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

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[Kaiba didn't react, not to her voice or to when she clearly should have been visible to him. Picking up another piece he tried to affix it to what he was holding, but that portion fell back to the ground with a wet sounding slap. Compelled to continue, he never realized the additional danger.

(OOC: OH GAWD. I saw this tag in my inbox and instantly knew which nightmare it was. As for the powers, she would have them back in the dream world so I'm going to approve it. I'm so sorry Kaiba LOL. So Powers? Yes.)]

[bridge_princess]

Oh, you are too precious like this Seto Kaiba. What IS going through that petty little head of yours?

[She couldn't help it. Staring at him trying to piece together what she could only assume was his own heart, she felt the urge to just reach out, to smell, to stare and to se what his jealousies were, what envies he felt as he fiddled with the valves, trying to put it all back together.

Where was his heart at right then? A little tweak wouldn't hurt that much would it?]

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[This is the last thing he wanted anyone else to witness, it had been bad enough to experience it firsthand. That moment where he first lost a duel to Yugi Mutou- no not Yugi. Not really, that spirit that had taken over. It was splitting hairs at this point, but when he had lost to the other duelist, and the spirit had raised his hand and essentially shattered his former opponent internally.

This was the literal result as opposed to the figurative. There was a distinct feeling of loss, but not of something tangible, and honestly not something that Kaiba needed to hold onto if he would only realize. A darkness that had resided in his own heart, and had manipulated him into being a crueler version of himself. That piece was gone, not among the ones lying on the floor or in his palm.

Oddly, this was one of the few times where Seto Kaiba wasn't feeling jealous, not really- where he had to focus on putting himself back together and close out all other distractions. Jealousy is what had brought him here however- over the audacity of anyone else daring to own a Blue-Eyes White Dragon card other than him.. but he couldn't even be mad at that now. In part because that 4th card no longer existed.. but details.]

[bridge_princess]

Oh ho... someone already had their fun did they? Some little bastard tore the fun part of you out and now you're just picking up the pathetic pieces of your own heart.

[She giggled as she reached out, her hand pressing to the top of his head while she leaned in, smiling too giddily to be natural. She could feel it. The envy was ... dead. Not that it wasn't there. But the Pharaoh had slain it, torn it out of him. The embers were so cool. Stoking them back up would be more effort than she was willing to go to.

Who had done this? She sneered.]

Was it that brat that did this to you? The one who sermonizes? I think I don't like him much at all.

[Because she could feel it. Anything. Anyone. who reacted to this part of Seto Kaiba was like a predator for something like her. It was like seeing the corpse of a gazelle, brought low by a lioness and knowing it might still be in the area. A chill to the spine she hadn't felt in a long time.]

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[Parsee had assessed the situation accurately. This was the aftermath of facing the man what was to become his rival later. The need for vengeance, the bitter pangs of jealousy would return as he fought desperately to best his one crippling opponent in combat but for now he was essentially declawed, broken and pathetic.

He was only vaguely aware of her presence, as he had been of his visitors in the hospital when he'd been in a coma for months. If he would just realize that this time was different- that this time wasn't real he might snap out of it. Though currently it might be more beneficial to remain in this state.

Mentioning the brat, the pharaoh, altered the nightmare in some small way. The shadows nearby contorted into a nearly humanoid form, but still too wispy to be an actual person. Illuminated by the ominous glowing of a mystical eye where the person's forehead should be, it remained there overseeing the proceedings, the smoky tendrils flicking through the air like flames certainly resembled the sermonizing boy from before.]

[bridge_princess]

You're a piece of work, you know that...

[She said it towards the shadow, deep down knowing it wasn't actually Yugi, just a vague memory of the being that tormented him. She sneered a little, her eyes glittering vilely while she folded her arms and tamped her foot in front of Kaiba.]

I should really be more jealous of you. There's absolutely nothing that I could do to screw with him that you haven't done better.

It's kinda impressive really. You've screwed this guy up good.

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[Had Seto been able to engage in this conversation, he would have detested the backhanded compliments being doled out to the memory of the spirit. It was an awkward position to be in, one part awe, and one part revulsion. Having his heart shattered helped him save his relationship with his brother, and make a necessary course correction- but he hated the vulnerability.

Most of all, he hated the feeling of being indebted.

.. but there was no fire in those eyes now. Socketing a piece into place, there were still more to go.

It was peculiar but the spirit, with it's glowing slits where pupils should be seemed to be looking toward Parsee, acknowledging and studying her. Perhaps assessing the condition of her own heart. This was someone else who could benefit from re-examining the darkness that surrounded their soul. What would be a fitting shadow game to ensnare her with?]

[bridge_princess]

Don't look at me like that, shade. Whatever lesson you're teaching him, we're well past that with me.

[And if the spirit looked deep, it might see in her darkness given life. She was the result of her own life's shadow game, where she'd succumbed to the darkness and failed the game. What was left of her had risen up for revenge. At this point, she might have had a personality of sorts, but she was more of a punishment, a tool, a shade, than one of the multi-faceted souls that could still be 'saved.'

And the glow of her eye screamed it. She took a step to the side and growled.]

I can leave him to your games. Just don't kill him. He's amusing.