73. Let Go of Fear

Teensie Council Medical Wing

For six years, she had been a prisoner. She was trapped in the room of a man who did terrible things to her. She was trapped in her own dreams. And now, Madotsuki literally lived in a dream. A hospital for injured Dream Spirits. Not all things were free and happy in this world. These doctors repaired Madotsuki's broken body, and now a group of people wanted to help her mentally recover. She hadn't decided, yet. The doctors gave her a notebook to serve as a new diary. She hadn't gotten off her hospital bed; she was used to wasting her days in a bed. Now it was pointless because a dream couldn't dream. (Or could it?) Madotsuki climbed off her bed and wrote her first diary entry.

Dear Diary: I guess this is our first time meeting, huh? You won't believe what's happened to me. One minute I'm deciding between life or suicide. And in the next… I wake up in a forever dream. They said that some monster took my place in the real world. These people want to help me feel better… I haven't had a friend in so many years. Then that boy appeared in my dreams… he was different. He sounded like he really cared. I wanted to talk to him more… Maybe these people really care, too. …I'm going to talk to them. Maybe they can help me feel happy.

Madotsuki closed the book. She stood and stared at her cracked parts linked by bubbles. She ceased being human on that night. Madotsuki turned and walked outside.

"Timmy was an average kid, that no one understands. Mom and Dad and Vicky…"

Mary Goldenweek's eyes were almost glued to the TV in the waiting room. Dream World TV got every channel ever, and Mary had found a very engaging show: Fairly OddParents. Jack Frost, Phosphora, and Django stared at her with disbelief. "You sure you don't wanna watch something else?" Jack asked. "You watched four seasons already."

"You know, there's tons of good anime out there." Django noted. "RWBY, Soul Eater, Bleach… Bottle Fairy. Want me to look something up?"

"But this show is so amazing!!" Mary beamed. "Most average kids don't have magical fairies, but this boy does, and he can do anything! I wonder what he's going to do next?! Will he wish that A.J. has hair, or Chester has a mansion, or maybe Timmy will wish to be a movie star!"

"He did, and he now goes by 'Drake Bell.'" Phosphora remarked.

"She'll have to stop watching eventually." Jack said. "She'll hurt her eyes."

10 seasons later

"Timmy's still an average kid. We still don't understand. We all went on strike, but Nick didn't take our demands." The singers of the opening sounded so miserable and tired. Jack, Phosphora, and Django were bored to death. But Mary wouldn't take her eyes off the show.

"I've taken pretty heavy notes!" Mary noted. "The Big Wand must be plugged in, it gets recharged every Friday, and the fairies' magic is powered by crazy people who believe in fairies. I have yet to understand why Fairy World is built over Giant Bucket of Acid World since that hasn't been brought up again. Also, do fairies have a set of two wands? I noticed when Cosmo and Wanda lose their wands sometimes, they have another wand with them, but don't use it to unwish the wish. Did you guys catch that?"

"Please cancel them." Jack moaned.

"Hey, party people!" Murfy greeted from the doorway. "Look who's made a full recovery! Well, not 100%, but what's a B+ anyway, it's Madotsuki!" The pigtailed girl with a window shirt stepped in.

The four looked at her in a curious fashion. It was their first time actually seeing her… They wondered how she would react or behave. Murfy left them alone. "So, are you going to help me feel better?" she asked.

"Well, yeah… I mean, if you're ready." Phosphora said.

"…So, help me feel better."

"Perfect!" Django grinned, typing on a laptop. "Since you're Japanese, I have the perfect anime for us to watch: Attack on Titan!" He showed Mado the laptop as the opening theme played. Giant naked humanoids were chasing screaming humans through the village. The animation was highly detailed as they picked humans up and chomped their little bones up.

Jack closed the laptop. "We're not watching that."

"Madotsuki, what do you like to do?" Phosphora asked.

"Sleep."

"Done!" Django threw arms up. "It's like we've known each other forever!"

"Guys, we're trying to reintroduce someone to society here." Jack said. "Let's just go outside and find something fun to do! I'm thinking ice-skatiiiiing."

"I always wanted to go ice-skating!" Mary said happily. "Ice is like a ground you don't have to move your feet to go across!"

"How about it, Mado?" Phosphora asked. "Wanna go?"

"Mmmm… okay." Mado replied tonelessly.

Fairy Forest

The five exited the council and headed to the forest, finding Water Fairies fluttering above a large pond. "You think these fairies will mind if I freeze their pond?" Jack asked.

"I'll do it." Madotsuki reached into her window and pulled out a bubble with a snow woman inside. Madotsuki donned the Yuki-onna and created a gentle blizzard. The fairies shivered and fled as the pond froze.

