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tabularasa_rp2020-10-15 06:47 pm
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Entry tags:
- *game event,
- *mingle,
- *open,
- 2064 rom: turing,
- dragon age inquisition: cole,
- elsword: add,
- fate/grand order: merlin,
- ffvii remake: aerith gainsborough,
- ffvii remake: tifa lockhart,
- ffviii: rinoa heartilly,
- ffxv: noctis lucis caelum,
- kid icarus uprising: viridi,
- original: melinoë,
- persona 5: kasumi yoshizawa,
- persona 5: ren amamiya,
- pokémon: raihan,
- pokémon: samuel oak,
- starbound: indigo,
- super mario: bowser koopa,
- watch_dogs: damien brenks
004 - Lucid Dreaming

As a final reminder, all characters will fall asleep for the full duration of this event whether you decide to take part or not. You may continue tagging threads that take place before the event, but everyone will fall asleep simultaneously.
Falling Asleep, Waking Up
The shift happens without warning, much like the first time people appeared in the world. Perhaps you remember what you were doing in the last moments before a strange feeling of exhaustion overwhelmed you - or perhaps you remember nothing at all. Whatever it may be, you've appeared somewhere new. A seemingly ordinary train station, if not for the bizarre walls of flesh blocking the only exits. The only path forward is down into the pulsating depths, a humid breeze pushing at your back.
There may be others here with you, or you may be alone. Could there be more people trapped in this strange place? You won't find them just by standing around.
Nightmares
The screeching of a distant train will echo through the tunnels on occasion, shadows flicking through the translucent flesh of the walls. Sometimes, however, instead of fading away the noise will only grow louder, closer, until it sounds like the train should be upon you. It never appears, but something else always will.
The train is a siren call for nightmares, and you're unfortunate enough to be their victim. The shadows turn alive, twisting and growing as they rise up from the ground and begin to transform. What form they take varies, but the shadows of the mind know the true fears of those who walk among them. Are you prepared to face the darkness?
Volcanic Panic
The shadows congeal at the edges of the floor, and soon after a hot orange glow begins to fill the room - molten lava is pooling in from the other end of the tunnel. It rolls slowly forward, devouring everything it touches with an unquenchable searing hunger, leaving behind only the charred bones of its victims... although, strangely, the tunnels themselves appear to be completely unharmed.
Outrunning the flow of lava shouldn't be a problem, but there seems to be no end to it. How long can you run from something that never stops? Or worse, what happens if you find yourself surrounded? You'll need to find a way to higher ground before that happens.
A Radiant Plague
The shadows rise up into familiar shapes, and at first glance it'd be easy to mistake them for people. They may even share the faces and voices of people you know, stumbling towards you with wide, open arms... and empty, glowing eyes filled with an orange light. Something smells sickly sweet, and it's only once they're close enough to grab you that they begin to attack.
These are not your friends, and they'll do whatever it takes to make you one of them instead. Unfortunately, it's not an experience you'll be able to survive. Your only hope is to fight back before the plague can take hold, lest you become another mindless husk that knows only to further spread the infection.
Trust No One, Not Even Yourself
The shadows stretch and fill the air, choking everything in a thick blanket of darkness... before dispersing just as quickly as they'd appeared. A few moments pass and nothing else seems to be happening. You must've gotten lucky this time!
... Or did you?
Surely it can't be that simple. Nothing else here has been, so something must have happened just now. It's only you and the person you're currently traveling with... but are you sure that's really them right now? How do you know they haven't been possessed by another nightmare, waiting until you let your guard down to stab you in the back? Should you interrogate them to be sure, or start with restraining them and ask questions later? Wouldn't it be better to just kill them before things get out of hand? The sooner you strike, the safer you'll be when their true form emerges.
Yes, that must be the real explanation. It has to be them that's been possessed by a nightmare. What else could it be?
Joker’s Wild
There’s no limit to what form the shadows can take. The world may have its own perception of fear, but your nightmares are something only you could understand. What darkness lurks in the depths of your heart?

