Chapter 27: Searching for Killer

                                    

                                          
Nightmare's POV
"Uugggh, hey Dream..."I say, sitting up and stretching.
"How did you rest, Brother?"Dream asks
I grin, recalling what I imagined while asleep.
"It was nice...Much better lately."I say, glancing around
The home was pretty empty aside from Cross and X!Chara hanging out in the living room area. I glance at Dream, who is already smiling at me with a knowing look in his eyes.
"You looking for someone, Brother?"He asks
"Where's Horror? I told him that I'd help him with something....I hope I didn't oversleep."I say with a shake of my head
"Here, Night. Just went hunting and saw something bizarre."Horror says, swimming inside
"What did you see?"Dream asks curiously
"A stingray pulling a human to the surface before they drowned. Usually the stingrays around here are only concerned with themselves or hide, chilling near the bottom."He says
"That was probably Outer. He always helps humans in need to get back to the surface. Or any land creature really, monster or human."Cross says
"Helped me once or twice actually."X!Chara says
"I mean he does have his own mer form but hides as a stingray for the most part. He finds it easier to get around and likes to visit the surface anyway to see the galaxies up above."Cross says
"How do you know this Outer, Cross?"Dream asks
"He is Killer's friend."Cross says with a shrug
"Who is Killer's friend?"Dust asks as he swims inside
"WhAt's tHe coNvErSaTiOn aBoUt nOw?"Error asks, pulling in a sack with him
"Ooo! What's in the sack, Error?"X!Chara asks
"NoNe oF yOur bIz, ChArA."Error hisses, though he did blush a bright yellow
"Ink got him a gift.~"Dust coos with a chuckle
Error smiles a bit, showing me inside the bag was a collection of pearls and seashells, which along with the fact that it's from Ink is a special gift for him. I can see how happy it makes him.
"We were talking about a stingray that Horror saw pulling a human to the surface. Cross thinks that it's Outer."Dream says to answer Error
"Huh, well that's interesting...."Dust says
"Hm?"Cross hums, glancing over
Dust looks to Horror curiously.
"Did you happen to see Killer on your way home then? The two of them ditched us once we started chatting with Ink or Blue."Dust asks
"No, I didn't see him anywhere. I didn't know he even left."Horror says
Dust goes to check the rooms curiously.
"He isn't here!"He shouts
"Maybe he went to hang out with Outer. It has probably been a while since they saw each other."Cross says
I frown, going to check on the sea bunnies. Soon afterwards, everyone else went to sleep but Killer doesn't return. I sit in my den, waiting for him to return. Morning comes and no sign of him. 
Dang it Killer, where are you?
By the time everyone woke up, I have lost my patience, growing concerned for him as well. I swim out of our home and the cavern, looking for him. I look around, searching for who knows how long...Underwater seas don't make time easy to track and the clock is still at home. But there's nothing. No sign of him.
That's it, I'm hunting Outer down instead!
I continue searching, changing my target for a stingray. After a long, long while one bumps into me. It looks up at me and freezes.
"Uuuh, sorry..."They say quietly
"What's the rush?"I ask
"Going to see a friend about an issue."They say
"Do you know anyone named Outer? Stingray perhaps?"I say
They tense up.
"What do you want with me?"They ask
Well, he asks I should say.
"I'm looking for Killer. He was supposed to be home by now and he was last seen with you so I want some answers."I say, crossing my arms
He looks like he went pale, freezing up.
"Umm...Well you see about that....He's on the surface."He says
"What? Since when?"I snap
"Depends, he went up on the night of a half moon. Let's check the surface real quick and I'll explain."He says
We go to the surface and the moon shines brightly, showing off its crescent shape.
"Okay, so 23 days. Jeez times moves faster than I thought. It flies underwater."He says
I glance at him, awaiting an explanation.
"Okay so Killer has been having odd dreams lately. They include concepts or items of worlds on land and my friend Sci knows a lot about that so I brought Killer to him...Sci got startled and accidentally spilled chemicals on Killer. I had to rush him to the surface and he has been there ever since. I was going to see if Sci had a solution yet."He says
"Wait....Was he the human that Horror saw you dragging to the surface?"I ask
"Probably."He says with a nod
"Why wouldn't he just come to me? I could've helped him."I say
"Yeah, like you're some kind of dream whisperer."He chuckles, rolling his eyes
"I am. I literally have an ability to enter them and explore."I say
He stops laughing, looking at me in surprise.
"Oh. Well Killer didn't feel comfortable about it anyway. Heck he wanted to find out the meaning so that he could feel comfortable around you again. He felt uncomfortable himself about it so I doubt that he'd bring it up to you. He felt embarrassed, not wanting you to find out and become uncomfortable as well."He says
What? Is it the memories? Does he not like them? Does it confuse him? I could explain it all to him!
"What makes him uncomfortable?"I ask
"Umm, he has had dreams where you are royalty and....how to I put this, overly affectionate to him? As in more than friends? He doesn't know why his mind would come up with that and it just makes him feel awkward around you since it sticks in his mind. And given how you act towards him, I can see the challenge he has of just pushing the dream aside. And he didn't want you to find out because wouldn't it be weird that a friend has dreams of you as more?"He explains
Ooh! He remembers that! I can explain everything to him! I'll find a way! Awww, Killer has no idea how special he is!
"What are you smiling about?"He asks
"Plans.."I say
Then we hear loud rumbling and growls in the distance. The waves grow rougher and bigger. I glance over, seeing a large beast rising onto the land and ripping the terrain as well as a town apart.
"What is that?"I ask
"Shattered's reign of terror. And that's the land that I took Killer to...."He says
"Oh really? Well I'll go handle that."I say, heading towards it
Shattered...You'll deal with me before you even lay a finger on Killer.
TBC