... ish...

Crimson slowly raised his head hearing his name, tear-stained the Prince's face, his left eye was back to normal of it's Sapphire gemstone appearance, but his right eye was still that of a Reaper, he had his eye parsley cloes, it hurt and his vision form it was blurry...his bracelets we're still containing the corruption and that was including his Reaper eye... black liquid ran form that eye as it was breaking down along with his tears

Normally Crimson would have flipped out in rage knowing a Nightmare was there but he didn't this time, after what he did the Prince felt to sick of himself and was in a lot of pain, he didn't show any aggression only sorrow and despair

Crimson didn't reply, he just closed his eyes and leaned against the wall and trembled with pain as he cried

Not hearing any reply from Crimson, Eater hesitates a moment before taking another step down... and then another... and another...

And then he realizes.... //This is stupid, he's in a prison cell, and obviously a mess, I'm just making myself look like an idiot...// After clearing his throat and standing up properly, Dreameater slowly makes his way down to the prison cell, and stands outside it, looking down at the Prince quietly. //... I'm not going to ask if he's ok, because that's obvious...// he tells himself, and stays quiet for a moment as he thinks. "... Hey... Your eye doesn't look so good... Want me to get something for that...?

Crimson look over at the young Nightmare with confusion, he was quite for a moment //... did he just asked to help me?...why would he do that? He a Nightmare and I try to kill him...// The Prince took one hand and wiped face, he grimace from the pain he felt... Crimson look at mixture of tears and corruption on his hand and whispered "... why help me?... after what I did..."

"Because you look like you're in pain...?" Eater replies, tilting his head a little and putting his hands in his pockets, "If I had something freaky going on with my eye, and I couldn't do anything for it myself, I'd be pretty miserable if no one would help me... Ah, don't bother answering, I'll be right back."

With that being said, Eater turns and leaves, coming back after a while carrying a small bundle of things. He pauses a moment outside the prison bars, and hesitates... "... If... If I go in there... You won't try to kill me, will you...?"

Crimson didn't say anything as Eater explained, he was confused about the Nightmare and his action, from what the Prince knew about Nightmares this wasn't anything he expected.

Crimson just closed his eyes and hug himself when Eater left, a part of him wasn't expecting the Nightmare to really come back which surprised him even more, Crimson open his eyes and look at Dreameater at his question, he noticed the stuff in his hands but didn't say anything just shook his head 'no he wasn't going to attack him '

~~[Song: "Ventus" from Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep]~~

Breathing out a quiet sigh, Eater gets out the key to his room and unlocks the door... His instincts are still making him feel a bit anxious, but seeing the state Crimson's in now helps him stay focused. Eater enters the cell and closes the door behind himself, not locking it back, and then crouches next to the Sapphire Prince, cautiously setting the things he was carrying on the ground for Crimson to see. "I've got you some bandages, a pack of ice, some chocolate, and a warm, wet washcloth to help get the gunk out of there... And when you're all bandaged up, I got you this cool eye patch too to go on top of it!" Eater explains, smirking faintly at the last accessory he "acquired," but then he pauses a moment, getting a better look at what's happening to Crimson's corrupted eye, and he grimaces. "... Is... your eye /melting?/ ... Yeck, that's pretty nasty..."

Staying quiet Crimson watched as the young Nightmare place out the items, the chocolate got his attention but not for long with Eater last observation. There was something clearly happening to his corrupted eye, it look cloudy and it kept oozing black liquid, Eater guest correctly that his eye was 'melting'

Crimson grimace at the thought of the eye melting, it differently felt like it.
"... I never had an eye like this before...it probably is though... " He moved his arms out, they we're shaking from pain, his bracelets were still working on getting the prince corruption, this arm that was a claw look human again but there was still spot of black and red on it corruption "the bracelets are healing the damage from the corruption...that means that eye to, I guess... "
He took the warm wet washcloth and place it on his corrupted eye, Crimson grimace and made a small whimper, but the warmth did make it feel a little better

Eater scrunches his face up when Crimson sheds a little light on the bracelets, and he can't help but feel grateful that he has both of his own eyes... but since they were brought up, Eater decides to ask more. "So the bracelets keep the corruption under control, and when one comes off, you literally explode and go crazy? ... Do you mind if I ask how this all started? How did you get corrupted in the first place?"

Crimson just look down with his good eye, this was a topic that was very sensitive and emotional for the Prince " My home was Gemehstedy my world, I came from the kingdom of Rubyturehx, we knew about the king's of old and the prophecy and were waiting for the time of the candidates to be gathered...I remember my father talking about my two older sister would lead part of our Kingdom army to assist the candidates...I was only a young Dragonette of 8 years at the time but I had wish I would old enough to help..." He paused " I was so naive, look at what I done... I think I know why Zitan didn't choose me now..."with his last part, Crim got quite, he thought about how he become the opposite of what he thought as a child, how inside of helping the key Hunters he only cuz the more misery.

he shook his head and forced himself to get back on topic even though he really didn't want to talk about what happened to his family " but none of that happened because of Malice...some how he found out about Rubyturehx and my family...he came for us as a tormented in the night..." Crim took his free hand and hug himself, he started blankly remembering that horrible night, tears stream down his face as he continued " he killed my oldest sister right in front of me...I-I still remember the look on her face as Malice's chains broke through wall...I thought he was going to kill me and my best friend Meknee but the wing man save us... I never knew his name until recently, but it was Omen..." Crimson trailed off at the end, he still had mixed feeling about the Vaseterm who saved him and also betrayed him but he continued his story " hordes of Nightmares we're killing our people and destroying our homes, two other sister we're almost them, along with my little brother and father and I couldn't do anything to save them..." He choked with emotion.

Dreameater listens as Crimson starts telling his sad tale, and since it seems like it's going to be a long story, he decides to sit down instead of crouching. He doesn't smirk or grin or gain any enjoyment from the intense emotions the prince is experiencing like other Nightmares would, rather, he frowns, understanding some things now. //Oh moons... It's no wonder he was jumping over a table trying to murder me... Malice took everything from him... I can't blame him...// Eater thinks, folding his hands in his lap and respectfully waiting for Crimson to continue...

Crimson move his hand down and clenched it into a fist " the worst was Malice cursed our Land, everyone who died was curse to become the living dead, my friends, my family...their bodies still Wonder in that cursive black fog of Malice', never resting... " the red Prince temper escalated with the memory and he raised his voice'
"I hate Nightmares for what they did! I HATE MALICE! I HATE HIM! I'LL KILL THEM AL-!.." Crimson couldn't continue his rant, his bracelets glow and he made a painful cry, he dropped the rag he had on his eye, Crim arms went limp and he pressed his back against the wall clenching his teeth.
Slightly darker tears stream down the Prince face, he leaned he head back against the wall with a miserable expression as he moaned, Crim try to take a few breath to calm himself but ended up choking in more tears "....why couldn't I just died with my family?...why did he have to save me?... Things would have been better...I don't deserve to live, I'm nothing but a monster now..." He being to sob uncontrollably

//The living dead? That reminds me of the zombies we saw way back at the foggy place...// Eater notes, briefly thinking back to what his former self experienced then...

But, when he feels Crimson building up a rage, and the dragon prince starts screaming about how he's going to kill all Nightmares, Eater instinctively jumps up off the ground and quickly backs away until he's right at the door to the cell, being half tempted to scream himself as he fearfully watches Crimson... only to watch as he starts sobbing.

It takes the young Nightmare a good five minutes to pull himself away from the prison bars and take a few steps closer to Crimson, knowing he needs to calm down some and think about what he should say before he tries to help him. "... No... You're not a monster yet... You're crying. Monsters don't cry, do they...?" Dreameater quietly asks, not sure if he should mention that Crimson sure is as terrifying as one... though something tells him he probably shouldn't. "You're afraid... and not just for your life, you're afraid of killing other people..."

Hesitating a moment, Eater frowns, and slowly, very slowly, goes to sit down again, this time with more distance between him and Crimson. //Standing up to talk doesn't feel right, like I'm trying to make him feel insignificant... I'd rather be on his level... Moons, please don't let him snap again and make me die because I sat down...//

Crimson just cry in his misery at first, that was until Dreameater spoke up, the dragon shapeshifter slowly opened his eyes again, there wasn't much left of his corrupted one... but he could still see fine out of his good eye.

Crimson didn't say anything at first to Eater, he actually forgotten he was talking to a Nightmare // he really different than others Nightmares...// He was quiet as he let what Eater said sink in and he was right, Crimson was scared, he was frightened of what he could become and he was terrified of killing someone else...
it got the prince thinking about a request but right now all he said was " I just don't want to kill anyone else..."

Now that he calm down, his tears change to a clear light blue, Crim look at his bracelets and continued his story "...me and Meknee got separated from Omen and were attack by Nightmares...Meknee used a portal Stone and teleporting me away...I didn't know what to do in that moment...I lost everything, I didn't even know if Meknee was still a live, I was alone in a world I didn't know...or at least I thought I was alone..." Crimson hug himself again remembering what happened next " I wasn't alone, I remember the creepy song of a female Nightmare, singing about my dead family...she took her chains and impaled me with them...she sung her song and I fell asleep..." Crimson started to Trimble "I still see her teal eyes in my dreams and hear her voice taunting...I thought everything that happened was just a bad dream, but I was wrong and the nightmare that was now my life only got worse..."

Eater again listens quietly as Crimson carries on with his story, his eyes widen when the prince mentions a female Nightmare with teal eyes singing a creepy lullaby... //Waker? She corrupted him? ... But surely a Nightmare doesn't have the kind of power to do /this/ to Crimson... right?// he thinks, knowing he will have questions for Waker later...

"... So after everything you went through, it got even worse...?"

Crimson nodded his head " it's all kind of a blur after I passed out...but I remember that Nightmare talking to someone...a man voice but I never seen him, but he wanted me for something, I think he the one who did this to me, I still hear his voice in my dreams sometime and just before I snapped and killed Mina I heard his voice again, telling me to kill..." Crimson rubbed his bracelet thinking back on what happened.