aerith | ota
[ It starts just like every other day. Aerith is in the Lemon Cell Church, tending to the lilies that grow there, before her world is swallowed by a thick blackness. The fog overtakes her completely, dissipating slow, sticking to her mind as she wakes again in a different place entirely. ]
What...? [ The brunette presses a palm to her forehead as her awareness returns to her, as the feeling of having been in a deep sleep - a rarity for the void - fades. She shakes her head a bit to clear the fog before glancing around, hands curled into fists at her chest, gaze...appropriately nervous. ]
Where...am I? [ This is a first for this world, but maybe it shouldn't be unexpected. After all, this place has proven time and again that they never know what's coming next. As such, the flower girl begins to take cautious steps around the area, taking in the somewhat telltale environment of a train station, but noting with dread the living, fleshy walls that block her exit.
Aerith barely has time to process this horrifying revelation when something else catches her eye. From a distant corner, shadows have been piling on thick, forming an inky heap at the edge of her vision. When she turns fully to face it, insides prickling with unease, it morphs into a bright splash of color.
Lava isn't something she's really familiar with, but she's seen enough monsters in her life to know that this is nothing good. Particularly when it begins creeping across the floor to her, covering the ground like a bubbling, searing carpet.
What else can she do? She begins to run in the opposite direction, casting fearful glances over her shoulder as the lava seems to follow her... ]
i feel it in my bones
Aerith: there you are. What's wrong?
[ The voices and visages are familiar enough: Cloud, Tifa, Barret, and Red XIII are clustered nearby, beckoning to her. These aren't the first horrors she's encountered in the tunnels so far, but they're able to get under her skin more easily than much of what she's seen. Even without their glowing eyes, something about them is clearly so wrong that it has her hair stand on end, and she instinctively takes a step back. ]
We just want to help you. [ Not-Tifa reassures her. The voice is soft and gentle enough, but her usually-kind eyes are blotted out by the bright orange. And, even from this distance, Aerith can smell something...sickly-sweet, like rotting flowers, emanating from their forms. ]
Go away. [ She presses, unconvinced by their feigned kindness. The shadow-Barret's face splits into a wicked grin, and the imitation of Red XIII chuckles, low. ]
Just come with us, and you won't be alone anymore. [ The fake Cloud says, taking a few steps forward. Alarm bells are ringing wildly in her ears, and though it seems unlikely she'll be able to defeat or outrun them, she has to try...
Starting with the latter. Aerith abruptly breaks off from the group, dashing down the tunnels with the four shadows at her back... ]
enough to make my systems blow
[ There's a sigh of relief as the oppressive shadows seem to fill the room and then dissipate, and Aerith takes a much-needed breather against one of the non-meat surfaces of the tunnels. The flower girl presses her back to it, sliding down to a sitting position for a moment, though keeping her eyes sharp in case anything else - some new terror - materializes. ]
Jeez... [ She exhales, winded. The void isn't usually so nightmarish, and she can't even begin to fathom why it'd changed so drastically now. Could this be the influence of a new arrival? Or...was this just the world revealing its true nature after all this time?
There's a sound of footfalls, and Aerith quickly gets back to her feet, gripping her rod defensively. The face...belongs to someone else from the void, and not one of the monsters that's been haunting her in these tunnels. They don't have orange eyes, at least, and she offers a little wave as her stance relaxes. ]
Hey... You okay? [ They've probably been through a lot, too. Though...as she looks at them more and more, something feels - off, still. It isn't like with the shadowy doppelgangers before, but there's something strange all the same. Something that tenses her up again, that takes root in a sort of sprout of paranoid in the pit of her stomach.
Is this...another trick? ]
feel it in my bones 👀
Once they're close enough, Tifa roots herself on the spot, feet planting firmly on the tracks and fiery fists raised as a precaution, unsure of what will round the corner when it does, but her breath catches when she spots the familiar flash of pink.]
Aerith!
[She catches the other woman instead, arms wrapping around her protectively as they collide, unaware of the fact that she was running to get away from something else.]
Are you alright!?