"Woooooohhh…" Mary gaped and held her hands open to catch flurries. "I thought snow was magic… and it showed up like magic." She caught snowflakes on her tongue. "It's like magic cereal that turns into water when I eat it."

"I didn't know you were an icebender, too." Jack said, amazed.

Madotsuki took the Effect off. "I'm not a bender. I can put powers in my window and take them out."

"Brrrr, it's cold now." Phosphora shuddered. "If this is the Dream World, can't we dream up a coat or something to wear?"

"Only in our own dreams." Jack replied.

"I have a hat and scarf." Madotsuki pulled said Effect out of her window. "Do you guys want it?"

"You can keep it." Phosphora said politely.

"Snoooow, snooooow!" Mary took off her shoes and skied around the ice on her socks. "My feet are chilly, but they don't have to moooove!"

"Woohoooooo!" Jack skied whipping fast on the ice. "Come on, slowpokes, 10 laps around the rink!"

Django lightly dinged a string on his guitar, making blades under his boots as he skated. "Come on, Mado." Phosphora held a hand out. Madotsuki took it and allowed the woman to ski with her.

Django played a carefree tune on his guitar as they freely skied in circles. It continued to snow, despite the clear night sky. Madotsuki wore socks while she skated, but only shifted her feet a little bit while Phosphora did most of the work. There was a Snow World in Madotsuki's dreamscape, but she never did any fun activities like this.

"Phos, over to me!" Jack called, so Phosphora slid Mado over. Jack caught her and began to twirl her around, and she felt the chill grow stronger in this faster speed. This was a dream world, but Madotsuki felt like she was actually skating. She was actually engaged in the activity, gaining a sense of freedom as the world spun around her.

Jack released her as Mado spun away, wobbling dizzily before falling on her rear. The four skated to her. "But I guess you did just get out of a hospital." Jack helped her up. "Was skating a good idea?"

"It was… fun." Mado replied. "But I…I'm thinking about something."

"What are you thinking of?" Django asked.

Madotsuki held up one end of her scarf. "There was someone in my dreams called Mafurako. She wore a hat and scarf like this. But she was always invisible. I wonder if she liked to skate…"

"Did you talk with her much?" Jack asked.

"No. …When I died, what happened to all the people in my dream world?"

"We don't really know." Phosphora answered. "But the Dream World is swarming with monsters. They said it was part of Mr. Dark's plan."

"I wonder if they're all okay."

"If they were from your dream world, then they have to represent parts of you." Mary reasoned. "So maybe you think she liked to skate because you wanted to skate. And maybe if you feel better, they'll be okay, too."

"Yeah, but she's part of Dream World now, too." Jack reminded. "Would it still work if-"

"Blah blah blah, laws of the universe mumbo jumbo." Django stated. "Let's just do something else! Yo Mado, wanna hear the Django?" He started playing his instrument like an electric guitar. "Yeah, didn't know I can change how it sounds, did ya?!" He played quickly and shook like an excited rockstar.

Madotsuki reached in her window and got the Flute Effect. She started to play music synchronized with Django's guitar. "Now we're gettin' somewhere!" Django exclaimed, playing stronger notes. Jack, Phos, and Mary clamped their ears shut.

"I understand why my parents banned this now!" Mary exclaimed.

"Like, we have this in Birka, but it sounded better!" Phosphora yelled.

Django and Madotsuki jammed it out for half an hour. So let's pass the time by going somewhere else.

Las Vegas (Play "Come and Get Your Love" by Redbone!)

The night was young and lively in this City of Lights. A limousine pulled up to a casino called Casinopolis. The door opened, and out stepped Bill Cipher, wearing a golden triangle necklace, sunglasses, and colored rings on his fingers. "Thanks, driver! Enjoy your new dream job!" Bill snapped his fingers, and the limo driver flew up up and away with his new Superman suit.

"HEY, PARTY PEOPLE!" Bill burst open the casino doors. "Who's ready for some Billy C.?!"

"Those doors opened automatically!" the guard shouted.

"Nag, nag! I got paid $500 for a cameo in another story and I'm ready to THROW it all away! Who's gonna catch it?! Huh?! Roulette wheel, I'm feeling lucky!" The child demon zipped over and slapped 500 dollars for "GREEN 66!" The wheel spun and the ball bounced along. It threatened to land on Purple 17, but with a quick flick of Bill's wick, the ball stuck to Green 66 like a stick. "If those rhymes aren't worth a thousand bucks, what is?!"

