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.

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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?

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code bases by tricklet

Comments

[forethinking]

(When Tifa comes into sight, he knows exactly what she's thinking, seeing that she did question him about the outfits she's seen not too long ago. She doesn't need to say it, just saying - he knows.

He happens to really feel good in his outfit, to be honest!

Of course, his eyes goes straight to the materia - she had explained it to him once, but he hasn't had the chance of seeing them in action. This should be interesting... And out of curiosity, he scans her with his sight. Red outline, huh, Tifa? Good.)

I don't intend to fight with my bare fists. (There's a rather overconfident smile adorning his lips as blue fire surrounds him. He calls, Satanael answers, a large figure materializing behind him.)

[starshower]

[Well, that's... unexpected. Tifa stares for a moment, watching as the summon (???) appears behind him, large and imposing, and she wonders how the hell it hasn't just broken through the tunnel yet to free them. Of course in a nightmarescape, that isn't likely to happen.

She has no time to question it though, with the sound of a screeching train on its way, so loud that it would drown out her voice were she to ask him. But no train comes, only the sound... and she looks around, confused.

Where's the—?

But no time to ask questions about that either, because from the tracks emerges dark, shadowed figures, morphing into the shape of people. Faceless (for now), with round eyes that glow a deep yellow.]

Well, I do.

[With all of her power back now, she lights the tracks up with a massive fire spell that erupts under their feet, blasting the wave of Shadows up onto the platform for easy pickings.]

[forethinking]

(From her look of confusion, he's sure there's more explaining to do after they're done - like he hasn't confused her enough times not to begin with. This should be much easier to explain than Mona, at least, and he hopes, quietly, she has already seen the other three.

Faceless Shadows form right before them and there's a smirk on Joker's face from the start. It would be a lie to say he's not enjoying it to a certain extent, being able to fight in his element and be himself overall. Being a quiet barista is nice and all, but ripping Shadows apart and summoning the devil is really something else. He strangely feels at home.

With a command, Satanael grants Tifa some of his power, the floor underneath her feet glowing in colorful rays of purple, green, and red. Heat Riser is a nice starter, after all, and Joker redirects his attention to half of the enemy pack, leaving the rest to her more than capable hands. Some of them reach for him, an attempt to grab that was easily dodged with a skillful acrobatic backflip before another command is given.

None of Satanael's skills are mild, so easily, Riot Gun obliterates the Shadows that stand in his path... Only to give way to a new one to form. The Reaper.)

[starshower]

[With Satanael's help, Tifa is able to easily assist with the Shadow cleanup, jumping into the middle of the fray and finishing them off with an Overpower, her feet able to make them disappear without an issue. She breaks her landing on the other side, skidding to a halt just as her heel touches the edge of the platform, and it's the ominous and unexpected sound of chains that forces her upright again.

It's faceless, minus the single bleeding eye that peeks out, and with its two guns in hand, it looms over her, floating almost too slowly for comfort in her direction.

Whatever it is, it invokes a certain fear in Tifa. She's never been good with ghosts, or the supernatural, and this thing is definitely not natural.

She backs up a few steps, swallowing past the lump in her throat, but maintaining a look of power and exuding confidence as she keeps hold of its gaze.]

Go big or go home, huh?

[forethinking]

We can take it. (The Reaper doesn't evoke fear in Joker - if anything, he's happy it's a familiar foe. If Tifa is uncomfortable before such sight, Ren wouldn't judge her a bit.

She is in a completely new environment she has never seen or heard of before, to his knowledge, and the Reaper is not pleasant to look at in the slightest. He'd explain, but there's no time.

Tifa should still feel the power coursing through her veins, and Joker? Very much smiling when he sets another command.)

Satanael! (And the Persona responds. The ground underneath the Reaper's feet turns red and black, as if it was bleeding before a viper appears from it, inflicting colossal damage with its bite.)

[starshower]

[It's resemblance to a ghost or ghoul or even a demon is too close for comfort, but Tifa isn't about to let that scare her off. Besides, Ren can't have all the fun, can he?]

Right!

[His reassurance fires her up and seeing the Persona act only spurs her on further in helping him take down whatever this thing is. The chains rattle as the damage is dished out and the viper disappears, but whatever it did, it wasn't enough to finish it off.]

My turn. [Like she said: go big or go home, right?] Ready when you are.

[That isn't directed to Ren at all. The red materia in her glove lights up in a burst of flames and from above her, a red beast falls and lands, shaking the ground under them. It roars and charges across the platform, slamming into the Reaper with its body before finishing it off with a breath of fire.

Tifa's confidence shifts into a grin.]

I've got one too.