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[ Their orange-eyed doubles. She swallows, feeling the pinpricks of fear again in the pit of her stomach for a moment before she's able to shake it off a bit. ]
...There's something down here, and it can take any shape, I think. [ She's assuming that this Tifa is the real deal as she doesn't have the glowing, hateful eyes, but...it'd be pretty terrible if she turned out to be wrong. ] They have these weird eyes, and they keep trying to get closer, and closer...
[ Gods only know what would happen if they succeeded, and she hasn't been close enough to find out (yet). ]
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[Just not the ones that she's talking about.
Tifa only holds Aerith tighter, arms squeezing around her friend before she loosens them, allowing her fingers to slip into fists when she hears the dragging of something dragging along the tunnel floors. She squints, trying to get a better look, and sees the outline of—]
Cloud!?
[Except he looks... different. With weird glowing eyes that Aerith had just told her about, with more pairs following behind him.
Fear and dread turn Tifa's stomach over now, and her arms fall to her sides, her guard let down.]
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Tifa. It's alright. [ Comes the Shadow's voice, making Aerith reach out again to clutch at the other woman's arm. ]
We should get out of here. [ Aerith stresses, looking to Tifa rather than at the figure slowly approaching. ] I don't know what will happen if he catches up, but I doubt it's anything good...
[ And then, maybe, they could find the real Cloud, and make sure he was okay... ]
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enough to make my systems blow
[Blue holds his hands out defensively to stop Aerith in her tracks, as little good as that's going to do. His own eyes are hard and mistrustful, like he has indeed already been through a lot here.... Not all the 'people' in this place were real, and the Ghosts- or whatever they were- definitely didn't seem to just be wild Pokémon, either.]
[What they were... Well, Blue had no idea, and he didn't plan to stick around and find out.]
[A second later, there's the galloping padding of something approaching from behind him, and a huge dog-like creature emerges out of the gloom, flames huffing from its nose. It's not initially clear if it's with Blue or not... but it makes its presence known right away- with a sharp, Roar-like bark in Aerith's direction and a warning growl.]
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Okay, okay! I won't come closer! [ Not with that huge dog-like creature around, certainly. Instead, the brunette grasp her weapon and eyes the pair warily, unsure of their relationship, or...if it's even "with" this stranger, and not just another monster belonging to the tunnels. ]
Is-... Do you know what that is? [ Aerith asks finally, nodding her head toward the creature. ] Or...?
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[Blue turns to glance at Arcanine, who is still hackles raised, glaring at Aerith, and lays a hand on his fluff.] Oh, Arcanine here? Don't be scared of him, he wouldn't hurt a Caterpie!
Right boy? [...Uh, well he says that, but Arcanine still seems intent on glaring at Aerith across the way. Sheepishly, Blue gives another few pats and frowns back at Aerith. She ...seems real, but then so did the figment of Red that he had briefly chased after before it... vanished from him again.]
[He sighs.] Are you alone in here? [His eyes fall to her staff. At least, it looks like she wasn't unable to protect herself...] It seems endless...
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I...am, yeah. For now. [ Except for the shades of her friends, and the ever-present danger that is Sephiroth. ] Haven't found a way out yet, but I'm sure it's just around the corner.
[ Hopefully. Sigh. ]
We can start looking together, if you want? [ Even in spite of the prickle of unease that's still eating at her stomach... ]
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waking up
...Probably not even top ten.
[A possibly familiar small child drops in from another passage, flitting through the air with surprising speed. She keeps pace with Aerith fairly easily as she eyes the approaching lava.]
No offense, but you're definitely going to fry.
Re: waking up
The comment earns a decisive frown as she runs, watching the near-stranger flit around in the air with some envy. ]
Well, you could give me a hand, if you wanted! [ Otherwise, it's true: she may watch Aerith get swallowed up by lava in what will surely be a hellish situation. ] See a way out anywhere?
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[Viridi actually sounds genuinely at a loss.]
Just to make it clear, I'm perfect and don't have weaknesses. [...] But if I had a weakness, I am the Goddess of Nature, so...
[A sudden wave of heat washes over them as she flinches.]
Fire and you know, plants, don't really get along.