" it's like a mixed collage of nightmares, I never knew when I was awake or asleep... I do know we're ever they took me was one of Soledormir corrupted worlds, it was dark but I do remember seen /four blood moons/.. " He placed a hand to his forehead and had wide eyes " i-t was so dark I couldn't see b-ut I was in so much pain, everything hurt, it felt like my insides we're on fire but I was cold, so cold...and the voices, so many voice, they just clawing in my head, I didn't know what was happening to me, what they did, but I wanted to die, I just wanted it to end but it didn't"

//Waker was talking to someone... a man... I need to ask her about this...// Eater concludes, grimacing faintly when Crimson states that that man was telling him to kill, and he tenses up when he notices the prince rubbing his bracelet...

"Dear moons, that's horrible... It's no wonder you hate Nightmares so much..." Dreameater quietly remarks, noticing how traumatized Crimson is by these memories, he thinks for a moment before getting up and walking over to him, sitting next to him with his back against the wall as well. "... But something happened, something got you out of there, and you got those bracelets."

Crim look over at Eater next to him, he didn't move or get aggressive at the Nightmare sit down, he was just quite and look back to his bracelets and rubbed them " Omen came and got me out of that place..." He thinks back at what Blue said about the Vaseterm " I guess it was probably Judas who saved me?" He asked " I never knew his name, he never told me even when I asked him"
The Prince shook his head " the corruption was taking over my body fast, he later told me that my corruption was to make me into some kind of Reaper...that Reaper we're Dragons that Soledormir turned into monsters and the way he seen to slow it down was to make me human..." Crimson raised his hands in front of himself and look at them " this form isn't natural to me, I wasn't born a shapeshifter this form was gifted to me by my friend Meknee but i never got to see her again...I don't know what happened to her, if she still alive or not...I really miss her"

Letting out a sad sigh the dragon Prince continued "
Judas gave me the bracelets, he said they keep the corruption contain but it not enough to remove it from me, I still have side effects and time I get so angry..." He said the last part quietly, knowing just how easy he lose his temper, Crim rubbed his bracelet feeling guilty and ashamed of that

"Hmm... well... maybe you'll see her again eventually," Eater replies, first making a comment about Meknee before saying anything about what Crimson said, "You're not a natural shapeshifter, huh? That must have been weird the first time you shifted..."

... Seeing how Crimson is still fidgeting with his bracelets makes Eater anxious though, and he carefully places his hand on Crimson's arm, "H-hey... Could you... stop that please? ... Here, you can have Hope if you need something to play with." The young Nightmare then reaches into his pocket, pulls out his Forgotten, and hands her over to the prince, "Just... be gentle with her."

Crimson made a small smirk with the memory of waking up as a human, he was us to a human form now but back then it completely freak him out " it was definitely something, you live your whole life as a dragon only hearing stories about the two legs one, I never seen a humanoid until Judas, shapeshifter are rare with the Crystal-gem dragon and none were in my Kingdom so waking up one day as a pink squishy thing was pretty frightening, I thought I really did change into a monster at first "

Crimson look at Eater when he touched him, it was only then he realized he had been fiddling with his bracelets, a habit of shapeshifter when he was anxious, Crim took 'Hope' and just started at her for a moment very confused " your forgotten name is Hope?...I wouldn't expect that from a Nightmare" he commented.

It took a moment but Crimson finally started to pet the little creature, he went back to being silent again, as he thought about his time hunting Nightmares and using Fairfins

Hope looks up at Crimson and flinches at first when he starts petting her, but she just sits in his hand, her head and wings drooping sadly.

"Haha, yeah... That's what happens when you let a little girl name your Forgotten... I just haven't bothered coming up with a different name, and I know Boo likes it, so I'll leave it..." Eater chuckles, not knowing what Crimson's thinking about, but he picks up on the fact it likely isn't something happy; he gives the dragon prince a mischievous smirk and adds, "Her feet and tummy are ticklish..."

At this, Hope turns her head to frown at her master and whines, "Why did you tell him that...?"

But Eater just snickers, leaning his head against the wall and staring at the ceiling thoughtfully. "... Honestly, I can't imagine what that would be like," he says, referring to Crimson gaining a human form, "Shapeshifting is such a common thing for Dreamers, you see it all the time... Being stuck in your true form sounds almost inconvenient... But I guess if you're used to it, it's no big deal, huh?"

Crimson listen to what Eater said about Hope " I think I heard Boo voice before but I don't think I actually met her...I lost my eyesight before really getting to see anyone to know what they look like " he frowned thinking about Boo but for now he hold his question.

For the first time since they started there conversation Crimson made a small chuckle " I honestly didn't know shapeshifter really existed until I become one, sure I knew the story about the king's and far off worlds but me being one? That was something I didn't think would happen..." Crim smirk and shook his head " it took me months just to get use to walking on two legs...I got so frustrated with it I remember shouting about it was impossible to walk without a tail for balance....I thought everything about humans back then we're frustrating but there not so bad now and I really don't mind this form ether and am actually glad I have it... " with the last part Crimson thought were about Crystal and a warm smile came to his face.

Getting in a better mood then when they first started their conversation, the dragon Prince smirk at Hope and started to tickle the little forgotten in the places Eater told him

Going back to his question he thought about earlier Crimson asked"If you don't mind me asking, how did a little girl get mixed up with the key Hunters? I don't remember the prophecy ever mentioning a little girl "

When Crimson starts tickling her, Hope squeaks and giggles quietly, weakly trying to curl up on her side and grab her toes to stop him.

Eater just smirks and glances over at Crimson as he listens to him talk about when he first gained his human form, but he decides to focus more on his question. "Boo's the little dark dragonet with the big bat ears, she's usually with me since I'm her guardian. She's actually the one who got us all started on this quest for the Keys, I remember the first time my former self met her, he was with his friends in Euphoria, looking for adventure as usual... Boo was with a big black dragon, and was asking for help, she said her mother told her to find the Keys..." For a moment, Eater goes quiet, thinking about how things have changed since then... but he continues, "She's actually a big part of how everyone's been able to find the Keys, whenever she's near one, she hears some sort of song."

Crimson continue to tickle Hope as he listens to Eater explain, something seem familiar to him about his story but he couldn't place what it was... // Why does she sounds familiar? Maybe it's because she can hear the keys song? If I remember correctly Judas said something about the keys having a song // he thought more about Boo and sighed sadly thinking about " it's sad that children lives have been ruined thanks to Soledormir " he murmured

But this conversation did bring up another question for the shapeshifter, he glanced over at Eater " you started this quest as your former self? If you don't mind me asking what happened?" Crimson asked even though he knew Nightmare disliked anything to do with their former selves but Eater seem different from other Nightmares

Perhaps Eater would agree with Crimson, if he had a heart to understand what sadness feels like. Instead, the thought of what Soledormir's done just makes this Nightmare scowl, but he's distracted from that with Crimson's new question. "My former self was an idiot," Dreameater bluntly begins, "If he had just checked his heart reflection sooner, he'd still be here..."

The young Nightmare pauses a moment to think about where he should start with his own story, and frowns at Hope, who's starting to cry a bit with this new conversation... "My former self... his name was Dreamweaver, he grew up in Howaito with Dreamcatcher, Eira, Purity Dreamer, and her brother Terradream... Him and Catch were like brothers, even though they weren't related, they did all sorts of things together, and everyone in that group wanted to be Shadow Hunters when they grew up..." Eater explains, finding that it feels weird talking about Weaver like this, but he continues, "My former self loved exploring and the idea of being a hero, that's why he wanted to be a Shadow Hunter, he wanted to save people. Eventually, he got the gross fluffy feelings for Purity, what you call 'love...'' he scrunches up his nose in disgust, then pauses, "... He thought he had his life all planned out, he'd take Purity to the Valley of the Cherry Trees and ask her to marry him, then he and his friends would be the greatest Shadow Hunters there ever were... He /never/ thought /he'd/ get Nightmare Syndrome..."

In some way Crimson almost regretted his curiosity about the Nightmare past life, not to long ago he won't have cared and would like nothing more than to a kill the Nightmare but after meeting Crystals the Prince was leaning to sympathize with others, and it was true, he remembered what Judas had told him ones, that Crim wasn't to different from a Nightmare, that he could lose himself to the corruption....

Crimson look down at the sobbing forgotten in his hands, his gut Twisted with a sick feeling of guilt, // I used to think Fairfins weren't people....but I was wrong, I was wrong on so many things...// He gently started to pet Hope to give her some comfort.

He continue to listen to the Nightmare story // he was friends with the other Dreamers in the group and even 'love one'...// Crimson pause at this, he try to put himself in Wevaer shoes and it wasn't to hard, because even though it was still young, the dragon shapeshifter had those fluffy feeling for Crystals, and that 'thing' he he became wanted to kill the human girl...the thought of it disgusted him, but this was something all Nightmares desired... Crimson continue to listen to the Nightmare tail, he was quiet for a while after, taking in everything " I guess no one expects becoming a monster..." Was all he said.

For the first time, Crimson Wonder if there was a different way to deal with Nightmares other than to just kill them because they were people to at one time...

"I couldn't save him..." is all Hope whimpers in Crimson's hand as he pets her, "I lost him..."

Dreameater doesn't say anything to or about his weeping Forgotten, but instead just continues with his story. "Yeah... Weaver never saw it coming, it hit him hard when he learned he was past the point of no return... To make matters worse for him, his brother Catch asked him to be his best man for his wedding around that time too... but he never made it back to Howaito..." The Nightmare pauses a moment, looking at the Pearls on his gauntlets, "My former self asked Catch to try and save him, because he knew Catch has magic silverblood, so Catch tried placing a seal on him. Obviously, it didn't save him, but it did mess me up, apparently it messed with some of my instincts and makes me feel the need to protect Boo... Just like he did..."

He goes quiet for a moment, thinking about everything that happened back then, and where to go from here in the story, and he continues, "My former self ended up dying in the Valley of the Cherry Trees... I got him to take Purity there in the middle of the night... He fought hard, but I still took over, and I almost killed her... But Terra was there... Apparently he found out, and he saved his sister, but I ended up killing him...

... I... really wasn't any different than any other Nightmare back then..." Eater says, frowning and rubbing his arms as he feels a cold chill run down his spine, "I'd like to think that maybe, if I had known what I do now, I wouldn't have killed him... That maybe I could've done something different... but I was... I was... crazy... I don't really know how to explain it... It felt like I was starving, and I... don't really think I could've stopped myself if I wanted to... Is that what a feeding frenzy is like...?"

