Shaking in fear, Dina observed the beast closely.
"You... What do you want from me?" She hardly asked.
The beast stared at her, silently.
"You... You don't talk?" Hesitant, Dina wanted to communicate with the monster. A lot of questions were eating her brain.
"I just... want to chat... if that's okay with y--"
"Yes."
"Huh!! You can... talk!?" The young one was stunned.
"Only in your head." Its growling deep voice echoed in the place.
"W--what do you mean by only in my head?"
The being approached her even more, bringing its head closer to her face.
"Does it look like I have a jaw to use for talking?"
Dina brought down her eyes to realize that the thing before her was jawless. Only the top of its mouth and teeth were attached to its face with a tongue sticking out.
"So you... How do you do this?"
"I exist in your mind, and we manage to hear each other. After all, we are one."
"You talk in... a puzzled way. I can't quite get your point." Dina was having a hard time getting comfortable with the beast. Her lack of knowledge about Trauma made her fearful of any of its actions.
"Let's just say it's like talking to an imaginary friend. Does this explain it better?"
"Oh... I get it now."
"Glad." It said then went silent.
Dina was trying hard to ask more questions, but Trauma's physical appearance couldn't help her do so. It seemed threatening to the eye.
"You're not comfortable with my presence. This is my sign to leave you be." It politely informed, then turned around.
"NO! WAIT!" Dina shouted out of her consent. As her loud scream roamed around the black space, she quickly shut her mouth with her hand and froze in embarrassment.
"I--I'm so sorry I--"
"It seems to me that you are in need of something."
"I just... I just want you to answer some questions, if you wouldn't mind." Shying up, she looked down wishing for cooperation.
"Is that so? Allow me to light the place a little." The being's smoke lit up, giving the place some light.
"Is this comforting to you?"
"Wow!" In awe, Dina's eyes opened wide as she looked at the lit-up smoke surrounding her. "I never thought smoke could light up like this! It looks... beautiful!"
"I will take that as a yes."
Dina brought back her attention to Trauma, but this time with less anxiety.
"What questions may I answer for you?"
"Oh! Uhm... I have many, actually."
"Shall we start then?"
"Alright. Let me just... gather my thoughts."
Dina took a deep breath and then asked.
"I want to ask about last time when I... was trying to pull my eye out..."
"Yes. What do you wish to know?"
"Were you the one who pushed my hand away?"
"Yes."
"Uhm... Why did you do that? And... how did you emerge?"
"You could say I'm like your protective instincts. Danger triggers me, so I need to act fast and provide protection."
"But...you were gone then came back again and almost killed Father. Why?"
"You were harmed, so Intense feelings boiled in your heart, tension rose, and the explosion brought me out with force and rage. I apologize for almost taking out your father, but whatever threatens you must be eliminated. That's how I work."
"Does that mean you'll harm him again if...?"
"Not if you're emotions are well controlled."
"What do you mean?"
"When you let your emotions take over that's how you let me take over, but if you hold yourself back then I shall be held back too."
"Does this mean you... dissapear?"
"Yes."
"But... I didn't control you when you first appeared. How did you disappear?"
"I could sense that you were alone and the threat wasn't external but rather internal. For that, I emerged with one purpose. Calming you down."
"That's what you did with your... uhm... eye?"
"Yes."
Every answered question brought Dina's stress down. This made her comfortable to ask even more questions.
"Then... How about the second time you dissapeared? I didn't control that."
"Strong feelings emerge me, weak ones weaken me. You were in a state of weakness, even I couldn't fight against it."
"So if I'm weak you're weak, and when I'm strong... so are you?"
"Not exactly. Your strong feelings strengthen me, while 'your' weakness weakens me."
"My weakness? What's my weakness?"
"Fear." It growled deeply.
Dina shook in place as her heartbeats escalated,
"That means... you disappear when your purpose is fullfiled and when you're weak?"
"Exactly."
"I see."
"Any more questions?"
"Hmm... Let me think." Dina scanned the beast closely from side to side then spoke.
"You're dark and full of smoke, yet you're polite and full of light. How?"
"Doesn't that remind you of someone?"
Frozen, Dina went silent.
"I'm glad you find me polite and full of light. However, I sense that I terrify you still."
"I can't help it actually, you look scary. However, speaking to you is comforting. I'll need to get used to your... well... The way you look is--"
"I understand, completely. Any more questions?"
"For now, I'm out of questions."
"Well, glad we had this lovely conversation. If I had a jaw I'd be smiling by now."
"Uhm, Trauma?" She quietly called, however ,the beast remained silent.
"Trauma?" She called again.
"T--Trauma?"
"Is this some imaginary friend of yours? It doesn't seem to answer." Trauma looked around turning its head left and right.
"Uhm...Are you... joking right now?"
"I assure you, I am not."
"Trauma, that's... you?"
"Me?"
"Yes?"
"I don't ever remember myself with this name. I don't remember myself with a name in the first place."
"What? So... You're jawless and nameless?"
"Now you're the one making jokes here. If I had the ability to laugh I would've laughed."
"Wait... So you're nameless! For real!?"
"I'm nothing but a reaction of tension. No names required."
"But everyone calls you Trauma."
"I suppose it's is because of my emergence. I appear due to tense experiences. The ones which create what your kind calls trauma."
"Is that so? So what do I call you by?"
"I'm afraid I don't have any suggestions."
Dina thought for a moment as she observed the being from top to bottom.
After some deep thinking. "Ha! I got it!"
"I don't have ears, but as your kind says 'I'm all ears'."
"Nightmare!"
Quiet, the being stood still.
"Interesting..." The monster's reaction showed hesitance.
"You do not like it?"
"I'm curious to know the reason behind your choice."
"Well, you used to give me nightmares for years, so I thought of naming you, Nightmare."
"Does this mean I'll be your forever nightmare?"
"It's just a name, worry not. I'm at ease now."
"Joyful, I am. Then Nightmare shall it be. Honored to be named by you, Dina."
Dina smiled at Nightmare then suddenly. "What the... Ugh! AAH," She screamed as she was pulled back aggressively.
"Huh," She gasped as she opened her eyes. With her body lying on the bed, she looked at the seeling while breathing heavily.
"I'm-- I'm awake!"
After a few seconds of relaxing, she smiled, took a deep breath then turned to the other side.
"You're not as bad as everyone thought you were." She quietly said with her face shoved in her blanket.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Nightmare. I haven't had a... proper conversation with someone for a long long time..."
"I can't wait till I see you again."