I was running. Running so fast my legs were just fuzzy blurs of needle-like pain. My lungs were pumping uselessly, already too starved of oxygen and forcing my breaths to gasp and shudder for air. My vision was making the road ahead dance and sway. I couldn't keep this up much longer, but I HAD to.

The darkness was closing in.

I was already running for what seemed like hours, occasionally tripping on a cold, slimy tendril and barely escaping, but for every foot I gained, it got two more closer. I wasn't going to lose myself again, I couldn't lose myself again-

I shut my eyes and covered my ears with my hands as the shadows behind me wailed in pain and torment. They were all too cacophonous to make out individually, but I heard names, anguished cries of grief, people screaming for someone to save them. Then horrible, cold, mocking laughter- laughter I knew all too well. Xemnas, Ansem, the youth(who actually looked a heck of a lot like Xemnas now that I think of it)who chased me through this dream realm-

I tripped, and felt my ankle twisting into a useless sprain. I desperately limped for escape, but ended up screaming in absolute fear and dread as I was once again enveloped in darkness's cruel embrace-

I woke up truly screaming.

There was a startled mewl as Wandanyan rolled off my hotel bed and onto the floor, landing with a soft, plushy, THUMP. It peeked over the edge as I gripped at my shirt and necklace, taking deep breaths and trying to calm myself down. It then flopped right onto my lap and began worriedly licking my sweaty, fearfully contorted face with a few soft whines.

I shakily laughed "I-I'm fine, Wandanyan. Just a bad dream again..." After a moment of dubious silence I scooped up the Dream Eater and hugged it for dear life.

I hated these nightmares. They never left me alone, they never pulled any punches; just night after night of agony and suffering. Seeing loved ones die- sometimes by my own hand -seeing myself becoming corrupted again and lost to the darkness, being stuck here in the realm of sleep, completely alone and forgotten. Why wouldn't they just leave me alone? I had enough sadness to deal with for failing the Mark of Mastery Exam- something I thought I would pass without lifting a pinky finger.

I flopped back onto my pillow, then rolled over and buried my face in the soft fabric. I sighed as my teary eyes dried up on the material. That stupid exam was why I was here in the first place. I just had to bungle things up like that, I just HAD to blindly follow the bad guys until it was too late. If Riku wasn't there, if most likely be...

I shuddered, deciding to cut off my thoughts there and I began a steady rhythm:

Breathe in.

...

Breathe out.

...

Breathe in.

...

Breathe out.

...

Breathe in.

...

Breathe out.

...

I took in the warm, pillow-smell and tried calming myself down to get back to sleep-

With the most perfect timing, my alarm clock started beeping.

I utilized Neku's colorful vocabulary and groaned loudly in annoyance.

...

Now dressed and walking among the buildings of the Third District, I yawned. Wandanyan mewled again as it peppily bounced by my side.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, you're more of a morning person than me..." I grumbled, then sleepily rubbed my eyes "I used to be one, too." I growled out the last bit "When I could get a decent night's sleep."

I checked my bearings again: Third District, nothing special, since I needed to be in the fourth. I glanced at the fountain bubbling in the corner, then walked over and pulled out about 1000 munny. I was desperate now. I tossed all 1000 into the water, wishing as hard as I could for the nightmares to leave me alone. Not the monsters that plagued the Realm of Sleep, of course. I actually would like more of those to take out and gain experience from.

Apparently they finally learned Keyblade = death. Horrible, horrible, death.

I sighed, putting my hands in my pockets and walking off into the fourth district. I suppose Wandanyan ran off on its own to take out a Nightmare.

I smiled upon seeing a familliar spike of orange hair. I waved, increasing my pace "Hey! Neku!"

The introverted teenager didn't even turn from the graffiti on the brick wall, only raising his hand "Hey, Sora." I pulled up to him, and he asked "Say, have you seen this yet?"

Of course I'd seen it before. This was the same area where I fought that big, Pete-like... Thing. But I decided to be nice and say "Nah, I haven't. Really nice."

"Only made by CAT, best Shibuya street artist ever." Neku said with a growing smile. I let him ramble off on his street-art loving tangent, listening to every word and actually learning a few more things. His bitter cynicism completely melted away as he rambled about techniques and motifs and messages with full enthusiasm.

But then he slowed, his hand drifting on the art and lingering sadly. He sighed "I miss home..."

I nodded "I miss home too..." I soon found myself listing off everything I missed so dearly "My friends, my parents, just sitting around without a care in the world, not fighting all the time, getting a good sleep-"

"Hey, since when were you me?" Neku cut me off with a chuckle, but then he put his hands in his pockets "So you've been missing out on a few winks because of the screaming, too, huh?"

I blinked, not even aware that Neku was suffering from my nightmares as well. Heck, he didn't even seem to know it was me as he continued on "Yeah, we have no clue who's waking up screaming bloody murder." He added with a discrete whisper "I think it's Beat, though. He's probably just too full of himself to admit he screams like a little girl."

I laughed. Maybe we'd be alright.

This is just a direct continuation of DDD, mostly will be covering the events in the Realm of Sleep. Hope you enjoy!