Crimson was quietly listening to the Nightmare story taking as much of it in as he could. "...that sounds pretty rough..."he Murmured about being the best man for Catch wedding. The dragon Prince pause when Eater mentioned about Catch 'magic silverblood' " wait? are you saying Dreamcatcher is a Moon Blood? " He question with a raised eyebrow, and for some reason hearing that Catch had silverblood bothered him but he didn't know why.... The dragon shapeshifter put a hand to his chin and thinks more about the Moon blood and the seal, he knew some about the Vaseterm and Dreamers and a little bit about moon Bloods " he must be able to make some pretty powerful seal...I know Vaseterm have strong Magic but the Dreamers lost most of their ability because of the Nightmare curse..." He thought a bit more then added " that still pretty weird that a seal would make you want to protect Boo...I'm curious just what kind of seal did he put on your former self?" He asked thinking more out loud.

The dragon Prince got really quiet thinking about what Eater said what happened at the valley of the cherry trees, a cold shiver ran down Crimson spine, the dragon shapeshifter look at Hope and then put her down on the floor and then hug himself as a memory of him killing Mina surface, shimmering tears fell from the shapeshifter eyes, // she was the one who saved me and I killed her...// He wondered like Eater did about Terra, if things were different would he have killed her? He wanted to think he wouldn't have but Crimson also knew what he did in the past... just how far he went to kill Nightmares...
" When a Nightmare is first born they go into a feeding frenzy...as a light Eater you feel on light, a Dreamer heart reflection but ones you eaten that, you become a Nightmare and crave new food for a different metabolism...meat and fear " Crimson shine light on the subject, he knew quite a bit on the creatures he hunted " I seen it happen before, new Nightmares going on feeding frenzy attacking and devouring anyting that lives...to try and satisfy hunger that only crave more death and fear...You would have killed more if it wasn't for that seal, or at least that what I say stop you....I seen it before, new Nightmares just slaughtering people, without Mercy... " He explain, Crimson tucked his knees closer subconsciously making himself smaller as he added "...it's why I killed Dreamers at the point of them turning before...in a way, it saved others and was more Merciful then what they become..." Crimson said honestly but in a whisper, before he wouldn't have felt guilty but after everything that happened, he believed he wasn't much different than a Nightmare...// He was right about me...// He thought back to Judas

Dreameater listens as Crimson asks about Catch and his silverblood, he pulls one leg up close to himself and rests his arms on his knee, then shrugs, "Yeah, I think I remember hearing something about him being a Moon Blood... I have no idea what he was trying to do with the seal, he outright said that he didn't have a clue what he was doing either, he just put his hands on Weaver's shoulders, chanted a bit, and then they both exploded... I just know he was trying to do something to save my former self..."

The Nightmare then goes quiet and ends up hugging his knee as Crimson explains more about his kind, the more he thinks about it, the more it makes him worry... "... So no matter what... I would've killed someone that night..." Eater whispers to himself, hesitating a moment and thinking about what Waker told him when they met, how he was 'special,' "But even with the seal, even if I only killed Terra when I took over Weaver's body, I still ended up killing other people to feed, in Howaito I went into peoples' houses at night and ate them, I tore families apart, I almost killed my mom... But I--I can't do that anymore..."

Placing his left hand to his forehead, Dreameater tightens his right hand into a fist, and doesn't seem to notice his arm shaking a little. "I... I tried eating one person last night, here in the human world, but it made me sick, I started throwing up and I couldn't eat anything the rest of the night, I think I'm allergic or something... I talked with Catch and Alex about it, and they suggested I could try eating animals or hiding out at an amusement park or haunted house to try feeding off of fear and meat that way, and then I even had a late breakfast with Catch, Eira, and Purity today, but it... it doesn't taste the same... What if it's not enough...? What if I end up going crazy and fall into a frenzy like before? I don't want to hurt anyone else here, I need them to stop Soledormir..." he quietly asks, anxiously looking to Crimson now for some hope.

" so the moon Blood was completely relying on imprinted memory then?... it's no wonder he made an explosion.... but if that the cause of the why your thinking this way, that's pretty impressive... " Crimson muttered things about Dreamcatcher, he actually never seen the Dreamer before or at least didn't remember much of him, the dragon Prince lost his eyes before he met Catch, he was a little curious now.
Crimson went to play with his bracelets again as Eater voiced his concern, talking to a Nightmare and this topic was making the shapeshifter anxious, but he stopped himself and just pick at a string on his clothes instead." It's surprising you didn't kill more...a Nightmare on a feeding frenzy will gorge themselves until they just can't eat anything else...and even then I seen them just kill people just to kill..." He looked over at Easter and thinks more on what the Nightmare told him, even though Eater had killed and eaten people, he never seen one act this way and be worry about going into a feeding frenzy // he one strange Nightmare...that seal must have really messed up his head but that doesn't seem like a bad thing...// Crimson leaned his head back against the wall looking up at the ceiling " it's not surprising that you eaten people, that what you're kind do... people and creatures like that give off the most fear and we'll...." He got quite for a moment " Soledormir hates humans...it makes sense he have his species kill them, and other creatures like them "

He however raised a eyebrow when Eater explain that he got sick " that really odd...I never heard about a Nightmare getting sick from eating something, unless that person was poison...but it takes a special kind poison to kill a Nightmare, your kind of has a very evasive recovery, most things like poison, sedatives, narcotics and other things that after your kinds sense and health your body has a natural resistant to it...it would have to have been an extremely potent poison to have affected you" he explained and just add on for the heck of it " you probably don't know what your kind has an annoyingly fast healing ability? " He asked.

He thought about when Catch and Alex suggested to the Nightmare " that might be a good idea..." He tapped his chin in thought " it actually could work, as long as you were feeding on fear you would be feeding your magic and people go to though things to get scared...you just have to get used to eating animals..." He pause and thought more on his experience with Nightmares " I seen Nightmares in disguise eating
raw meat before, and not just from hunting, I mean what you get from a store...I seen some even eat cooked meat if their really trying to stay under disguise..." He smirked at the young Nightmare "
so I think it is possible to keep your hungry satisfied if you did both those things, you just have to make sure if you do go to a haunted house you can keep yourself under control and not try to kill the people there." He explained, the shapeshifter took one hand and points at Eater's Pearl on his hand " if you don't know already, but if you need to know if your magic is running low check the color of your death Pearl, it will get darker or pale the less magic you have and that what one way to tell if you're getting closer to a feeding frenzy "

Crimson really thought hard about the Nightmare last comment " do you really think they can stop Soledormir? " He question with a hint of doubt " Soledormir has world under his claws...he lived longer than most creatures even thought possible...do you really think they have what it takes to stop him? " He looks down thinking about Crystals, he believes in her but he wasn't sure about the others...

Eater just stays quiet as Crimson goes on about how Nightmares simply are, at first he doesn't say anything in reply, and just looks down at his hand. //Yeah, that's what Nightmares do... eat people...// he agrees in his head, and lets out a sigh. //And according to Malice, we do that to power Soledormir... but that can't be true... I'm not one of his tools... I'm going to help the Keyhunters stop him...!//

The Nightmare folds his arms and glances back to Crimson when he brings up a possibility as to why he got sick, and his eyes widen, "P... Poison...?" he repeats, but then pauses a moment to think, "... I guess, since I'm still here, if it /was/ poison, it wasn't very effective, huh...?" But then he pauses a moment, remembering one small detail he's been forgetting this whole time, and he scratches his chin. //Oh, but before we got here, I ate some Dreamers back in the Land of Dreams, I didn't throw up, but they did make me feel weird... I just brushed it off at the time, but that means it can't be poison, right? Hmm...//

Then, when Crimson explains more about how Nightmares can eat meat without killing people to stay disguised, Dreameater manages to smirk faintly, and feels relieved. "Well that's good to hear... I'm sure the shop owners won't mind too much if some of their meat goes missing in the night, heh... Ehh, I'd rather put up with the taste of animal meat than spend every night being sick as a dog..." Eater chuckles nervously, glancing at his Pearl when the dragon prince points it out. "Huh... No, I didn't know that, thanks for letting me know about all this, Crimson," he replies with a smile.

Finally, when Crimson brings up his last question, Eater smirks and leans back against the wall. "Yeah, I believe they can stop Soledormir, we just have to help them get the rest of the Keys. I mean, sure, not everyone in the group is the smartest... but I think they have what it takes." He pauses a moment before carefully elbowing the Prince, and continues, "And if Blue has some way to free Judas from the son of Soledormir, I'm sure we could find something to get rid of your corruption too."

// ...this is so weird... // Crimson thought but nodded with a small smile at Eater thank him.

The Prince was quiet, he when back to hugging his legs and resting chin on his knees, he still had a weird feeling, he wasn't sure if he was still jealous of the candidates or doubt or it it was something different all together, he wasn't sure..." Maybe there something...all Judas could do was make these bracelet..." He pause and glanced over at the Nightmare " what about you? Do you think there anything out there for Nightmares?.."
Eater talk did make him feel a little better though, but one thing keep claws in the back of his mind and he finally whispered "... But I-I screwed up big time... haven't they already lost because of me?...Mina is dead... she was one of the key Hunters... how are they going to stop Soledormir now?..."

"I'm sure there's something out there for you! Don't give up, we'll find a way to get the corruption out of you for good..." Eater started to say with an encouraging grin, but when Crimson raised his question about something for Nightmares, his grin quickly faded, and his eyes turned dark... "... What? You mean like a 'cure?' A way to bring Weaver back?! No, there's nothing out there like that! Weaver is dead and gone, no one's going to kill me to bring him back! I won't let them!" the Nightmare angrily snaps back at Crimson, sitting more upright against the wall and crossing his arms as he glares at the far side of the cell...

... After a moment, Eater breathes out a sigh, thinking now about the last things the prince asked and figuring a change of topic would be better... "Mina wasn't the only one..." he mumbles at first, then speaks up a little louder, "The group has lost other members before, the black dragon who was with Boo was the first one, there were some other ones too, I can't remember them well though... But the Keyhunters have kept going, and we've gained new members too... They'll stop Soledormir, I know they will, and /I'll/ be there the whole way, helping them. Maybe someone else will come along and get Mina's Key...?"

