004 - Lucid Dreaming

[tabularasa_mods]

Lucid Dreaming Event Info Pt.1 ▲ Event Info Pt.2 ▼ Comments Please see the two info posts linked above for details on the nature of the event, the nightmares within, and the setting it takes place in. You may ask any unanswered questions in either post. If your character dies at any point during the dream event, please leave a comment in the death report thread to notify the mods.

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?

back to top

code bases by tricklet

Comments

[symbolofstrength]

"No, I found the source, but there was no one there. It was all just a trick." Sam startles at the sudden appearance of the dragon, turning around to face the one speaking. His eyes glance down at the cards and the apparatus in complete bafflement.

"Now, I know you aren't foolish enough to threaten us, young man. We outnumber you, and you're not the only one with a dragon." He removes a Pokeball from his labcoat pocket, tapping the button to expand it to its orange size and brandishing it. "We don't have to fight. Just let us walk away in peace, hmm?" Sam's voice is pleasant enough as he attempts to negotiate, but there's also a firm edge to it, lying beneath the surface.

[blue_eyed_obsession]

"Of course it was." Snorting at the inconsistent and frustrating nature of this place. Somehow this still had to be connected to the void, it hadn't released it's hold on them after all.

"Are you seriously trying the threaten us with a hologram?" Said after the appearance of said dragon, and the accompanying verbal challenge that came with it. "I created the very system you're using Wheeler- or have you forgotten?"

At first he assumed the reference to possessing another dragon to be referring to himself but then again Kaiba couldn't recall ever mentioning his trio of blue-eyes white dragons to Professor Oak before. While he's seen that species of pokemon before, this is the first that he's seen a functional pokeball.

"Look, Gramps- I don't want any trouble either.. so why don't we all just go back inside dis here office..."

"Nothing doing, Wheeler" Kaiba snapped, raising his own duel disk in response. "You want a go? Then let's go." Not having the reservations of his current companion he drew a hand and smirked as his duel disk actually activated. There was something satisfying about having his device functional again. "Since your already playing by your own rules, so can I. I activate Ring of Destruction!". Flashing the card for his opponent to see. " This card allows me to destroy your monster."

".. But.. that means we'll both take damage!"

"What do you know.. this dog can learn a few new tricks," clearly calling the blond a canine. " That's why I'll also play Ring of defense! That way you're the only one taking the hit." With that the ring on the first card ensnared the red-eyed dragon, exploding in a shower of sparks. The nightmare Joey cried out as if he'd really been hit with the recoil. Then Kaiba took it a step farther, shoving the reeling form back into the room before slamming the door shut.

Then to Professor Oak he said,"Let's get out of here before he.. it recovers. You might want to leave your dragon out in case we run into anything else."

[symbolofstrength]

Sam's bafflement only increases as he watches the conflict between the two, confusion clear on his face. They're fighting each other with cards? Is there some kind of feedback mechanism in the device that makes them react as though they'd actually been hit?

He does recover in time to nod to Kaiba, leading the way back into the tunnels from the door.

"So... that's some kind of hologram projector, I take it?" He bobs his head toward the device on Kaiba's arm. Holograms and projectors he's familiar with, even if he's not familiar with ones that can make holograms that realistic and solid-looking while being that small (but he's not going to mention that to Kaiba, his ego doesn't need more stroking).

He does agree that it might be a good idea to leave Dragonite out, though, so he tosses the ball into the air, and the orange dragon appears in a flash of light as the ball returns to his hand.

[blue_eyed_obsession]

The encounter inspires more questions than it provides answers but Kaiba isn't really in a position to explain the intricate nature of his precious device in the thick of the moment. Once some distance is placed between them and the recreation of his office it gets a little easier to converse.

"Not just some kind, it's the top of the line," Stating that fact proudly and without hesitation. He was well acquainted with every component inside the device, so there wasn't a need to embellish. On this subject, he certainly didn't require the confidence boost. "You've encountered a holo-projector before?" Finding that hard to believe, but since Oak had used the proper terminology he had to accept it.

Continuing down the tunnel, he noted the distasteful surroundings and some of it was starting to come back to him. Namely, the subway entrance he'd started exploring with Bowser earlier, but somehow they must have been separated. "Nothing can be easy.."

[symbolofstrength]

"It's not the kind of technology you run into every day, at least not in my line of work, but yes, they're not exactly rare." Dragonite follows as they walk, not walking itself but hovering along the ground. Show-off. When they pause and Dragonite returns to its feet, it gestures toward Sam's filthy state with a worried croon.

"At least we have Dragonite," Sam offers as he pets his friend, comforting it and letting it know he's unharmed (physically, at least).

[blue_eyed_obsession]

Quietly, he debated whether that tech would be considered rare or not in his own experience. Not in terms of the duel arenas perhaps, but the more portable variety was more uncommon. Leveling a look at the older man. "Even projectors this compact?" Doubting it.

"Heh." And his technology. At least he spared the party by not voicing as much, or reminding anyone that it had been his equipment that took out Red-Eyes.

"Though you'd benefit more from a bucket of water, or a shower.."