Chapter 1: Nightmares can be Reality

Ningyo P.O.V

It's an ordinary day; just another day. He's teaching me how to fish from his anchored raft in our sewer home. He always gives me the same thing to eat from the 'astronaut cooler'. Some kind of packaged Surface food. He treats me with kindness and often pats my head with his own. He doesn't have arms, but that doesn't stop him. His comfort always warms my soul and gives me a feeling… some monsters know it as love.

Though it never seems to last. The shadows always creep over us. Within seconds, his body is broken into 3, and dust is suffocating him. Pain is slathered across the sewer; death is close at hand for him. Fear takes hold of me as the man with the blood-red eyes strutted towards me, his dusty knife being pocketed in his labcoat. His eyes were filled with murder and hatred, and he blocked me from view of the Dummy. Those soul-chilling, crimson eyes of his drawing closer, and closer. Every part of me was screaming about needing to run, but my body never moved.

The feeling of tears on my porcelain skin wakes me from the nightmare and I realize where I am. I always wake up to the tears.

The sound of the forcefield powering down alerted me to...his presence.

"Rise and shine, Subject 1," a male voice beamed through the darkness and slithered toward me as though a snake itself was speaking to me. "I...I h-have a name," I mumbled as I slowly got up from my cell bed. He raised a brow at me from behind his glasses.

"Oh?" His eyes were the nightmarish, murderous red from my dreams…

"Y-Yes, I have an actual name… W-We've been through this," I stuttered, trying my best to show as little weakness as possible. He simply scoffed and turned on his heels, his small ponytail facing me as he started getting tools and cotton from his drawers in the desk just outside my cell. He was pretty tall, but he was an adult of course… I was merely a child.

"Your name is of no importance here, Subject 1. You're a thing, an experiment." He started to clean some scalpels, "...Experiments do not need names." My anger started resonating as I stood up, ball joints trembling.

"I AM NOT A THING! I'm important!" I snapped.

My anger quickly became cold and fearful as I watched him turn toward me, a scalpel in his hand. His footsteps echoed and everything started slowing down as I quickly backed away into my cell wall. I desperately wanted to melt into the wall; do anything to get as far away from him as possible.

I was cornered. He knelt in front of me, with a crimson expression that exposed the pleasure he received from every horrible thing he had ever done to me. Every 'test', every scream filled his senses with a sick joy. My pain was his pleasure and entertainment. I quickly turned away so that I wouldn't gaze into those eyes from the nightmares.

"Important… That's correct, but not in the way you think, Subject 1." I winced when he roughly grabbed my chin making me look into his eyes fearfully. "You yourself are less than nothing to anyone outside this laboratory. But here," he smirked evilly, "your purpose is far more important than any existence in the Underground, even me." His voice was paralyzing me, and I was too afraid to do anything.

"So yes, you are important, but as I said before: your name is meaningless." and with that he left after gathering some tools and cotton.

I watched as he left, and stood in the hallway as he waited for me to exit my cell; my only place to call home. I'm subject 1. It's an ordinary day. Just another day.

We walked through the grey, empty halls in silence. I know he'll always call me Subject 1, nothing else. Maybe he's right, and I am nothing but his experiment…

We walked through the haunting halls, looming closer and closer to the place where the 'tests' were performed. The room was large; rounded. Machinery was everywhere - from the ceiling, to strung along the walls. In the center of the room, looming above, was the machine that caused me the most pain… the Monster Magic Beam. It was a beam built to duplicate an intense, artificial type of soul magic, as the doctor had told me. It was strong enough to penetrate anything. Next to the large looming machine was a bright light. Both hung above the bed with the restraints made for me. The belts. Those horrible, terrifying belts. To the right near the wall was the large desk where the doctor controlled everything. The desk had many screens. The room also had four great tubes big enough for a monster my size, probably. This place was the source of my pain; a place that would instantly cause me to tremble in fear. I hated this place. I hated him. I just wanted to go back to my cell and never return.

"Lie down on the operating bed," he ordered me as he stormed over to his desk. I stood at the door, taking deep and short breaths, all at the same time. My body wasn't moving and this didn't go unnoticed. How many more days can I take of this? How-

"LIE DOWN, Subject 1..!" He repeated with more authority in his voice. When I didn't obey, my body immediately collapsed to ground in realization of what might come next for me. The pain shot throughout my body in every direction like lightning surges.The collar around my neck shocked me the most, making it difficult to breathe. I desperately clawed at the collar, gagging on the shocks coming from it. I cried out for help. Agony continued but… but nobody came.

It felt like an eternity before the shocks finally came to an end. I took a few moments to catch my breath; It was stolen away from me by the shocks. This was his favorite out of all the tools he's ever used on me. A tool used to teach obedience, and inflict what he called 'punishment'. Though, from my experience, it was a tool of entertainment for him.