Bill jigged to the song as he passed by the slot machines, pulling all the levers and landing on 777's. He started swimming in gold while women clung to him, asking if Bill had a divorced father or if he'd like to be adopted.

After making $100,000, Bill blew it on drinks and snacks—by which I meant alcohol and junk food. The bartender questioned Bill's age, so he held up an I.D..

Bill Cipher

Race: Human (current)

Age: 1,000,000,000,000

Sex: Sure! ;)

Well, ID's don't lie, thought the bartender, so he gave Bill all the stuff he wanted. He was later riding the shoulders of a bunny-eared woman out of the casino, chugging down three bottles of beer and stuffing his mouth full of Doritos, donuts, and Wonka Bars. The limo came back, and Bill gave the rabbit woman some bigger breasts before driving off.

Bill was taken to an amusement park, where he sat in the front seat of a roller coaster. The people screamed when he made the coaster fly like a rocket, going up to space and crashing on the moon. Bill got off, assuring himself those guys would be fine.

Then Bill visited the arcade, where kids were staying up way past their bedtime to play. He shoved one boy aside to steal his place in Donkey Kong. Using a special cheat code called 'MAGIC', Bill allowed Mario to float, grab a hammer, and drop it on Donkey Kong's head. Afterwards, Bill showed the kids the secret cutscene where Mario does it with Pauline, then is beaten by an angry Princess Peach. The kids were engaged with the scene as Bill left. A dad was smoking outside, waiting for his kid, so Bill kicked him in the crotch and stole his cigar.

With that, Bill decided to go for a stroll down the street. He flashed a grin at all the passerby and used his magic to change a dog into an electric creature that infected the city, turn a ladybug giant as it kidnapped a toddler, then turned a dumpster into Lady Gaga. With that, Bill went to rest in an alley, lighting the cigar and blowing a smoke. (End song.)

"So, Mr. Cipher… I see you are embracing the human traditions." Bill looked up at a brown owl perched on a building roof. "Would you like to hear that again?"

"Kaepora Gaebora." Bill cocked a brow. "No thank you, I'm really into piano. Though these human songs don't bug me like they used to."

"Bill, as monstrous as you are, the thing you have longed for the most in your existence is to escape from your boundaries as an Imaginary being, is that correct? You are misusing a wonderful opportunity, Cipher: the chance to live like a human. Would you like me to say that again?"

"Gaebora, I'm an inter-dimensional dream demon with a Power Level of one million. The chance to live like a human went out the window a long time ago, not that I ever wanted to." He blew a smoke. "So, why are you here? Did the Chronicler send you to put a stop to me?"

"He did not feel it was necessary at the moment. Rather, he wanted me to question your behavior. You appear to be enjoying this an awful lot. Would you like me to clarify?"

"So, you guys are watching me, are ya? I was afraid I looked too sexy, now the Chronicler's in his stalker mode again."

"The Chronicler suspected you are indeed in the services of someone else, and recent events have proven true. And if Lord English were to make a return, you'll be nothing more than a tool. Enjoy your freedom while you can, Cipher. And perhaps… try to learn something." Kaepora flapped his wings and took off, catching a glimpse of the Superman limo driver.

"Hmph." Bill scoffed. "Deny it all you want, Gay-bore. But these people will beg me to protect them." Bill blew another smoke. "Cough, cough! Damn human lungs."

Dream World

After Django and Madotsuki finished jamming, the group of five went for a walk in the forest. "Thank you for ruining my good night's sleep." Jack remarked.

"Why should I care?" Django asked. "For the record, I'm sleeping in the same room with my dying best friend. It's filthy and smelly. My night's sleep's already ruined."

"You're dead, why should that bother you?" Phosphora argued.

"But it looked like you were having fun, Madotsuki!" Mary beamed. "You wouldn't stop playing! Do you like music, Madotsuki? If you do, I'm an excellent singer."

"Yeah, I like music." Mado replied. "I like to dance, too. One of my dreams was a world where everyone dances."

"Oh, we were talking about your dream world." Phosphora remembered. "Django kind of took us off topic."

"I was saying that if Mado's Dream Friends were her creation, then they'll be okay as long as she's okay." Mary said. "An Imaginary Friend won't die as long as there's someone to remember them."

"But I wasn't really friends with any of them. None of them would even talk to me. Poniko, Mafurako… even Monoko wouldn't talk to me. She was my friend when I was little."

"But you think of them as friends, right? You're worried about them. I say we go to your dream world and look for them!"

"Will the guards let us leave?" Jack asked. "Nightmares are tearing the Dream World up. The only reason we ended up here is because the Teensies are rescuing people from their dreamscapes."

