puredream Winning Entry

Ah! It was the season of passion and love. It was a time of laughter and first - or renewed - love. It was the age of pattering hearts and fluttering nerves. It was the hour of hope for someone like Corrupt the Nightmare Cheran. She loved Infestation. //

Corrupt was loveless. Or rather, she was in love, but the kindness what not returned. Day after day, week after week, year after year, she would plot, and wish, and hope - that some day he would be hers. Most days it was wishful thinking. But as Infestation grew near… she knew he would be hers. //

~~~

“Hey, Midnight!” Corrupt’s voice overflowed with excitement and passion when she saw the hunk which was all Nightmare Liri. His fur was lush and brittle. Those eyes! Filled with killer instinct. She had to swoon at the sight of them. And his teeth! Sharp and deadly. He was a beautiful nightmare if there was any. //

/Stupid!/ She complained to herself. /He is going to see you like him! You have to play it COOL!/ “Any plans for Infestation?” //

Whatever Midnight was thinking (for she was certain it was something sweet and gooey about her) he played it off like a cool breeze. He was always like that. “Nothing, I suppose.” He sighed out. //

“Perhaps we could do something? Like hold hands, skip through the meadow…” //

“What was that?” //

“Oh nothing at all,” Corrupt stalled, her cheeks warming until the purple color threatened to be maroon, “So what do you say? It is strictly… platonic. You know, friends?” //

“Just as friends?” Midnight turned one of his heads - Corrupt’s favorite, the one with the cyclop eye - towards her. It was a look of confusion. Corrupt saw it as regret. //

“Of course,” Corrupt played it off coolly; if cool was jumping in place and squealing. //

“Then, alright.” Midnight rolled that beautiful eye, “I will see you soon, I guess.” Corrupt nearly fainted as the Liri reached out a snarled claw and pushed her over. Corrupt crumbled to the ground without much prodding and stiffened in her usual farewell. Midnight followed suit by muttering. “Freak.” //

“Yes! I have a boyfriend!” Corrupt sprung up when her lover was gone. Hope had never left her before that moment, but it was essential. She had no room for hope when love was threatening to take over all her limbs. No DayDream pet could feel the bliss she felt. She was certain. No, no one could feel it. No one could be madly in love like her. //

“You know… It is hard to believe you are my sister,” Entrails startled Corrupt from what could only be described as /dancing/. The young pet had been skipping around, shaking her booty, and singing to herself, when her sister arrived. //

“Pft. You are just jealous that I have a date with Midnight!” Corrupt declared. //

“He does know it is a date, riiight?” //

“Of course!” //

“So where is he taking you?” //

“Huh?” //

“Where did he say you were going?” //

“I dunno.” //

“Then it is hardly a real date.” Entrails snorted, “Well come on. We are late.//

~~~

This was not to saw Corrupt could be dismayed in any manner. Certainly, Midnight would create the perfect romantic evening for them. She had no doubt about it. Still… She could hardly allow him to be the one to cast forth all the effort. So she plotted and planned - and helped him out on the small parts. //

“Wow. This is elaborate,” Midnight was awed by her handy-work. Corrupt had worked hard to set the scene perfectly. The picnic blanket laid peacefully underneath the swooping branches of a willow tree. Food was displayed orderly and symmetrically on top, with a single lit candle humming off the only light in their hide-out. “Good job setting this up. You are using irony, right?”//

“Huh?” //

“Making fun of others that are into this stuff.” //

“Psh! Oh yeah! Of course.” Corrupt felt her heart stop ballooning. So Midnight was denying this was a date. /Well then./ She decided. /I am just going to have him make he wish it was one!/ So she set out playing the hostess, and all went seemingly well in her eyes. Midnight was content with the food selection and quickly went to devouring it – that was good. The key to a boy’s heart was through his stomach after all. Corrupt made sure he had plenty to tease her about. For affection was gained through accepting faults, after all. She even played it cool when his friends came by waiting to play, despite the feeling of jealousy that wreathed in her stomach. She could hardly act insecure as she felt, after all. //

“You know, kid,” Midnight yawned sleepily afterwards, “This isn’t half bad. Maybe we could be friends.” //

/Friends? That is one step closer to boyfriend! Yeeee!/ Corrupt began to hyperventilate. It was a dream come true! //

“Are you ok?” Midnight prodded her. //

“Of course! I am just really happy you had a good time.” //

“Freak.”//

~~~

Ah! It was the season of passion and love. It was a time of laughter and first - or renewed - love. It was the age of pittering hearts and fluttering nerves. It was the hour of hope for someone like Corrupt. She could dream all through the season for love. And after? She could wait blissfully for its return. Someday, she would have him.