[She raises a hand and a wall of earth rises from the ground which... buys them about ten seconds before the lava melts straight through it.]
It's like elemental rock paper scissors, right? You're looking for the God of Water. I could help you more directly, but I don't know if your body can handle it. Do you want to risk it?
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[ If only they had someone with water abilities. She doesn't have any such materia for herself, and huffs out a sigh into the warm air. ]
I think all we can do for now is to try and block it off - like you're doing now, if you can keep it up. [ And maybe in the interim, she can identify some kind of exit...? ] ...What did you mean by more direct help, though?
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i feel it in my bones
He wasn't exactly here for her, it is actually pure chance that they are running into each other like this. Still there's a certain level of amusement filling him at her fear.
His eyes lock onto the figures chasing her, he'll strike at them if they get close enough because even he can see there is something wrong, but this focus is still mostly on her.]
My my. Looks like your friends aren't quite what they seem. I wonder what will happen if they catch you?
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She tries not to look at the sword. ]
I'm not gonna find out. [ Will he let her pass? Knowing Sephiroth: probably not. More likely is that he'll merely block her path and leave her to suffer an unknown fate at the hands of her 'friends.'
For now, Aerith moves to stand her ground, fists clenched as she stares him down. ]
This isn't Gaia. You can't carry out your plans here. Let me through.
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[He'll let the things get closer, probably too close before he'll do anything about it. He's not about to let them get to himself after all.
However, as he looks to her he also considers what Tifa said before about 'him' changing destiny. Would killing her and the rest of them here change things for him? Tempting as that maybe he also doesn't want to lose those current memories he's built around Cloud ...
Doesn't mean he won't continue to torment Aerith here and now though.]
And Zack. Would he suffer just as much or more do you think?
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Dammit. Dammit! ]
Killing me isn't going to get you any closer to going back to where you came from. [ She's not going to touch the mention of Cloud or Zack with a ten-foot pole. ] And it'll keep me from trying to figure out how to get back, myself. Maybe I've got some ideas about that.
[ Maybe she's bluffing. Either way, Aerith feels the shadowy versions of her friends approaching, and stares back at the hateful, mako-infused gaze either way. ]
That isn't my fate, anyway. We fought fate, and we beat it. The world you know... That isn't going to happen.
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Enough to make your systems blow
Just fine... right as rain. Never better. [Someone definitely sounded sarcastic.] And what about you, Aerith? Are you .... ok?
(OOC: Powers, yes or no? It's easy enough to just go with her paranoid as heck with glowing eyes and claws shouting at people to steer clear.)
powers are good!!
[ She...doesn't look, or sound it: that's for sure. ]
...Are you hurt?
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[When she sees the hand extending, Parsee scoots back, eyes glittering as the air around her shimmers. There's a haze there, little balls of green light floating away from her. Of course Aerith was fine. Why wouldn't she be fine? She could handle anything, and all Parsee had to handle was being Parsee... and she was breaking up.]
You shouldn't come too close.
[Her eyes stared at Aerith, curiosity in them, searching for hints of envy, jealousies tucked away. It was hard to resist the urge.]
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[ Parsee seems different, sure, but..."broken" is worrying.
Aerith hovers, trying to ignore the prickle in the pit of her stomach, gaze still on the other. ]
I won't, if you don't want me to. [ She won't ask "why," either. This place is so weird and dangerous that it isn't difficult to imagine why someone else might ask for distance. ]
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let's trail off here for now! /o
Feel it in my bones
Aerith?
[In a flash of blue light, he calls a sword to hand as she gets closer - and then he sees the figures behind her, the orange in their eyes, and that explains everything.]
Oh.
[He squares up. Right then.]
You okay?
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[ She's confident in her own abilities, but...not really against the shades of her four friends. ]
Did you see a way out? [ She asks in a low voice, eyes still trained on the way she'd come. ]
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[He has no idea what the best way "out" would be, but it's still probably better to run away from the danger.]
C'mon.
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Did you see anybody else? Not people, but...shadows that look like them?
[ Maybe some of his own friends, or of the people he's met in the void so far? ]
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