"Now, let's try this again. Subject 1. On the operating bed, immediately." He commanded once I regained my breath. I clenched my jaw; I was helpless. I can't take it anymore. I'm powerless here. My tears began to sting my eyes; It had to be because I was biting my lip (in order to keep my comments to myself). If I said or did anything he considered 'disobedient' or 'defiant', it'd be another surge of electricity through me from the collar.

I slowly rose from the ground and wearily dragged myself to the bed. Once I managed to pull myself up onto the bed, the doctor rolled his chair towards it to strap me down. It was routine for him to do the straps; I wouldn't tighten them to his 'approval'. He preferred to have me [basically] suffocating when he performed the 'tests'. If I could move even an inch, the belts weren't considered tight enough.

"Wh-What are you doing today?" I managed to ask. My voice was a quivering, hoarse mess. He rolled his chair back to the control desk in response.

"Your inability to use your SOUL's magic is quite the impediment." Why is he always so fond of using fancy words I don't understand..? My expression caused a groan and a rub of his face as he began booting up his computer. "Impediment, Subject 1… It means problem. Issue. Complication." He typed some stuff. "So I'll be correcting that problem by rekindling your ability to use your SOUL's magic." The machine had begun to warm up.

I was cautious. The answer would be something involving causing me more pain, that much I know... "To put simply, I'm going to give you a...lightning rod of sorts. It'll be a way for you to focus your SOUL's magic and express it outwardly." He looked at me from above his glasses. My blood ran cold; Chills ran over my skin like spiders.

"I advise remaining as still as possible, any movement can and will result in permanent damage." he grinned maliciously. The machine roared loudly to life before firing incredible heat down onto my forehead.

Everything was drowned out by the sound of my screams. My restraints grinded into my flesh, holding me down. I was struggling wildly, trying desperately to escape the burning laser. My body in its entirety was engulfed in flames, far worse than ANY collar-emitted shock. I could feel my porcelain skin slowly melt away under the laser's neon blue light. Tears streamed down my cheeks like molten lava. I was screaming the loudest I could, in hopes someone, anyone, heard me. Anyone...

The pulsing pain never stopped, and my body couldn't handle this torture anymore. My consciousness abandon me in the dark alone to die.

"No no NO! You're doing it wrong!" The voice was echoing in laughter. "I...I am...?" I heard my own voice answered nervously in response. I felt the darkness gradually finish its eclipse, and my eyes fluttered open. I found myself sitting on the edge of a wooden raft; a very familiar raft that I couldn't seem to identify. The water at my ankles was a filthy, murky blue and full of garbage, such as plastic and foil food wrappings. It was all so familiar, but I just couldn't lay my finger on any of it. "Ya gotta throw the line out as far as ya can! There ain't gonna be any fish DIRECTLY at those feet ya got danglin' there." He spoke to my left. I cast my eyes to find the raspy voice's owner. There he displayed, leathered and worn skin that held the color of a sickly yellow. His head had a large stitch going down an eye; any ordinary person would've found a talking dummy to be quite terrifying, and yet I felt at ease seeing his amused expression.

I so desperately wanted to ask who he was, or how he knew me, but my thoughts never translated into speech...

"Why won't the fish come near me? They don't like me or something?" I had asked him. He looked at me with a rather surprised and amused expression. Suddenly he laughed out loud and it startled me a little. What was so funny? I just asked if the fish hadn't liked me?

"It ain't really 'bout whether they like ya or not. They're scared of everything. I betcha those weird little toes you've got there freak 'em out." He grinned gesturing with his head to my feet.

"My toes aren't weird!" I gasped playfully, wiggling my ball jointed toes even more. His laugh filled me with the feeling of ease. That joyous feeling of being at peace was rudely interrupted by a sharp, pulsing pain. I flinched, reaching for my forehead. It hurt so much, and yet there was nothing there. This was a dream, wasn't it? Another nightmare that was as painful as the collar, or even the magic beam. Though the pain wasn't something physical... rather more emotional...

I looked over to the dummy, who seemed oblivious to what I had been feeling. I felt my eyes begin to sting, slowly waking me from reality's sweet escape.

Why...Why couldn't that be my reality… My nightmarish reality that was this laboratory with… with HIM, no- THEM. I could feel my tears begin to fall as the darkness consumed him; my only friend in this world and he was gone. The darkness ate everything and all that was left in the world were those vile, terrifying red eyes.

"Is she awake?" A scratchy voice asked from afar. I knew that voice. I hadn't heard it in a while, but I knew that voice.

"Subject 1 is coming to, slowly," the doctor reported. I could barely make out his facial features. "Eyes open, Subject 1!" He commanded as my vision slowly returned to me. I groaned as I could feel my aching body slowly regain movement.

Gravity pressed down on my body as I tried to move; I felt my surroundings to identify where I was located. Had I been returned to my cell, or…

"We aren't done yet, Subject 1." He chuckled as he rolled over to his desk to retrieve tools from the drawers.