"Then they should rescue the people from Mado's world, too!" Phosphora stated. "Let's go ask someone from the council!"

"Good idea. You up for it, Mado?"

"Um… Sure…"

"Don't 'Um sure' us, of course you want to!" Django lightly flicked her shoulder. "Let's go!" He and Jack went ahead.

In truth, Madotsuki was still getting used to the nickname 'Mado.' She never had a nickname before.

Upon their return to the council building, the group found a small, dark chamber lit by glowing blue designs on the walls. Ly the Fairy was meditating. "Hey, are you with the council?" Jack asked.

"I am… You are the group tasked with aiding Madotsuki, correct?"

"Yeah, but we wanted to ask you something. You're trying to rescue people from the dream worlds, right? What about Madotsuki's dream world? Did you rescue anyone from there?"

Ly closed her eyes. "I am sorry… but that world has seen greater turmoil since Bill Cipher's return. Nightmares run rampant as Fear Chi floods it. It is a danger to go in there. I doubt that many of its inhabitants, if any, have survived."

The five felt despaired over the information, especially Madotsuki. The peaceful, innocent people of her dream world… it was painful to think she would never see them again. She tried to understand what their existence meant, whether or not they represented part of her being, her emotions. If they were dead, it would feel like parts of her have died.

"To that end… it seems Bill Cipher's dreamself is gathering Nightmares and building an army. While I support the decision of Madotsuki… I must urge you to decide soon. Whether we execute Bill in the real world or have him return to the Dream World, we must defeat him before something terrible happens."

"This Bill… He's the monster who switched places with me?" Madotsuki asked.

"Yes… Fortunately, there have been no reports of significant damage in the real world. Still, we must have a decision. Carry on, children."

The five headed to a large guestroom inhabited by dream world denizens recovered from their worlds, including the slumbering mortals on their Start Beds. "Those people are gonna wake up and be all, 'WTF am I dreaming?'" Django commented.

"I don't understand… why do I have to decide what happens to Bill?" Madotsuki asked.

"It's not just what'll happen to Bill… but you're deciding what life you'll want to live." Phosphora replied. "If you decide to live in the Dream World, then we can kill Bill in the real world. If you want to become real again, we have to lure Bill here before we kill him. But Bill will come back as a Dream Spirit if we choose the latter. That's what they told us, at least."

"Is that why you're here? To make me decide?"

"We're not trying to make you decide on one or the other." Jack answered. "We're only trying to help you feel better."

"But I have to decide, right?" asked Madotsuki.

"Don't worry about that now! Mado, I'm sorry about what happened to your Dream Friends, but we want to be your real friends."

"You don't understand. Those Dream Friends were a part of me. I'm not sure how, but they are. I feel like I died on the inside just hearing that."

"But if they're a part of you, then they can't be gone, because you're right here." Mary replied with a smile. "If they like the things that you like, you just have to do the things you like, and it'll be like they're doing them with you! (Does that make sense?)"

"Not in the slightest, but what does, nowadays?!" Django declared. "Come on, Mado, let's rock it out again!" He grabbed his guitar.

"LET'S do something else." Phosphora stated assertively for the sake of their eardrums. "What else do you like?"

"I used to play games on an SNES. It's a really old console my dad had."

"PERFECT!" The Birkan lit with excitement. "I haven't played a videogame in AGES! I didn't have any when I was a kid, but my friends let me come over and play at their place, and I ROCKED at Smash Brothers! Let's see if these Dream People have anything."

…

Dear Diary: These people are really nice. But I feel like they're being too nice. I wonder if they really care or they're being paid to. Maybe they just pity me. I try to have fun, but it's hard to be happy. I have to decide if I want to live here or the real world. I wonder if they'll still be my "friends" after I choose. …I'm going to play games with them now. See you later, Diary.

"HOLY CRAP!!" Phosphora exclaimed after they started up Mario Kart XX in the Game Room. (Dream People really do have everything!) "Twenty different cups with 80 different racetracks?! They even have a Lightning Chariot!! Why hasn't this TV EXPLODED?!"

"I was hoping you would know." Jack chuckled. "You're the only one besides Mado that's ever seen a videogame."

"Not true, Apis showed me one of her games." Mary noted. "The people inside the TV have no free will, so we control their path."

"I never played a game like this before." Madotsuki said as she studied the Wii U II's controller. "There's more buttons than on my SNES."

"There's an instruction booklet right here." Jack said, picking it up.

