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It was bright… it was way too bright. It was so bright he couldn’t see, he was helpless and confused and scared. Lloyd stumbled around, desperately attempting to shield his eyes with his paws, but to no avail. There was no reprieve from the overwhelming brightness anywhere. The sickening white light was all around him, even when he curled into a ball and covered his face the light was still there, threatening to leak into his skin and burn him from the inside out.
Lloyd tried to scream, but no sound was heard. The light was so loud, so shrill, it drowned everything else out. His mind was trapped, and being pelted by sensory hell. Horrible noises, horrible light, screeching and vile and seeping into his brain like poison.
Then the noises shifted into voices. His family’s voices. He couldn’t see them, but he felt their presence standing over him. They spat insults at him.
“Monster!”
“Beast!”
“Demon!”
“Embarrassment! Weakling!”
“Disgusting creature, you don’t deserve to live…”
Lloyd sobbed. He clutched onto his tail with a shaking hand and buried his face in his chest fur. Make it stop, make it stop, make it stop…
“Look at you… even more hideous and evil than me.”
Lloyd gave a cry of agony. That was his father’s voice, as bitter and sinister as ever. Why couldn’t he just leave him alone? Hadn’t he torn Lloyd’s life apart enough?
“And here I expected better of my son.”
He choked. It was still his father's voice, but not the voice of the evil warlord. Now it was the voice of his teacher, his protector, the father who loved him…
“Look at you… an abomination, a creature of darkness… no wonder you let me die.”
“NO!” Lloyd cried, “no, no please, I’m sorry!”
He felt a cold hand on his back. A hissing sound echoed in his ears.
“If you were truly good, you would have saved me.”
“No… no…”
“If you really loved me, you wouldn’t have let me drown.”
“Stop… please…”
“Of course, oni can’t love, now can they?”
Lloyd couldn’t take this anymore. He grit his fangs, and unsheathed his claws. He just wanted it all to end. He aimed for his jugular.
Before he could slash himself, a large shadow appeared above him. Dark green smoke swirled around him like a tornado, blocking out the light and voices. Finally, there was quiet.
The shadow was by his side in an instant. Lloyd recognized her immediately.
“I’m sorry little one, I should’ve gotten here sooner-“
Lloyd practically hurled himself at Theta, gripping onto her fur for dear life. “Please help me, the noises won't stop and my dad he’s… no… please…” he sobbed.
Theta held him close, and nuzzled him. “It’s alright Lloyd, you're safe, I’m here now, and your friends are as well,” she said softly, looking off into the distance, “they’re very worried about you…”
The world around him became a blur as he was pulled back into the waking world. Theta carried him up until he could feel himself regaining consciousness. When she finally let go, Lloyd opened his eyes.
The ninja were standing above him, all looking distressed. Obviously he had been tossing and turning violently in his sleep, if the pillows strewn across the floor were any indication. Lloyd blinked away the last of his tears. “...hey guys…” he murmured.
He was swarmed with hugs and worried questions. By the time Lloyd had assured them all he was alright, he was purring louder than a motorcycle. That was how he knew his vision had only been a nightmare. Because his real family loved him, oni and all.