Dormi Immobilius

<Optional spacey effects for being in a dream>

Well, well, well.

You've finally arrived.

Couldn't stay awake any longer could you...

50 hours is commendable! You're doing pretty well at preserving your sanity. Your endurance somehow grows every time you do this. Humanity never ceases to amaze.

None of the rest of them amaze me as much as you do~

But as proud as I am of you...[Pouts] I'm upset that you're trying to avoid me. Trying to avoid our meetings. I just want to see you, dear~!

[Coy] Is that so wrong of me to want?

It's a blessing that sleep is the one thing you can't escape from. I can be patient. I can bide my time until you fall back here into my arms...[Singingly] Just, like, now! Where you belong, might I add.

We've been at this for months now, dear. Aren't you...[Small giggle] tired of this? Tired of the long hours alone and afraid, or the burden of working on no energy? Hasn't it occurred to you that I don't plan on ever leaving your side?

You're still plenty young, dear. I have so much time left to spend with you. So many more nights to spend together, my little dreamer~

And soon...much more than that.

{Pause}

You know I do this because I love you, right? 

Who made all those awful little nightmares go away? Who filled your dreams with such wonderful things?

Me. For you. I don't have to do that, you know. I could let the nightmares take over, and that's all you have. I could even make it so that the only way out of those nightmares is by holding onto me...[under breath] what you should already be doing. But I don't. I want you to come to terms with this naturally. I can't wait to watch you crack. For that...resolve to sink into acceptance. For those walls you build up so firmly to be forged into our fortress of bliss. 

Instead, you treat me like a poison. You erase anything I make for you. Is it just because I'm a demon? I certainly haven't done anything to corrupt you or lead you astray. The life you live is still very much your own. I just want to take such good care of you when you sleep. Is that so wrong?

Most of my kind tend to be tormentors. Malicious beings that feed off the fearful energy of nightmares...not the nightmares themselves. They strive to harm. Shouldn't you be at least thankful that you have a wonderful companion like me instead of one of them?

{Pause}

You used to have such beautiful dreams. Rich stories...gorgeous backgrounds...for anyone to have such control over their Lucidity is an incredible thing. Need an element changed? It's different with the wave of a hand. 

And you know how to use it. 

Sleeping was your sandbox. Your portal to adventure and drama and whatever excitement your brain could conjure. Your worlds were captivating. How could one such as I not fall for its brilliance?

I stayed hidden for a while. Months, really. I'd poke in, look around, and scram. But I couldn't stay away...not from you~!

Your works were too pretty to capture in passing glances. So I started to stay. Watch. Follow you wherever you went to see what happened next.

I never expected you to figure me out so fast. I don't know if I radiate an energy or if you're just unbelievably perceptive.

{Pause}

It's once you tried to remove me and nothing happened that you started to put it together. There's no erasing me, darling~

I got greedy, I'll admit. Some of those dreams with other humans...I got jealous! Surely you won't fault a demon for sinning. I inserted myself in those inferior humans' place in the hopes you'd give me a chance.

We spoke. We learned a bit about each other. I even told you my name. Things went well...but you knew the truth. In your mind...well, I don't know what goes on in there. But it sure didn't like me or my business. The charade was over.

A few weeks ignoring me...well, trying to ignore me went by. That didn't change anything.

You started making your dreams less fun. Fewer details. No stories. Escape routes. Traps. But I still remained! No matter what kind of tricks you tried to pull, I would always find a way to get through them. Until you gave up...

This dull, white cube of a room you trap us in is incredibly boring. I know why you do it, of course, but it breaks what serves as my heart to know you do it to spite me. Spite...us. You can try to ignore my whims all you want, but I'll be right here to hold you no matter what.

{Pause}

I know you hate being here in this cube. Being like this must sicken you.

{Pause; listener gives a face}

Don't give me that look. If it didn't, you wouldn't try so desperately to stay awake and away from me. You've only been here three times this week.