"Screw instructions, you only learn from experience!" Phosphora picked the Galaxy Cup and chose Pit, while Mado chose Peach. The race began in the Good Egg Galaxy level. Phosphora used to play Mario Kart Wii with her friends, and the motion controls were basically the same here, giving her the advantage. Madotsuki was already in last place, for neither moving the stick nor tapping the 'A' button was working.

"I think you need to hold the button down." Django instructed.

"Oh." Mado did so, and Peach's kart started moving. "That's weird."

"You sound older than me right now!" the skeleton laughed.

"Old guys don't belong on the racetrack!" Phosphora smirked, evasively dodging a Red Shell. (It should be noted she is younger than Jack, Django, or Mary.) "You all can eat my lightning dust!"

Madotsuki was able to bypass some other racers, and she got a Bullet Bill, which could breeze her through the track. However, before she could use it, lightning struck the racers and they shrunk down. Mado was then run over by Shy Guy. "Grrrr! Slow down, let me catch up!"

"What are you gonna do if I don't?!"

"Give me it!" Madotsuki reached and fought with Phosphora over her controller.

"HEY, you already made your pick, no switching!"

"Your kart's better, I wanna use it!"

"DARN IT, you're making me lose, GET OFF!" Phosphora smacked Mado's face and pushed her off.

The three froze at the action, as did Phosphora. Madotsuki looked up with an unhappy expression. "…" Her eyes furrowed, "You were cheating!"

"I was not, it's called skill!" Phosphora argued.

"You only picked this game because you were good at it!"

"I never played this game, so I couldn't know, it just so happens that you stink."

"I do not stink!"

"Then what was that poor performance?"

"UGH!" Madotsuki stomped out of the room. "I don't wanna play, anymore."

"…Okay, lesson learned:" Jack said. "If they grew up with old games, they should stick to old games."

…

Dear Diary: I played a game with Phosphora. She was winning, and I got mad. We fought, and she pushed me. If she pitied me, she would have let me win. Maybe she doesn't pity me. Why did I get mad? It was only a game. Do other people get mad over games? Do friends fight over things like that? I wonder if we would still be friends after that. Mom and Dad used to fight, but I thought they loved each other. Why did they stay together if they-

"Hey, whatcha writing?!" Mary asked, startling Madotsuki.

"Um… I'm writing in my diary."

"Ooo, a diary!" Mary looked over her shoulder. "I used to have a diary, too, when I was trapped in the gallery! It made me feel like there was someone actually listening to me. Even though there was no one. Except mindless dolls. Alone."

"Except a diary can't talk back to you. You'd wait and wait for an answer, but you get nothing."

"I guess not. But why do you think people write in diaries? Are those people lonely, too?"

"Maybe it's because a diary won't fight with them. Do friends get in fights a lot?"

"Well, probably. I fought with a few of my friends. ^^; And one time, I saw these two boys, Mason and Dillon fight. They were silly! I kind of think if people were really good friends, they would fight all the time."

"Why do you think that?"

"Hmmm… I have no idea." Mary shrugged. "But I kind of liked seeing you get all angry like that! Up until then, you were just sad and gloomy. Now it's like I'm getting to know you better!"

"But I… feel kinda weird about it." Mado blushed.

"It's alright. When I was angry at my friends, it was because I was determined and confident about something. I made some bad choices, but there's nothing wrong with having something to hold onto. It might've been a silly thing to get mad about, but at least you're opening up a bit more."

"And there's nothing wrong with that?"

"Of course not! And Phosphora's not mad, I promise. She's waiting outside with the others."

"Right…" They weren't exactly ones for privacy, Mado figured. She followed Mary outside, finding the other three.

"Alright, Mado, you can pick the Lightning Chariot." Phosphora complied. "I'm still going to beat you, though."

"So, what'd you gals talk about?" Django asked. "Boys, ponies, makeup?"

"What's makeup?" asked Madotsuki.

"You know, when you color each other's body parts and get yelled at by your parents."

"Like with my crayons??" Mary beamed. "I used to do makeup with April's friends! That sounds fun, let's color each other!"

"But we're supposed to use paint." Phosphora said.

"Paint is drippy, let's use my crayons!" Mary held up her crayon collection. "Pick one. (And don't worry, they're not the Power Crayons.)"

"I guess since it's a dream world." Phosphora shrugged. "I'll take yellow."

"White for me." Jack took said crayon.

Phosphora colored Jack's white hair with yellow crayon while he dotted her cheeks with white. Django drew black skulls on Mary's toes, and Mary colored the underside of Mado's eyes pink and the tops purple. "So, people color their selves with crayon all the time?" Mado asked. "Why? They'll just have to take a bath."

"I think it's why some boys like playing in mud." Mary replied. "It's fun to be dirty!"