Crimson just look at the Nightmare as he snapped, it didn't scare him or anyting, he knew Nightmare disliked anything to do with there former self but his questions wasn't exactly directed in what Eater was going off on, he was just curious if there was something different that could be done for Nightmares, because the only way he knew was to kill them...but Eater was obviously different from other Nightmares
Crimson look back down as the Nightmare change the topic, // there was more then just Mina?... How many did they lose?...// What worry him was the thought of who could be next, and a cold chill ran down his spine. " I guess we'll just have to hope they can find the rest of the keys and stop Soledormir..." He whispered then frowned at another thought " do they even know what the keys do? " He thinks out loud.
Crimson notice the rag on the floor and pick it up, it was cold now but he felt the tears in corruption streaks we're drying and felt uncomfortable on his face, he looked for a clean spot on the rag and try to clean his face off again.

Dreameater doesn't say anything at first, and just sits there up against the wall, going over a lot of things in his head... but Crimson's last comment gets him to glance back over to him. "Uh... No, I don't think anyone knows what the Keys do... Do you...?"

Crimson clean up what he can, he doesn't have a I'm here to look at, his now missing eye was still sore but at least it wasn't a monster eye anymore...there was nothing there now. he set the rag back down on the floor
The Prince look at his bracelets and rubbed them " if the story are true they be able to kill Soledormir...my bracelets are made for the same thing as the keys " he Shrugged " mostly...Judas told me that my bracelet were not complete like the keys are" Crim made a face as he took his fingers over the marking in his bracelets " I'm still not fully sure just how the keys will stop Soledormir but I know the White fire of Order hurt corruption "

"It's made from the same stuff?" Eater asks, glancing at the bracelet Crimson is rubbing and raising an eyebrow at the thought, "The White Fire of Order...?? I've never heard of that before... Order... Is that some kind of magic or something? ... Order /is/ the opposite of chaos, so I could see how that would hurt corruption and stuff..."

He hesitates a moment, then, like a child who's just been told not to touch a hot stove, he reaches a hand out to poke Crimson's bracelet... but he does stop himself before touching it--at least he has some sense to him. //... He just told me it's made from stuff that hurts corruption... It's probably going to hurt me if I poke it...//

Crimson watch Eater go to poke his bracelet, he was about to warned him it was going to hurt but didn't seen the Nightmare stop.

The Prince took his hand and rubbed his forehead thinking, his mind had a mixture of information some we're from reliable sources as others not so much... " Order is a kind of magic...it's old, ancient magic, there different story we're it comes from, Judas told me his people believe it is a combination of the stars of their Elements, 
Fire, water, wind, plants, Earth, metal, electricity, ice, sound, gravity, pressure, storm, Shadows, glow, Poison, Illusion, Plasma, Luck, Gem, death, life, light, night, Moonlight, and sunlight.... Uh... I think there more but I can't remember them all but Judas said that they are protected by the Guardian familiars that we're given to his people..." He explained and then looked at Eater with a tip to his head making a face " But the story of the Land of Dreams is that the four deities of your moons... Nubrie, Taylice, Shiroi Tamashi, and Ashnah, they are what gave Order magic, I was told it comes from the moons tears as a drop of White fire, Judas said that the Keys were made from Emilia forge that could crafted things with the White fire " Crimson then frowned thinking about the opposite of order, chaos, the dragon shapeshifter leaned forward putting his elbows on his knees and place a hand to his chin in deep thought ".... Chaos is a lot of things and is nothing at the same time... where ever Order try to heal, Chaos will destroy, but people love chaos and fear order, why do you think things are the way they are? " There was something a little different in his tone as the red Prince spoke about chaos

For once, Eater actually sits and listens intently to all of what Crimson has to say, trying to take in every detail. One thing he mentions in particular piques his interest. //The Moons' Tear, I remember stories of that from Weaver when he was a foal, there was something about the Moons' Tear falling into the Lake of Hope, and something about treasure on the lakebed...? ... We didn't miss things back there trying to get the Keys, did we? I hope not...// He keeps listening as Crimson then goes on to talk about chaos, but he can't help but notice... //... That didn't sound right... That isn't something he'd say... The corruption must be bugging him a bit,// Eater thinks, taking a moment to study the Prince's face suspiciously, and he doesn't answer Crimson's question right away. When he does answer, he leans back against the wall, puts his hands behind his head, and crosses his legs. "Hmm... I think things are the way they are because Soledormir's a jerk who wants to make everyone's lives miserable. I bet a lot of people prefer Order over Chaos, I know I do, and I'm sure you do too, when your nasty corruption isn't messing with your head..."

"...Am I a slave to chaos or am I a prisoner to order?..."
Crimson slowly turned his head and smirked at Eater " ...a Nightmare that prefers order over chaos?..." He chuckles then add " You really are a special breed, but a Nightmare free from chaos is just a Dream...it's why the only thing to do for them is kill them" The Prince then grimace and Lean forward with his knees on the floor, he made a painful moan as he was hunched forward with his arms out, his bracelets were burning him, working on getting the corruption back into place

The way Crimson is talking is really starting to make Dreameater nervous, especially when he turns his head and smirks at him, the Nightmare feels the hairs on the back of his neck stand up again. //... The bracelets aren't sliding off or anything, are they...?// he asks himself, briefly glancing down at them, but then Crimson hunches forward, and honestly, it makes Eater feel somewhat relieved. He hesitates a moment before rubbing the Prince's back, "Hang in there, Crimson, try not to let it get the best of you..."

The young Nightmare doesn't mention anything relating to what Crimson said because he doesn't want to think about it himself, instead he starts thinking back to Crimson's corruption, and glances up at the walls, taking this time to read what all is up there... Specifically, what's written in the dark language...

After a while the bracelets stop burning Crimson, he just stay in a hunched position, he trembled, his body was still hurting and healing from when the corruption went rampid after one of his bracelets fell off. // I just want this to end...// The Prince didn't say anything, he just slowly pulled him arms to him and hugged himself.
-

What was written in the dark language on the walls.

{ Do you fear death?...Scarlet is hungry...It will all be red as...blood...Someone... Help...Who am I?...Sol-...Solvex....What am I?...Death...Everyone know death... Do they deserve it...all must die and those who come back wish they hadn't....Three that shine.... we are not Dreams...we
are the Darkness...No more Dream...we are the waken...
soon we'll awaken from our cold slumber... There's so many ways to die...Red a pretty color...SHUT UP!
Soledormir will return....
kill them all...He coming back...I'm scared... your only given a little spark of madness...

Crystal help... * could barely made out, it looks like he spell it but then took his claws over it *

Remember me....I'm not human...What am I?...
Darkness within Darkness... I'm not going to be forgotten...Everyone know me... Everyone know the Reaper...Someone... please...No one can stop us....Who am I?... Blood...I am Blood...Four to hang in the sky... there light shine but there Shadows are the color of blood ...they have forgotten me...but all still know us, but they try to forget...soon we'll remind them...
Everyone will know our names...What is my name?...Im the Blood Sapphire...What am I?..Death...What should I do...
IT ALL MUST DIE...}

//Solvex...? ... It sounds more like the poor guy's possessed rather than corrupted...// is Dreameater's first guess as he reads what Crimson wrote, but then he thinks about it a bit more, //Although, I guess it could just be his corruption coming up with a name for itself, like I did when I took over Weaver... Mmm, no, but the way it's talking about its name... it really does sound like he's possessed, by more than just one thing...'Soon we'll awaken from our cold slumber'... Just what is it that's in you, buddy...?//

From there, he reads on until something else catches his attention, //Four to hang in the sky... Is he talking about the moons in the Land of Dreams? ... Wait! He mentioned earlier about the world Waker took him to, didn't he say it had four blood moons? So the moons are really important... but what does it all mean? The moons back home have four deities attached to them...//

Finally giving himself a headache from trying to figure out this puzzle, Eater rubs his forehead with his free hand and sighs before glancing over to Crimson. "... Hey... how're you feeling?"

Crimson felt a little better having someone else there and that he wasn't alone...the shapeshifter slowly sat up, and rubbed him arm, he didn't know what to say at first, " I'll live" he let out a sigh " it just going to take a while for me to get a hold of myself I think..." At least he hope, before meeting the group and knowing Crystals he never really know or even cared when the corruption had a hold of him, but now Crimson was trying to be someone better than who he was, and he was staring to be able to tell when the corruption was getting the best of him " the last time my bracelet came off it took weeks to get to we're I am now, but that could have been because my bracelet came off in a dark world that time..."

"Well, like I said, just hang in there, we'll get you through it," Eater remarks with a faint smile, pulling his hand back and patting Crimson on the shoulder. A lot of questions are going through his head though, questions about Crimson, questions about the dark world, questions about Waker, and that man she was talking to... but where does he start? He waits a moment, trying to think over what to say, and then he quietly starts, "... Hey, if you don't mind me going back to what we were talking about earlier... That Nightmare who sung the lullaby and impaled you... Did she have a white pelt and deep purple Pearls...?"

Crimson sighed and nodded, he was going to keep trying to hang on, especially seeing he had someone worth hanging on for. The Prince look over at the Nightmare with a surprise expression " yeah, she did...how did you know that?"

Eater frowns when Crimson practically confirms that it was Waker, and crosses his arms, looking back to the wall and tapping his arm with his index finger. "Well... there was a bit more to Weaver's story that I didn't get to earlier before we moved on... You see, it was more than just my former self being an idiot, that Ancient Nightmare was involved..." He pauses a moment to cautiously glance over at Crimson before going into more detail, "Her name is Dreamwaker, almost at the start of the Keyhunter's journey, she came to my former self and tried to influence him to turn, but he didn't even realize he was talking to a Nightmare because he was sick... Later on, my former self accidentally managed to step into Catch's dream using a bit of my power, and Catch had a vision where they both had to witness me killing Weaver... and Waker was there, singing 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, how I want to see you fall'... I don't know if maybe she was setting up other things without anyone knowing it, but..."