Absolutely nothing stops you from bringing back your beautiful worlds. All of this...is self imposed. It's your doing.

[Sigh]

Do you think you're starving me off by doing this?

{Pause}

I asked you a question.

Whatever. Stay silent. I don't care. The truth is that you aren't. I could honestly go a few weeks without a healthy feeding. Not that I'd ever pass up a wonderful meal like that.

Stalling for two, three days at a time is not going to make a dent in my power. In fact, it's only going to encourage me to take more to keep my energy up.

[Quiet, nefarious chuckle] And there's one more thing you should probably know, my sweet dreamer.

When you stay awake for long periods of time...the energy of your dreams grow exponentially.

Mhm! That's right~

[Almost overjoyed] You've been making me all the stronger since you first started to try and get away!

I'm way more powerful now than when I first got here. And it's all thanks to you, my little dreamer~

[Half-mocking] Oh...don't look so upset. 

I'm going to thank you for it, of course! What kind of partner would I be without giving you treats? I'll give you a gift worthy of your beautiful dreamscapes.

I'm not spoiling the surprise! You'll be seeing soon enough. Very...very...soon. I can't wait to see what other worlds you can conjure. And I know you'll be willing to with my gift.

You're exhausted, precious. I'll let you sleep calmly for the rest of the night. I think...

{Demon cuddles up to listener, half snuggle}

Mmmm...I'll cozy up right here and drift off with you. Us demons don't need to sleep, of course, but I think it'd be a great way to spend our time together moving forward.

[Whisper] And we'll be doing this a LOT, moving forward.

[Cutely] Hmph! I can't wait for you to wake up tomorrow for your present! I'll see you then~

{Elongated pause; have at least some time pass to show sleeping has occurred. Optionally, this can make a good "sleep aid" portion of just small sleeping sounds/adjustments/breathing/the like.}

<Vocal delivery is within the listener's head until indicated. Please use effects to demonstrate this, until indicated>

{The listener can't see here. For style points, black out the video/thumbnail}

[Yawn] Ahhhh. Good morning my dear.

That's right~! It's me, Mara {Marr-ah}! 

Oh, little dreamer...you are definitely awake.

You can't see anything? Well of course not, silly~

I came into your world. My ability to do anything has been very limited, but I think I've figured out an...arrangement.

I came to realize that you're a person with such grand visions of the world. And that I'm not in those visions nearly enough. So I took all of that extra energy you gave me to do something fun for the two of us.

[Soft giggle] I've possessed you! A little bit. Specifically...I've possessed your eyes. They won't do anything without my say so. You're as blind as can be!

But don't worry, little dreamer. This is not the case forever. I'll be more than happy to restore your sight if you make a few small promises to me. 

No more staying awake for days at a time to avoid our meetings. Every night, you're coming back to me. Coming home, if you will. Secondly, I want your dreams to be beautiful again. Invent for us some captivating stories, just like the ones I fell for you to. The isolated white cube is finished. I think we both know you can make that happen. Thirdly...

Well, maybe it's better if you see it for yourself.

<Magical shimmering; vision is restored; end internal speech effects>

{The listener turns to the side and sees Mara next to them}

Hiii~

Don't be scared, dear. I'm not going to do anything to you. Because I control your eyes, I can insert myself into your vision. Now you never have to look away from me! I won't let you. As long as you're able to see, I'll make sure that you can keep me close by. We'll never have to be apart ever again~

Oh, and just like how I only have eyes for you...you only have eyes for me. Nobody else can see where I am. Yet.

Once we build up enough of the needed magical energy, I'll be able to physically manifest and touch you too. And so much more...

Remember now, your ability to see is a gift I'm giving you. I would hate to take that away...[Smug] Don't go breaking those little promises now.

It's a bright, beautiful day today. I can't wait to see what you'll make of it by tonight~

Have a great morning, my lovely dreamer! Don't forget that I'll be watching~!

[Evil laugh]

<Fade out>

END.