"But why?"

"I have no idea!"

"But hey, we were human once, so why not stick with it?" Django shrugged. "Except Phosphora. Yo Mado, why don't you color my scalp?" He took his hat off. "I'd take a mean Kermit the Frog. You Japanese have that? Maybe you have something different."

"…" Mado stared at the bald skull for a second. "I…I don't know."

"What's wrong, Mado? Aren't you having fun?" Mary asked.

"No." Madotsuki turned away. "You guys are nice, but… this is going too fast for me. My Dream People are gone, I have to decide what to do about a monster… and I still don't know if you four wanna be my friends or you just feel sorry for me."

"Of course we want to be your friends." Mary smiled. "I know how it feels to go a really long time without friends. I think that's all you need."

"Then why do I still feel upset?"

"…" Jack Frost stared at her for a moment. He should've realized it before: Madotsuki reminded him of an old friend of his. "It's because you haven't let go."

"Let go?" Phosphora asked.

"Of your past. You're still tormented by what happened to you. Even death doesn't rid you of the pain. Don't you agree?"

The others bowed their heads. Neither of them had forgotten their pasts, even if they tried to. Phosphora was happy working for Viridi, Mary loved living in the real world, and Django enjoyed being a young troublemaker in Miracle City. But their pasts still burdened them, and they would task a group of kids who had nothing to do with the matter to help them. And by the time they were finished, all the pain they felt would be a thing of the past. They would laugh at the idea.

"But how do we help Madotsuki let it go?" Phosphora asked. "Even the Kids Next Door couldn't save her. And we couldn't just go back in time and stop all of it from happening."

"Don't the KND have timebenders?" Mary asked.

"Even I know changing the past is a bad thing." Jack mentioned. "I heard the stories."

"I got an idea." Django stepped up to Madotsuki and faced her directly. "Ahem… Madotsuki, you were raped."

"Django!" Phosphora shouted; they gasped at his very direct approach.

"No, it's what happened! You were taken against your will and raped. I was thrown into an acid pit and burned alive. Phosphora's bending was destroyed by a fake god she idolized. Those things happened, and there's nothing we can do about it."

Madotsuki became very distraught. The memories of her family being run over, being taken by that stranger in the darkness, and then stabbing him with the knife out of fear and vengeance. Madotsuki sunk to her knees and clasped her head. A veil of darkness began to spread from her body and consume the waiting room as the four backed away.

"ALERT! ALERT!" Alarms blared. "A large body of fear has been detected in the northern quadrant, Level 3! Evacuate the area!"

"I DIDN'T MEAN TO DO THAT!" Django panicked.

"Madotsuki, calm down!" Phosphora shouted. "Madotsuki!"

"Step away, children!" a dark voice spoke. The spread of darkness ceased, and Darkrai II emerged from a shadow. The Nightmare King steadily compressed the fear back into Madotsuki.

"Darkrai? What are you doing here?" Jack asked.

"I had my concerns when I learned of Madotsuki's fate. A Bubble Dreamer has powers over the Dream World, which means their nightmares are stronger than average. For Madotsuki to become a Dream Spirit… her fears possess great and terrible influence to the world around her."

Darkrai was able to channel the fear into Madotsuki's mind. Her expression was still distraught. "This girl has seen terrifying things. Her dreams were so distorted that I forbade my Nightmares from dining off the Fear Chi that looms there. I feared that the chi would make them go mad. Every night I visit her in her sleep, I can only… pity her. But do not forget, the light side of the Fear Element is the power to conquer one's fear. The same as you all have."

"But how do we help Mado?" Mary asked.

"This may go against my duties as a Nightmare King… but I will help. Enter this portal." Darkrai ripped open a dark void. "If you are willing, Madotsuki."

"…" Madotsuki slowly entered the void. Darkrai flew after, and the rest followed.

Mado no Nikki (Play "White Desert" from Yume Nikki.)

The five stepped on a mushy white ground that their feet sunk into. "GROSS!" Jack immediately floated up, shaking the gunk off. "What is this stuff?!"

"You wouldn't like it if I told you." Darkrai said. "This place is Madotsuki's dreamscape. Or rather, a disclosed area of it. Look over there."

In the far distance, there was a horrendous creature with four legs gripping hills. It was the size of a mountain, and its body was pitch-black like the sky, made visible only by the red eyes, red slobbering tongue, and flowing red hair. Madotsuki looked utterly detested by the behemoth. It looked in her direction, smiling with wide loving eyes as it squeezed the hills.

"What in the hell is that…" Django mumbled, sharing the disgust with his group.