Dreameater pauses a moment and rubs his arms, feeling uncomfortable for some reason, but nevertheless, he continues, "After I took over and killed Terra, and after everyone else had gone off to Howaito, I wasn't sure what to do, I didn't really have a purpose in life other than to eat people at the time, and that's when she came to me... Waker said I was special because she could sense something from me that made me different from other Nightmares, some kind of power, I think she said... I think she made the same comment about Weaver, she could sense something from him... That's why she picked me to help her take down Malice, and since I've always hated Malice, I just went along with..."

... But then, the Nightmare suddenly freezes as something he forgot comes back to him... "... Wait... Wait, no, that's not right... Waker said she didn't pick me... She was informed..." he whispers, then places his hands on the ground beside him and turns to Crimson, looking like he's about ready to jump up off the floor, "Crimson, does the name 'Hunter' ring a bell...? Did you hear any mention of that name when you were with her...?"

Crimson sat there listening to more of the Nightmare and his former self story...his sapphire eyes widened finding out that he to knew of the lullaby Nightmare and that she trick and used the him. // She came after Dreamweaver... I kinda wish I would have found the group sooner maybe I could have helped...no, I know how I was back then, I would have killed Weaver before he turned...// He grimace at the thought. A cold chill ran down the prince spine as Eater mentioned a song she sang to him "...that sounds like her...she sung 'Hush little baby, don't say a word' that last thing I remember her singing before she impaled me with her chains was 'I'm gonna buy you a looking glass, And if that looking glass gets broke..." He whispered rubbed his arms, this topic was making Crimson uncomfortable, there was to many bad memories attached to what happened.

But her songs play though the Dragon prince mind, and the one Eater mentioned made his stomach turn "... When my bracelet came off and I was crazy and taunting everyone...I...I remember..." He glanced over at the young Nightmare " I remember, I was going to ask you /if anyone wish on your star when it fell/...but Blue stop me before I did... " Crimson then starred blankly ahead as him mind was making horrifying conclusion // is that all a coincidence?... It couldn't have been planned, c-ould it?... did she plan all of this?...
How would I know that? just what was going on with me?...//
Crimson blinked getting pulled out of his thoughts, he nearly jumped when Dreameater ask his question, the Prince coloring paled hearing that name, it ring crystal clear and he whisper " I-I remember her taking to the man, she did say Hunter....I remember he wanted me for something...but, I don't remember, I just remembered that dark place and feeling pain...I heard his voice in my dreams before and sometimes I'm not sleeping...or at least I don't think I am...but it was that man who told me to kill, he wanted me to kill the key Hunters..."

Eater silently listens as Crimson explains what he knows, watching the shapeshifter with a very intense look, he tries to decipher if a looking glass could be of any importance to what happened to Crimson, but nothing immediately jumps out at him, so he moves his focus to what Crimson says next... And it makes his eyes widen and a chill run down his spine. "If anyone wished on my star...? Why does it seem like stars and falling stars have a big meaning when referring to me? ... I know Dreamers believe that when they die, their souls join the stars and look over those still living... Is it just referring to Weaver? When I took over, his star fell...?" he theorizes, then narrows his eyes some at the Prince, //But how would you know...?//

The moment Crimson's face turns pale, Eater knows... "Hunter... /He's/ the one who picked Weaver to become a Nightmare... He told Waker to come for me... So the same creep who wants you to kill the candidates set it up for me to take over Weaver?" he asks as he stands up and starts pacing back and forth, genuinely feeling worried now as he looks down and scratches his chin, "Waker told me about him, she said he speaks to her from the shadows and never shows her his appearance, because he didn't want her to see him... I think? I didn't pay attention at the time, I can't remember if that's what she said or not... But... if he wants to kill the Keyhunters..."

For a moment, Eater just quickly paces back and forth, trying to think over any villain the group has encountered that might match Hunter's description, he instantly rules Rage out with how relaxed he seems to be, and it's obviously not Omen... but now that he has time to sit and think about the things he's experienced, one memory does stand out--the first time he saw Rage, and the voice who brought the battle to a halt... "VOID!! IT WAS VOID!!" Dreameater suddenly roars, clapping his hands together as he comes to his conclusion, "It's Void who set us up!! That SON-OF-A-BISCUIT-EATER!!! AAAAAAAAAARGH! But--but he's using the body of Malice's brother... That must be why he never showed Waker what he looks like, because she hates Malice! But then does that mean he's using her too without her realizing it!? I swear to all four of the moons in the Land of Dreams, she BETTER not know about any of this, or I'm going to RIP HER PEARLS OUT AND EAT THEM THE NEXT TIME I SEE HER!!" After all this shouting he's done, Dreameater covers his eyes with his left hand and moans, giving himself another, worse headache...

Crimson Shrugged his shoulders at Eater first question " I'm not sure..." He referred to the coincidence with the young Nightmare and stars. " I learned some stuff about Dreamer and beliefs from story before I lost my home..." He pause getting quiet thinking about him home and family but he eventually continued "
And Judas teaching me..., but it's pretty much what you said except now that you mention it Judas did talk about star falling when a Nightmare was born but I never thought much about it, I just figured it was him talking " Crimson move a hand as he spoke, he then place it at his side, and took his other hand and rubbed his chin // it's still so weird calling him by his name after 10 years of not knowing...I have so many questions for him but would he even be able to answer me?...maybe he did try and tell me and I just didn't see it? Ughhhh! WHY DIDN'T I PAY ATTENTION MORE?! // He thinks about Judas and their time together, the Prince would be lying if he he said he still didn't have resentment towards the outcast but the more he leaned he was staring to understand.

-

Crimson just watch as Dreameater rambles and paces back and forth // Hunter is the one behind everything?...// He clenched his fists angrily

-

The Prince jump when Eater suddenly shouted, " Void? You mean the head of the Forsaken Lords Void?... " he stood up, Crimson place a hand to his forehead thinking about what he knew about Malice and the forsaken Lords "Hang on, what, you said 'he's using the body of Malice's brother...
Malice killed his brother when he confronted him... so are you saying Void is like a body body snatchers or something?...." Crimson made a face " that just messed up.." but what Eater say next set the Prince of off

"Whoah, WHOAH! WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!" Crimson shouted, he put his hands out in front of him with his palms up " OF COURSE SHE'S WORKING FOR FREAKING VOID!" The dragon shapeshifter pointed his finger at Eater " your going to eat her Pearl's if she's involved?! I'M GOING TO KILL HER REGARDLESS FOR WHAT SHE DID!! " He shouted angrily, Dreamwaker was the second on his list of most despised Nightmares

For the most part, Dreameater just keeps his head tilted down as he rubs his forehead, occasionally nodding his head to answer the prince, but when Crimson starts shouting to and points at him, it makes the young Nightmare's instincts kick in and scream 'DANGER!' He quickly jumps back and stares at Crimson with wide, terrified eyes, and holds his hands up submissively as he nervously backs away from him. "OK! YOU DO THAT!! Just please don't kill ME!!" Eater blurts out the first thing that comes to mind, then swallows before adding, "We--we both need to calm down, nothing good will happen with both of us shouting, so how about we just sit down and... talk about other things...?"

" WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! IM NOT GOING TO KILL YOU IDIOT! " Crimson was going to go in one of his full blown rants but thankfully he heard what Dreameater said, he took a few breaths to calm himself, the shapeshifter gave the Nightmare a confused look with a raised eyebrow He waved a hand at the young Nightmare " yeah, sure your a Nightmare and my life goal is to kill everyone last one of your kind but...but was before I meet Crystals and we'll ..." Crimson rubbed his forehead, there was a part of him that couldn't believe he was thinking this, expecially with how much he knew about Nightmares but at the same time he also felt like the Nightmare was honest with everything he talked about " you said your going to help the key Hunters and I believe you... you probably done more good for them then I have... " Crim look down at his bracelets they stung a little from his hateful outburst but they we're calming down now " I'm not going to kill you Eater, not unless you try and hurt the candidates or if I lose control of myself again...I seen a lot of Nightmares before and your one strange unusual Nightmare...I do have a request if I lose control of myself again, please do everything in your power to stop me... even if you have to kill me, I just don't want to kill anyone else... please keep them safe, keep Crystal safe form me..." He whisper, knowing that the Darkness inside him wanted the candidates dead, expecially the human girl and that what frightened Crimson the most

Eater shivers and instinctively takes one more step back as Crimson shouts one last thing at him, but he lowers his hands back to his sides when the shapeshifter calms down again. He quietly listens to all Crimson has to say, and breathes out a sigh of relief as his sits on his torn up bed. "Hey... thanks," he says, giving Crimson a faint smile, "Yeah... now that I'm not crazy like I used to be, I've really been trying my best to help them... I'll try my best to stop you if your bracelet comes off again, it's hard for me because my instincts were going crazy when it came off before, and I... guess that's why I overreacted a little just now... but I'll try my best to make sure you don't kill anyone else, buddy."

Pausing a moment, Dreameater looks down at one of his Death Pearls again and rubs it with his other hand, thinking about his own situation. "... You know... I guess I could ask you the same thing, just if I go into a feeding frenzy... I think I've done a really good job controlling myself so far around the people my former self loved, Purity, Catch, and them... but my instincts are always there, in the back of my mind, practically gnawing at me to kill them... It's like when you get a really bad bug bite, it itches, and itches, and itches, and it's almost like your body itself wants to just take control away from you to itch it, because if you'd just itch it, it'd go away... If I could just kill them, it'd stop..." Now, Eater goes quiet, clenching his fists and squeezing his eyes shut for a moment before leaning forward on the bed, resting his right elbow on his leg and covering his face with that hand. "... But I know I can't... I don't even want to... If you itch a bug bite, it only makes it worse, I can't kill Purity or anyone else without literally ending the world... Again, I think I've done a really good job controlling it so far, I can hang around Purity and Catch and mess with them without giving in, but... if I were in a feeding frenzy, I'd beeline right for them, wouldn't I...? If that were to happen... could you do the same for me, and make sure I don't hurt anyone?" Dreameater asks, looking back up at Crimson with a mildly worried expression.