"W-We...aren't?" I felt myself tremble, fighting the tears. This wasn't over. Of course not. It...never is..

"No we aren't.." He started but that raspy, high pitched voice finished for him.

"We still need to attach the focal horn's, as you would call it, "fishing line", to your soul."

I quickly looked over to the desk to find that thing staring at me with his lifeless black eyes. A black emptiness that easily consumed anything in its gaze. He held a friendly appearance, as though it were a disguise; a mask covering his true self. A much darker, far more evil self hiding behind those yellow petals.

He held an expression of disgust and morbid loathing. Who was the reason for such an expression was beyond my knowledge. Whenever he was present, his expression would often change from that evil glare, to a far more sinister, sadistic grin. He enjoyed my pain just as much, if not more than the doctor.

"Surprised to see me? Take a picture, it'll last longer ya little freak!" He laughed wickedly, shaking his pot lightly from his laughter, "I guess you can't huh? You seem to be a bit tied down at the moment!" He joked, causing me to glare at him. Joking about my suffering is a common occurrence with him.

I just remained silent and tore my gaze away from the vile talking flower as the doctor returned with the familiar green hand drill in one hand and in the other was some sort of cone shaped horn that was a light purple, much like my hair.

"I made it match your hair. Isn't that nice of me?" He smirked down at me as he placed the horn on the metal tray beside me. He took a thin black flower shaped piece of metal and placed it on my forehead where the beam once was. Still very much sore, I flinched from the agonizing pain.

"Wha...what is that..." I questioned him, barely able to keep my eyes open as he pressed down on the metal.

"This small piece of metal is something I like to call a SOUL plate! It draws in the SOUL's magic like a magnet. It will be connected to the horn, allowing the magic to collect inside the horn like a fishing line for a fishing rod." He happily explained as he placed the drill above the SOUL plate. Without warning, the drill was brought to life and I could feel it permanently attaching the plate to my skull. I bit down on my lip in order to keep my voice from escaping. More waterworks... I feel like that's all I ever do anymore, is cry all the time...Forever, until I'm dead... I can't remember the last time I had ever smiled, or felt real happiness. Anything good was all in my dreams... but even then, it only lasted a couple moments.

This pain - burning cringe - wasn't anything compared to the countless other things I've had to endure. I'd admit, it still hurt a great deal. He only drilled the SOUL plate to my head four times, then it was over.

"You got a little something on your forehead!" That ear ringing voice cackled from the desk. Even the doctor, who often ignored the demonic flower's jokes, stifled a laugh. The doctor then picked up the metal horn and attached it to the SOUL plate.

Immediately my body went numb and everything began to spin. My chest tightened and I felt this extremely uncomfortable feeling; It felt as though my insides were playing tug-of-war! It was unbearable. Breathing was difficult, my body felt extremely weak (well, weaker than any other time in this forsaken place), and my ears were flooded with the sound of my heart thumping loudly, rapidly.

I was trying to breathe as I looked over to the doctor, who was releasing the straps. As if knowing what was going on he spoke, "It will last a few days until you become accustomed to the feeling of your SOUL's magic being channelled."

After releasing me completely, the doctor closely eyed me, watching as I slowly rose from the cushioned prison. What was he looking at? He was real deep in thought... Once I was fully standing up, the doctor darkly chuckled. His sudden amusement frightens my core. His laughter was never a good sign for me.

"Chara?" The flower questioned, just as surprised and confused as I was. The doctor turned around to face the flower with a terrifying smirk. "Does Subject 1 not resemble that ridiculous creature from those fairy tales we often read growing up?" The doctor laughed and grinned eerily. The flower immediately gasped and he too laughed. If I was going to be their joke to laugh at, I might as well know the joke too. "What..? What do I look like?" I asked trying to sound tough and offended rather than curious and weak. "There is a creature known as a Unicorn from the surface world... A majestic creature with a horn on its head, much like yours..." He explained annoyed. Majestic? Does that mean.. "Why is it funny?" I questioned, confused by this statement that could very easily be a compliment. Both the flower and the doctor grinned evilly like the tormentors they were.

"Unicorns are a species made entirely from some human's imagination…." The flower laughed his voice now far more deeper revealing his true colors. "Meaning, no one actually believes in the thing~ That THING is made up and doesn't exist! It doesn't matter in the world... Just like you~" the flower continued. I felt my heart sink. I...I don't matter…

I finally got it.. Why it was so funny to them? ...It was ironic to them. I looked like this 'Unicorn' creature that didn't matter, some made up thing that wasn't even real…

"A UniDreemurr… Ha, it's perfect for the likes of you. A creature that doesn't matter and will be completely forgotten once reality steps in, much like a dream." The flower roared in laughter, and the doctor joined in soon after. The sinking feeling increased. How can someone or something be forgotten...if they never even existed in the first place? It was then, thanks to that vile flower, that my 'species' was labeled as a UniDreemurr. A 'species' that only has one of its kind. Me.