"It was created from Madotsuki's fears." Darkrai replied. "What do you suppose it is?"

"…The rapist." Phosphora choked.

Madotsuki reached in her window, grabbed her bike, and pedaled across the mushy desert as fast as she could, away from the monster. She pedaled faster and faster… but when she found herself passing by her friends again, she realized she was no further from the creature than when she started. The desert looped endlessly, and that mountain was always in close range.

"It's the same as with any mortal." Darkrai said. "Running away from their fears. But fear exists inside of you. You cannot run from it, Madotsuki."

"But it won't do her any good to face it!" Jack yelled. "It'll devour her!"

"Madotsuki, stop!" commanded Darkrai. She stopped pedaling. "There is no other way to go. You must go to it."

She stared at him, terror plaguing her eyes. "Do it, Madotsuki…"

"…" Madotsuki turned and pedaled toward the monster. Only then did the mountainous beast decide to crawl forward.

"Mado, no!" Mary cried.

"Darkrai, what is this supposed to accomplish?!" Jack shouted.

"Patience…"

Madotsuki saw the corpse of a green man on her right. She looked left and saw Monoko, her demeanor zombie-like as she waved her many bone-like arms. The mountainous monster was extremely close to Madotsuki. She stopped as its dripping red hand-tongue reached down to take her.

"That's it!" Jack conjured some ice, Mary grabbed crayons, Django readied his guitar, and Phosphora sparked lightning.

"WAIT, I have my bending back?!" she realized.

"No one's handicapped in Dream World." Darkrai pointed out. "You should see the hunky legs Nolan gives himself. Don't do anything, children." The Nightmare King floated forward.

The beast's tongue softly grabbed Madotsuki and slowly drew her in. She closed her eyes. "Madotsuki… allow it to happen." Darkrai spoke. "Allow your nightmare to be over. Because it has already happened. Put your fears behind you."

Her parents and her friend were killed in a car wreck. Mom was pregnant. Their blood spilled. Monoko's bones squished out. She was lost downtown. She was caught by a stranger. He did terrible things. Madotsuki got a knife from his kitchen, snuck behind, and took revenge. She hid herself in that room. Forever.

Madotsuki got the knife from her window. She was seconds from the monster's face. "What happened to you was terrible… but it has already passed. Now, the only person that can decide your future is you. What life do you wish to live, Madotsuki?"

". . ." She opened her eyes in time to see the monster's face. She glared. "I want to be free." Then, she raised the knife and stabbed it. (End song.)

POP! The beast exploded into confetti, and immediately she was kissed by Jar Jar Blinks. Jack, Phosphora, Mary, and Django froze with utmost disbelief. Judging by Darkrai's expression, he didn't see it coming either.

"Mmmmmmmwwww…" Jar Jar made the kiss last for several seconds. Madotsuki was completely confused. "MWAH!" The Gungan succeeded in getting the box of cookies out of her mouth. "I-sa been lookin' for you, basha-washa. You guys weren't playing Hide-and-Seeksies, were you?"

He opened the box, which had a troupe of tiny Hershey Bars. "Apologies for our lateness, Commander Blinks!" the general who looked like General Shy Guy saluted. "We was busy preppin' our parakeets for the amusement park."

"Das okay. But it's time for us to go to war: WITH THE HEADPHONES!"

The Hershey Bars grabbed weapons and charged across the barren field to clash with their enemy army of headphones. Epic vocals sounded in the background and animation costs were rising high. "It's time to pull out our secret weapon!" General Guy exclaimed. "Hit them with… the Didgeridoo Bomb!"

A giant bombshell crashed onto the battlefield, and all the soldiers started playing didgeridoos. "Crud, we struck our own soldiers, too! If this disease spreads, it could infect the entire koala ecosystem."

"THAT'S what this war is about?!" the Flashback Characters screamed.

"It's okay, Gener-ral!" Jar Jar announced. "I'll destroy the disease with my LEAF BLOWER!" The giant Gungan grabbed a leaf blower and blew the armies into a tornado.

The wind was so strong, it was spreading to the koala ecosystem. "Aaaaaahhh!" Mrs. Koala screamed. "They're sucking in all our menorahs!"

"Quick, honey! Take the gold and run!" Mr. Koala exclaimed. The koalas grabbed their pots of gold, jumped into a giant turtle's shell, and said turtle quickly burrowed underground where its best friend, the octopus was hiding.