" thank you" Crimson replied to Eater in protecting the others, he then walk over to the walk and leaned his back against it with his arms folded in front of himself " I guess I owe you one anyways, I'll do my best to make sure you don't kill any of the candidates, and make sure Purity and Dreamcatcher are safe, because you are right, if you do go on a feeding frenzy you go after the people who were closest to Weaver..." He said honestly, Crim glanced up and gave a small playful smirk " but I wouldn't worry to much, I know how to handle a Nightmare, I killed my first just after my 15th birthday so I got you covered " he teased but he wasn't lying about how old he was, " but seriously, if it's in my power I'll stop you from hurting anyone and I'll see about keeping you under control until your back to your sense, it's the least I can do " he gave a small smiled
Crimson thought about what the Nightmare said that when is bracelet came off Eater instincts were going crazy "I get what you saying about feeling your instincts always there...I'm not exactly sure what the corruption is that I have but Judas called it 'Harbinger' he said he seen it in a vision before and that it feeds on my anger..." Crimson rubbed the back of his head looking down with a face " and I'm kinda know to have a short fuse..." He mumbled with embarrassment

Dreameater smiles faintly and nods when Crimson thanks him, and he sits more upright with his hands resting on his lap. He frowns at first when Crimson confirms he would be bent on killing Catch and Purity in his frenzy, should he fall to it, but the prince's tease makes him uneasy again. //He's been killing Nightmares since he was 15...? O-oh moons...// is his first thoughts, but he forces a small, nervous smile in return, "Oh... That's... cool... I... Yeah, I guess you would be the best choice to keep me under control if I went crazy... I think you've got more experience than anyone else when it comes to that..."

He goes quiet for a moment, thinking a bit more about his Nightmare instincts as he stares at the floor. "... Y'know... It'd be nice if... maybe we could find something to make my instincts stop bugging me without killing the people Weaver loved..." Eater mumbles, honestly mostly to himself, but then he looks back to the dragon shapeshifter and smiles a bit more genuinely. "There's always something everyone has to work on, no one's perfect, but that doesn't mean we can't try to get there."

After saying this, Dreameater glances from Crimson to the things on the floor, Hope, who's still curled up in a ball crying softly, the bandages, wet rag, chocolate, the ice pack, and the pirate eye patch, and then looks back to Crimson, asking, "Hey... Since your eye has melted away, do you need any help getting all bandaged up?"

Crimson shifted his weight to one side as Eater talk, he rubbed his chin deep in thought " hmm, I never really thought about that...they we're made, maybe if we knew just how Light Eaters we're made something could be done? " he was referring to the Nightmare instincts, the shapeshifter shrugged his shoulders " I'm just tossing ideas, I don't even know if that possible or not " At Dreameater encouraging words a smile came to Crimson face " thanks, I have been trying, but it's easy to forget and slip up, I'm going try to remember what you said "
-
At what Eater suggested next The Prince tips his head and felt around his missing eye " I guess it gone now...I had gotten used to not having my eyes... don't get me wrong, I like being able to see again but not like what I was seeing though /that / one " he rambled and was honestly relieved that his corrupted eye was gone, Crimson got back on track and answered the Nightmare " sure, I could probable use the help " he said then walked over and sat on the edge of the bed to, Crimson look to the items on the floor, two of them stuck out to him, the chocolate an the pirate eye patch...the Dragon shapeshifter raised a suspicious eyebrow " is that what I think that is?" He asked, he wasn't paying attention to everything Eater had brought him

"That would be nice if there was something like that, then maybe people wouldn't hate my guts just because I'm a Nightmare," Eater remarks, letting out a huff before smirking at Crimson. "No problem, I'm glad I can help out, in anyway I can."

He tilts his head to the side when Crimson brings up his eyes. "You were seeing something strange through that eye? What was it like?" he asks as the shapeshifter as joins him on the bed, but then he gets up himself to get the bandages, and pauses before picking up the eye patch. "Uh, you mean this?" Eater asks, heading back over to Crimson with a grin, and snickers, "It's an eye patch with a skull and double crossbones! Arr, I figured it'd be a lot cooler than just ye old bandages over ye eye."

Crimson grimace thinking about what he seen with his eye, " it was really freaky," he started " it was like I could see inside people... it was so weird, I'm not sure how to even explain it...I could see their hearts racing in there chests... but I could see more then just that, I seen their skeletons, the Blood flowing through them but something different to..." He paused rubbing his forehead trying to put words to what he experience "...I-I think I was seeing people life force in them with each time there heart beat ...it...it wasn't natural " Crimson whispered the last part, he rubbed his arms feeling uneasy.
The dragon Prince look up at the young Nightmare with a ' are you serious?' expression at first, he couldn't believe a Nightmare would actually do something like this unless it was meant to be insulting but Crimson didn't get that vibe from Eater, the Nightmare was genuine and with that conclusion Crimson's expression change to an amused smirk " you know, your one strange Nightmare...
but that what makes you alright with me "

Eater frowns as Crimson goes into describing what it was that he saw with his corrupted eye, and agrees, "That does sound freaky... That's like... Nightmare vision on steroids. I can't blame you for wanting it gone, I think I'd be pretty creeped out if everywhere I looked, I saw people's guts..." The Nightmare then goes to help Crimson with his bandages, but as he's wrapping it around his head, he thinks on it more, "Actually, I'm wondering now, if that's something I'd get used to if that's how I saw things... 'Cause I have my predator sense, and I can see people's auras, and I'm used to that... Hmmm..."

After he's done, Dreameater takes a step back from Crimson and smirks, "Heheh, yeah I am... There was a time I thought I was going to be the most terrifying, the evilest Nightmare that ever lived, but honestly, at this point, I don't think I could ever achieve that, even after Soledormir's dead and gone, so I think I'll just go in the complete opposite direction, maybe I can scare other Nightmares with how crazy and stupid I am!" After grinning and laughing at himself, Eater heads back over to the wall to pick up Hope and the chocolate, and then he comes back and sits on the bed next to Crimson, offering him the candy. "Do you like chocolate?"

"...I'm not sure if I could ever get use to that, I wouldn't want to... " Crimson murmured thinking about it again, a shivers ran down his spine, he was scared if he really would get use to seening like that. He was quiet as Eater this Nightmare predator sense, and bandaged him, he knew about that but never expected to experience anything like it before.
-

The Prince couldn't help a smile from coming to his face with Dreameater proud explaining of himself " haha, I never thought I hear a Nightmare ever say anything like that before, that seal Dreamcatcher did must have been something but I'm glad you're not a /normal /Nightmare and your a crazy stupid one" he joke, but one commented stick out in Crimson's mind that Eater said // after Soledormir gone?... I never really thought about what happens after Soledormir gone? What will we do? // This open up so many unknowns he never thought about, but his mind wandered to thought of Crystal and wanting to know more about her home and would she go back.
Crimson move his hand to feel his new bandage ones Eater was done, a big grin spread across his face with the Offer of chocolate " chocolate is something I like " Judas would sometime bring him it

Eater chuckles a bit and sighs, handing over the chocolate to Crimson and setting the eyepatch on the bed beside him. "Good, I'm glad you like chocolate, I think you'd really be a crazy monster not to, I mean, who /doesn't/ like chocolate?" he teases, and smirks, "You don't have to put the eye patch on, by the way, I just like pirates, and I figured having only one eye is a good excuse to wear something like that."

Now the Nightmare's mind wanders back to the seal on him and how it's changed his life, and he looks down at Hope, gently petting her and smiling faintly. "Yeah, I'm thankful Catch put that seal on me too, if I didn't have it, I think I'd be dead ten times over by now, haha! Aahh, instead of being a psycho, murderous Nightmare like all the others, I get to be Dreameater the Freak, the Messed Up Nightmare with a Forgotten named Hope and a sword named Loyalty..." Dreameater starts... but then he frowns as he thinks about it a little more, and gets quieter, "... Or... maybe I'd just be another one of Malice's mindless minions... or Waker's tool..." //... But if it's Void that set me up... I would've been working against the Keyhunters if Catch never put that seal on me, wouldn't I...? No matter what, it would've been bad...// he thinks, quickly deciding a change of topic would be nice, as he feels another cold chill run down his spine with those thoughts, and he looks back to Crimson with a rather goofy grin. "Oh, I just realized... I think we're roommates now... because this used to be my room in the palace, and I don't think anyone wants to let you out anytime soon..."

Crimson happily accepted the chocolate, before he took a bite // Im guessing his former self like chocolate to?...// He wondered and took a bite, Crim close his eye just enjoying the rich sweet taste in his mouth,// mmmm, so good // after swallowing he opened his eye and look down at the eye patch, the prince chuckle " I like it, its better than wearing bandages all the time, I'll try it out once I feel better "
Crimson took another bite out of the chocolate as he listens to Dreameater rambling // he really is a strange Nightmare... // He pondered about the different possibilities Eater mentioned // if it wasn't for the seal he likely wouldn't be any different than any other Nightmare... // The dragon shapeshifter snapped out of this thought when Dreameater changed subjects "w-hat?!" He blurted out, he wasn't sure what to think about that, one he never shared a room before, he wasn't use to sharing anything at all, two this was Eater room, a jail cell.

~~[Song: "Lancer Overworld Theme" from DELTARUNE]~~

"The first night we were here, Blue threw me in here and locked the doors, he said this room was made specifically for me, to keep Nightmares inside..." Eater explains, chuckling nervously, "As far as I know, the Vaseterm only have this one prison cell for some reason, I guess because they themselves are just the most perfect people ever, I mean I could try asking for another room now that you've got mine, but something tells me Blue would just as happily toss me in here with you... or maybe make a new prison cell down here for me."
Dreameater pauses a moment and sets Hope on top of his hat, then laughs a little and continues, "I wouldn't worry about it too much, though, I don't usually hang out here too often, especially now that I've got the key to the room, and you can have the bed all to yourself since I never sleep. If I ever do need to sleep, I guess I could just curl up under the bed or something, so it's no big deal."

