Once upon a time twin brothers guarded a tree...

"nightmare! nightmare where'd you go?" I called to my older brother. "up here, dream!" I looked up into the tree. There was Nightmare, book in hand. My tail wagged at the sight of my dear brother. I made my way up the tree. I felt a little uncomfortable on the dark apples side, but I pushed the feeling, smiling. "how were you today- what happened.. why are you hurt..?" I looked at the bruising around Nightmare's face. "i- uh.. i fell out of the tree.."
"you.. fell out of the tree." I repeated. "yes, i fell out of the tree. is that so hard to believe?" I stared hard into his round purple eyelights. "i.. guess not." I leaned back. "please be more careful, brother." I lowered my skull, giving him puppy eyes. "ok, ok i will!" He hated when I gave him those eyes, he could never say no. I hugged him. "great!" He smiled lightly. "wanna hear a story?" I nodded and got comfortable. "read me a story, brother." Nightmare laughed lightly, opening the book. "this one is called romeo and juliet. it's apparently about soul mates." He explained before he started the actual story.

☀️☀️☀️

I asked mother for a golden apple to help heal a monster of sickness. I received what I asked for. "i'll be back, brother!" I felt uneasy. Those bruises he was getting didn't look like it was from a fall or trips or anything else that he'd told me. I grit my teeth. They looked like marks of abuse. People here were hurting my brother every time I left. It made me not want to leave, but sometimes I had too, like now. I wanted to get back as quickly as I could, so I found myself running to the sick monsters house. I knocked and entered. "i am here.." I walked to the side of the monster. "I'm afraid you're a little to late.. he fell down just before you got here.." The monster's wife explained sadly. "i-i'm so sorry.." I walked over to the monster. "rest in peace.." Then the screaming started. I ran out, heading for the tree. "get away from him! get away!" I growled at people, trying to get to my brother. "nightmare!" He looked up, coughing up a thick, black substance. It was coming out of one of his sockets too. The other was a thin, purple slit.

☀️☀️☀️

"n-nightmare..?" I took a step back as Nightmare transformed.. the black substance covered his entire form as he started laughing manically and devouring ALL the apples. "nightmare stop!" I rushed to him only for his tail to lash out. I dropped down as thick sharp tentacles slashed out as well, killing others around us. My 'soul' pounded. "b-brother.." He panted heavily. His tentacles constricted around the tree, snapping it in half. How do I beat that?! How do I get my Nightmare back? I looked at the remaining apple within my claws. I'd nearly forgotten about it.. with no other choice, I bit into the apple. I felt it's power, it's positivity rush through me. I panted. "brother.."
"what did you just do?" I pushed myself up. "what do you think i just did? nightmare, brother. please. we can fix this.." I took a step forward. A tentacle shot forward and caught me. I forced back a wimper. "i don't want to be fixed. i. like. this. and since you ate my last apple.." W-what? What was happening? It was getting hard to move. "b-brother?" I asked in fear. "i can't have you ruining my plans." Stone. He was turning me to stone. "nightmare..!" I pleaded in vein.