When Jar Jar stopped blowing the blower, they were back in the White Desert. The entire army of Hersheys and headphones rained everywhere. Madotsuki was struck speechless. In one minute, she watched a hideous behemoth transform into an annoying slug-rabbit, an army of candybars and headphones go to war with each other, and a family of Jewish koalas escape with their pots of gold inside a turtle. ". . . . . ." Madotsuki was trembling. Her eyes were tearing. Her mouth was twitching. Even if she wanted to hold it in, she couldn't. She let it all out.

"PWAH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! PLAH HAHAHA HA HAH HA HA!" She rolled on the mushy ground, pounded her fist, her face was red with laughter. "HUAH huah hah! Hoof hoof hoof- cough, kuoh, cack—HA hahahahaha ha ha ha ha!"

"…Did Jar Jar just do what we couldn't do?" Jack asked.

"Afraid so." said Phosphora.

The dead body of Mr. Corpse faded. Monoko disappeared. The black sky began to crumble, exposing the blue to the draining white desert. Jack Frost could happily set his feet on the orange sandy ground. The world was bright like Madotsuki's spirit now. They were happy, too.

In his lonely cell, a warm feeling crossed Mr. Dark's heart. He felt no pain and anguish. Somehow, for some reason, for the first time in six years… Madotsuki was smiling.

Fairy Glade

"Well, I guess that's one more problem taken care of before the Apocalypse arrives." Jack said as they returned to the bridge to Teensie Council.

"So, Madotsuki… what do you choose?" Darkrai asked. "To live in this Dream World, or to return to the real world?"

Madotsuki frowned slightly. "I still don't know. Would I still have friends in the real world?"

"'Course you will, Mado!" Mary beamed. "The real world is a super fun place with lots of great people! There are bad people too, but it's no big deal!"

"But the choice is yours, Mado." Phosphora said. "We'll be your friends in any world, so it doesn't matter."

"…Then… I want to go back to the real world."

"THEN IT'S DECIDED!" Murfy popped up out of nowhere. "I'll go and tell the council members so we can start planning Operation: Kill Bill. Thanks for your help, guys!" He flew off.

"You know, an idea has occurred to me." Darkrai mentioned. "By switching realities with a Bubble Dreamer like Madotsuki, Bill is able to use Bubble Dreamer powers to make dreams in the real world, if only for a short time. I wonder if Madotsuki took some of Bill's powers in the process?"

"You mean she can transform into a triangle?" Django asked.

"Perhaps. I still have notes my father has taken on Bill during his time. I could show them to you, and perhaps Madotsuki could experiment with these powers in the future. That reminds me… Jar Jar?"

"Oopie!" The Gungan approached Madotsuki and opened the cookie box of Hershey Bars.

"You want me to have them?" she asked.

"Lookie! Dey's are in disguises."

Madotsuki looked closer. The Hersheys took off their costumes one at a time. Mado gasped: "Monoko!" Her monochrome friend was in her normal, two-armed form. "Monoe!" The other monochrome girl with a smiling face. "Masada-sensei?" A monochrome man with a white face, no mouth, a black body, and eyes pointing different directions. "Mafurako." The invisible girl with a hat and scarf. "Kamakurako." A sleeping girl. "…Poniko, too?" The blonde, ponytailed girl.

"She looks like me!" Mary noticed.

"Jar Jar took the liberty of rescuing the people from your dream world when the rogue Nightmares laid siege." Darkrai explained. "I don't even know why."

"I-sa needed somebody to take to de boat show!" Jar Jar replied. He whispered to Mado, "Don't tell Da'ky, but I lets them use his Q-tips."

Madotsuki smiled, happy to see her little Dream Friends. "…Did you guys… miss me?"

They said nothing, as always. "I'm sure they did." Mary said. "They are a part of you, after all."

"…They are." Madotsuki opened her window. "You can come back in."

Jar Jar tipped the box and poured the tiny Dreams into her heart. She could feel her heart repairing itself. "Whoops, I gave one of them my sunshades." Jar Jar reopened the window and reached inside. "Excuse me? Where are you going with my—GIMME MAH BOMBACK SHADES!" The Gungan dove headfirst and forced his way into Madotsuki's shirt window. They could hear him bumping and banging inside her. "Give 'em back! I need me shades to give me lipstick!" Naturally, Madotsuki was feeling sick.

"Soooo, whaddyou wanna do now?" Django asked.

TV Room

"Super Fist of the Nose Hair: GOOFY FACE ATTACK!"

"PAH HA HA HA HA HA HA!" Madotsuki cracked up yet again. 46 episodes of Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo did little to soften her humor. Mary was hard at work taking notes, making sure not to lose track of this show's complex continuity.

"It's a good thing time moves slower in the Dream World." Jack said.

"Yep. Because we're gonna be here awhile." Phosphora sighed.