Crimson continued to eat his chocolate but a lot slower as Dreameater explain his 'room' the dragon shapeshifter had an ' what the?' look the entire time // he ok with having a cell for a room? I would be complaining for a new room if I...// He shook his head thinking about Mina and what he did, it's why he hadn't made a seen demanding a better living quarters because this was what he deserved...but the Nightmare on the other hand" why don't you just ask for a room like the candidate? Sure your a Nightmare but what I can tell it's more by name then anything else, your kinda of freak but in a good way...if that makes sense" he shrugged shoulders, he gave a no way look at the thought of Eater sleeping under the bed " I think you should ask or just get a new room..." He murmured // it be bad enough trying to sleep with a Nightmare in the same room let alone literally having a monster under your bed, even if it's Eater...//

Eater just shrugs at Crimson's suggestion, "I can try, but Blue and all the other Vaseterms don't trust me because of what I am, don't ya know, I gave Blue's daughter /ice cream,/ that means I'm /dangerous,/ you can't trust anyone who gives your kids ice cream," he sarcastically rolls his eyes and leans forward, resting his elbow on his leg and his chin on his hand, "But I guess I can't blame them for hating me, Nightmares don't have a good reputation, and I have done some nasty things before... It just means I have to work harder to prove that I'm honest."

But he picks up on Crimson's unnerved emotions and can't help but smirk at him, "Don't like the idea of sharing a room with me, huh? I'd be a good roommate! It'll be like I'm not even here!" Dreameater declares, and to prove his point, he takes his hat off and sets it on the bed before getting up and trying to crawl under the bed... "Oof... Well it's a little cramped under here... but you see? It's like I'm not even here at all!"

Hope still sits on Eater's hat as her master crawls under the bed, she doesn't say anything, but quietly stares down with her wings drooping.

Crimson's thought about what Eater said // will the group ever trust me again after what happened? //

His thoughts were pulled back to reality when the Nightmare was actually crawling under the bed "W-Ah!" Crimson quickly got to his feet and rush over to the far wall. The dragon shapeshifter put his back up against the wall and staring complete shock and confusion at Eater // that guy is really a FREAK! // After talking a moment to calm down Crimson was able to fine the humor in Eater's display even though it still creep out the prince " haha... yeah, no, I can still tell your there "

Eater laughs loudly as Crimson freaks out and runs to the wall, and tries to make himself comfortable under the bed, which turns out to be quite the struggle as he nearly hits his head. "It's just the friendly neighborhood Nightmare under your bed, no need to panic! Hahaha, ah well, I can't blame you for not wanting a Nightmare under your bed..." he says, debating whether or not he should stay there after all the trouble he went through getting under there...

He decides to stay there for a while, but moves around a bit so he can poke his head out from under the bed, and the young Nightmare gives the prince a thoughtful look. "... Hey, I know I keep backtracking a bit, but you mentioned about Light Eaters earlier? ... You know about them?" Eater asks, frowning a bit, "... It's not true, is it? That that's a Nightmare's truest form...?"

Crimson smirked and shook his head with amusement chuckling, Eater was the strange's and yet funniest Nightmare he ever seen " I said this before but your a real freak but for a Nightmare that a good thing " he decided to play along " I could always bring you food and feed under the bed, I was told one time you should feed the monsters under your bed three times a day " he teased
The Dragon shapeshifter still had an amused look as the Nightmare move and scaffold under the bed, " your such a weirdo" he rubbed his forehead and smiled when Eater pop his head out. Then Crimson thought on the the Nightmare question " that your a bug? Yeah" he replied simply, then followed his arms looking up at the ceiling " well the best way to say it is a light Eater looks like an insect but it's really dark magic that sole purpose in it's existence is to eat light, and was made to feed off a Dreamer heart reflection "

Dreameater can't help but snicker more as Crimson plays along a bit, "As long as you don't bring me veggies, I think we can work with that arrangement," he grins, but that grin fades very quickly when Crimson confirms his fears, and he covers his face with his hands. "Nnnnnooooooooo! But I don't wanna be a bug!" the Nightmare moans, "I hate that form! It's so small and horrible, and it's so hard to control, and it has too many eyes and legs and wing things on my back! The last time Hiiro tore me out, I ended up chewing a hole in Catch's sleeve!" He moves his hands out beside him and gives Crimson a frustrated look, "It's not natural, having four eyes and six legs! Dreamers aren't supposed to have that many eyes! I mean sure they can shapeshift, but I've never had a bug form before, it's so weird! Isn't there /anything/ else I can look like when I'm ripped out of my body?! I haaaate that form!!"

Crimson was taken back by the Nightmares dramatic reaction knowing the truth behind his light Eater form, he blinked a few times "..ahh, I'm pretty sure that the only form light Eater have, I only seen Judas rip a few light Eater out and the ones I did die soon after remove from their frames but they all look like bugs " he said honestly. The dragon shapeshifter rubbed the back of his head, he could sympathize with the Nightmare some, he was freak out when he discovered his human form " it can't be that bad?...I used to think my human form was hideous and awful but I got use to it and kinda like it now...I just had to learn to use and understand it first " he gave a goofy but friendly smile, this was kinda unusual topic and he wasn't sure if he was helping.

Which that thought did give him an idea,// most Nightmare don't even know about light Eater and really what they themselves are... maybe I can help Eater with what I know? // Crimson walk over and crouched down so he was closer to Dreameater level " maybe I can help you understand more about light Eaters and even Nightmares? You said you were chewing on Dreamcatcher sleeve? That probably because you were hungry, light Eater, eat light magic and have a faster metabolism then a Nightmare and Catcher is a Dreamer a creature of light " he try to explain, the shapeshifter tape his chin in thought " Judas did say something about Light Eaters absorb and learn faster out side there frame but I never cared much about that... "// That might have been important but I never thought I be having a casual talk with a Nightmare before...//

Being thoroughly upset by this information, Dreameater lets out a long sigh as he stares up at the ceiling and makes another, quieter moan, but something Crimson says catches his attention. "... You can rip a Nightmare out of its frame...?" the young Nightmare nervously questions, but then grimaces and drags a hand down his face, "It /is/ that bad, do you have any idea how much it /hurts/ getting ripped out of my body? It's like having all your insides slowly torn out through your chest, and then you can't breathe... and the Light Eater form is useless and tiny!! I've spent my whole life trying to save and protect other people, and then I get turned into a horrible little bug, no powers, no magic, nothing! I can't save anyone like that, I can't even save myself! It's just become something people can threaten me with! 'Oh, you better go do this Eater, or I'll get Ai and rip you outta your frame!' or freaking Hiiro will do it just because he likes watching people /suffer/ and likes playing with my body like it's a toy..." Eater finally finishes his rant, sounding rather hurt with his mention of Hiiro and actually having forgotten for a moment what Crimson had said last about his kind, and now that the Prince is over here with him, he decides to get out from under the bed, instead sitting cross-legged on the floor. "... Yeah, I was, I hadn't eaten anything really for a while around the time Hiiro decided to torture me..." the Nightmare mumbles, then gives Crimson a more hopeful look, "Can you tell me anything more? About Light Eaters, or just Nightmares in general? Please?"

Crimson move from his crouched position and sat down on the floor, he rubbed the back of his head " well yeah I can...it just not gentle or clean.... " he whispered feeling guilty about it now, the way the red Prince remove light Eater was a barbaric method to put it nicely and it always killed them...

The dragon shapeshifter waited and listened patiently to the young Nightmare rant, he put his arms around his legs " that does suck... Been small and having all those extra parts, I guess it would be a lot kinda creeper and overwhelming then having a human form..." he rest his head on top of his knees, Crimson was quiet for a moment, the thought off been rip out off your body for some reason he understood what it was like...but he didn't make comment on it, inside he avoided it completely and focus on the what the rest of Eater rant was " light Eaters might be small but there not defenseless, your light Eater form has some unique quality to it..." The red Prince murmured, he moved his hand to rubbed his chin as he thought about what he could tell Eater that might help him " light Eater start off really stupid and I mean stupid but that because their not people or even an animal, there living dark magic that the more they eat the smarter they become, and you as a Nightmare should know that they like to eat..." The red Prince look at Dreameater, he was just going to put it all out there " Dreamers heart reflection...they eat the Dreamer from the inside until only they themselves are what left but Soledormir was clever with making the Nightmares, he made it so the light Eater would copy the Dreamer memories so they could impersonate that person and use them to deceive and trick people, the chaos King favorite thing to do is use other to make people life hell... " Crimson explained then hug himself, now that he thinks about it, with what he leaned about Omen and even himself just how much that was true...// All those years and I never seen what was happening behind the scenes... what else did I miss? // Taking a breath the red Prince continue " I guess I could tell you about some of the stuff about them? You know as a Nightmare you have extremely good senses, Better than a Dreamer? Light Eaters are even better than a Nightmare, light Eater are predators, they hunt, they track, and they kill to feed... Their predators since and hearing is far better than a Nightmare but it also 'if' you know what your doing, can make hunting Nightmares easier" he does on about explaining about the predator since " Nightmares are so reliant on their predator sense that if you block or change the life aura of someone it's hard for them to identify that person even if their standing right in front of them...I normally block my aura when hunting Nightmares, it's easier to get the uper hand on them."

Crimson look up at the ceiling, he was thinking on the other thing he used against Nightmares to hunt them " hmm, Light Eater have keen hearing, they lose a little bit of that in a frame but some sounds do still effect then, bells and chimes are kinda like ah..." He tapped his chin thinking of what people use for cats that make them go crazy " AH! THAT IT!" He shouted remembering "catnip! Light Eaters just love the sound of them /but / as a Nightmare bells don't effect them " Crimson then looked away as he rubbed the back of his head "... Well there is a special I have that works on Nightmares just like if they we're a light Eater...I used it for.... Well you know..." He glanced at the Nightmare // this is really awkward telling a Nightmare my hunting methods...//

Crimson thought more on the light Eater and what Eater said about him being defenseless and useless against Hiiro, just thinking about the Xanos made the red Prince blood boil "...you know, your light Eater form could probably kill Hiiro...it might be small but a light Eater jaws we're designed to adapt to what they taste and eat...all you have to do is keep chewing on him and your jaws and metabolism will adapt to better breaking down what your eating...and in no time you could eat though Hiiro hide and kill him from the inside out..." There was something dark in the prince tone

Eater grimaces when Crimson confirms he can rip out a Light Eater from its frame, but since the prince seems to have some guilt talking about it, he doesn't ask more about it.

He sits and listens quietly as the shapeshifter starts explaining about Light Eaters, some of this he knows already, like the Dreamer's heart reflection and memories, "Yep, I know that, I have Weaver's memories of his friends and family, and his time as a Shadow Hunter, and that's where my instincts kick in, driving me to kill the people he loved... or try to..." he chimes in, adding his own thoughts to it before listening more, and he nods when Crimson mentions a Light Eater's improved hearing. "I remember when Omen first ripped me out of my frame, I was completely overwhelmed at first, it took me a while to adjust to everything."

Crimson's comment about bells piques his curiosity though, and he tips his head a little, "You have a special bell that makes Nightmares go crazy? ... It's not like, murderous crazy like a feeding frenzy, right? Dreameater asks, thinking about that a little more...

... But then he hears what the red prince says last, and the way he says it... At first, Eater raises an eyebrow and smirks faintly, finding it hard to believe he could /kill/ Hiiro in that form, also finding it hilarious. "You think I could kill Hiiro? In that form?" he snickers, "Even if I got to chew on him to the point I could eat through his plates, I'd still probably wind up dead, he'd probably just tear me out of him or burn me to death with his special white fire..." the Nightmare mumbles before frowning at Crimson, "But you know... Hiiro has a Key, we can't kill him no matter how much we hate him, no matter how much torture he puts us through, because we need his Key to stop Soledormir... As long as he's been chosen by the Kings, we have to put up with the big red idiot poopface."

As much as he wouldn't mind venting about how much he hates Hiiro, Eater can tell that this topic isn't good for Crimson, and he pauses a moment to think. He wants to change the topic, but he has two things he wants to say that aren't really tied to each other, but since he also doesn't want Crimson to dwell on Hiiro for too long, he blurts out, "Hey, could you promise to do something for me? Uh... please don't every tell Purity that Nightmares are actually bugs, unless it's a literal life or death situation..."

A smirked was on the red Prince face thinking about Hiiro death..." I seen light Eater do it before...rip though someone to get to the light inside...all Hiiro would have to do is eat some light magic...it's a very painful way to die..." His smirk faded however when Eater bring up that despite Hiiro been a jerk, he probably kill Eater first...then jealousy spiked in the red Prince that Hiiro had a key and was needed,
he followed his arms and looked away //...why did you pick something like that over me?.... What did I do wrong to make you hate me?...i...I already know the answer now...it's because I'm a monster and would kill the candidates...I already killed one and it's so hard not to think about not wanting to kill Hiiro...that why you didn't pick me...Hiiro may be an * not so nice word* but he never killed a candidate before...// After work things out in his head Crimson sighed "... Yeah, I guess your right...the others need him..." he still didn't like Hiiro but knew how important he was.

It took a moment for Crimson realized Eater's request, he blinked at the Nightmare Puzzled but he like this Nightmare so he respected his request " yeah, sure, I can do that, it's not common knowledge anyway and I don't think it be that important for people to know "
That topic did get him thinking back to Eater question about the bell, he tips his head and tapped his chin " going back to the bell...when I first started to use it, the sound would make the Nightmare pretty much obsessed with it " he chuckled " there was this one time I was trying out the bell and how best to use it, I tied it to up in a tree so the wind would blow it and ring, it did it's job and draw the Nightmare to it, a whole pack of then, they we're acting all kinds of crazy trying to get it, jumping, climbing up on each other, a few fights broke out over it but overall most just wanted the bell...they did finally knock down tree and a beta rank took the bell and ran, tossing her head up and down just to make it ring..." Crimson stop as he remembered that the Nightmare was smiling, he seen a Nightmare smile many, many times, and it was always done with evil intentions but the Nightmares chasing the Bell that day didn't look evil smiling, they just look like they were having a good time. " I think Nightmare enjoy the sound of the bell, they usually look happy and playful...in an odd Nightmare kinda of way, I guess" he shrugs his shoulders then he adds "...I did later discover, by using fear and presenting ...I ..." Crimson felt sick now thinking back to his darker days, how he used people, " I ...I just learned I could use it with bait to lure hungry and disciplined Nightmares with it..." Crimson pulled his knees closer to his chest and hug his legs //...The things I done...if the candidates really knew me, would they have risked keeping me along with them?...if they knew, would Mina still be alive?.... what would Crystal's think of me if she knew?.... She already seen the monster I am...what if I go back to that?... I fell to it already and I killed someone....// Crimson was quiet but it was pretty obviously there was a lot on his mind

As he listens to Crimson go into more detail about Light Eaters eating people from the inside out and how painful that death is, Eater feels a cold chill run down his spine and shivers, pulling his arms close to his chest in a sort of self-hug. //This is noooot a good thing to talk about...// he thinks, and is glad when the conversation moves on. He smirks faintly when he can tell Crimson gets out of his dark thoughts, and nods his head. "Thanks... It's just Purity is deathly afraid of bugs, she's the kind of person who you could just mention something about a bug and she screams... I don't think she needs to know that her boyfriend was eaten alive by a bug from the inside, and that that same bug is now controlling his body..." the Nightmare explains, giving Crimson a rather goofy smile.

"... Really? A whole pack?" Dreameater asks, raising an eyebrow at the prince's story, he can't help but snicker, then laugh at the mental image of Nightmares losing their minds over a bell like that, "That sounds so stupid! They really did that? I can't believe normal Nightmares would lose it like that! Hahaha!"
But his smile fades again as he sees how Crimson explains more, and judges from his guilty emotions to get an idea of what he did next with the bell... Dreameater pauses a moment before standing up, and says, "... Sure, but you're better than that now. Hey, do you still have that bell? I think we can give it a new purpose if you do." Turning around back to the bed, Eater gently grabs Hope in one hand and puts his hat back on with his other before turning back to Crimson, looking down at him with a faint smile. "If you do have it, you can hold onto it while you're here, that way, if you ever get bored or lonely, or just need some company, you could ring it to get my attention? ... I assume I'd be able to hear it from far away, right? Or, if you don't have it, maybe I could have Hope form a link to you, so we could talk telepathically?" the Nightmare asks, offering Hope to Crimson again.

Crim made a small smile with Eater talking about Purity antics with bugs " yeah, it sounds like it be better if she doesn't know that..." A frown came to his face thinking about how Purity didn't like bugs " ...she not going to like going to a dark world then..." He muttered, knowing just what kind of monsters lurked there.

The Dragon shapeshifter took a breath and slowly let it out, he had come a long way but he wanted to do better, " I know...I'm just afraid I'll screw up again...I don't want to mess up that bad ever again..." He whispered.
Crimson made a think face at the young Nightmare suggestion, he like the idea of using the bell for more than what he used it for but there was one problem... " I do have the bell...buttt, it's not on me..." He rubbed the back of his head " it should be with my other clothing, in one of the pockets in my red cape...I keep it in a small soundproof box...if I had it, you should be able hear it pretty far away"
Crimson grimace when Eater suggested having his Forgotten form a link with him "... t-hat not a bad idea... but sometimes there other people up in there..." He tapped his own forehead " and I'm not sure what Scarlet would do to Hope if she was in my head to...a link shouldn't be made with me until something done with Scarlet "

The topic did make Dragon shapeshifter think about something to do with Fairfins and Forgotten, he look at Hopes condition, just how sickly she looked and sad... " You could see about linking Hope with others.... I think that might help your forgotten get healthier...Fairfin need light to fully live and be healthy, they become a forgotten because that light the were getting from their bond partner was corrupted and all light been cut off from them... your Forgotten may not fully recover, Im only guessing here..." He gave a half shrug and continued " Fairfin are connected to their pod and the pod will cut there link with the individual who's bond with their partner is compromised... it's a good strategy, cut the one off before it contaminate everyone else but this cut off that Fairfin to outside source of getting light magic and with only the Nightmare they become the Forgotten...the Nightmare can't provide them with what they need and they slowly shrivel up..." Crim rubbed his arms, feeling a sick guilt in his stomach, he never thought of Fairfin as people before and now that he was trying to be sympathetic for the first time Crimson realized just how much him and Fairfin had in common they both become ' forgotten ' with out others support and friendship. " I hope it will help her...you could always try it out at least... " he only suggested this because he knew Eater was a freak of a Nightmare and he probably wouldn't be crazy psychotic in people heads.

Eater doesn't really respond when Crimson mentions Purity won't like a dark world, he never imagined anyone would...

"You won't get that bad again, I'll make sure of it," Eater reassures the prince, loosley folding his arms and nodding his head, but then he smirks faintly and teases, "If I have to, I'll beat the devil out of you to get you back to normal... or at least, I'll try to."

Dreameater listens as the prince explains where the bell is, but doesn't say anything at first, then frowns at the thought of having a lot of people in your head. //That's right, I forgot about his corruption... Duh...// "Yeah... you're right, that's probably not a good idea, then... and I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to her," he says, looking down at his sad little Forgotten. He holds her out in front of him in his hand and pokes her a bit with his other one, but then he turns back to Crimson with a thoughtful look. "I never really thought about linking her to anyone, but I could see about asking Catch and the other Dreamers and Fairfin for help, maybe I could ask Alex too? She has light magic..." he says, carefully cradling Hope in his hand, "I can tell she's been getting worse, her fluff's started falling out... I'll see what I can do, first I'll go get that bell for you, and then I'll try to find the others, I'll be right back!"

With that being said, the young Nightmare leaves the cell and locks the door behind him, smirking faintly at his partner as he starts on his way to find Crimson's room. "You hear that, Glory? Maybe we'll get you feeling better soon..."

Crimson couldn't help but chuckle at Eater when he teased " thanks" he replied with an amused smile.

The Dragon shapeshifter gave a nod at the Nightmare " take care of Hope first, I'm not going anywhere anytime soon "
Ones Dreameater was gone, Crimson got up off the floor, he walked over to the bed and sat down, the shapeshifter pick up the pirate eye patch and slowly shook his head " he one strange Nightmare..." He thinks out loud.

(AAaaaAAAAAAHHHH IT'S DONE

We can't do this ever again Shadow X'D )

(Haha that was fun to read, boy that was long xD)

(it's okay for me to comment, right?)

AHHH I LOVE EATER SO MUCH

he's definitely become one of my top favorite characters in SKeys X"D
it's hard for me to pick/order favorites so ill just say he's high up-

and this was a fun read, eater & crim make for cool interactions because of them fighting similiar...issues (instincts and corruption)