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

[abeautifulgame]

"We'll have to head down to the platform," Damien tells her, reaching for her hand to pull her in that direction at his usual limp. If this were a real train, connected to the infrastructure of a city, and not just a standalone mockery this place is so good at, he could do it at range, but from here, his phone's not picking up the train. He doesn't stop to think that the train might not even exist.

He glances back at her at the question, however, frowning. He can't say he had a favorite pet (they only ever had one, and he was very young at the time), but, "There was a cat." A beat. "I think my mother called him Snoopy."

Never mind the fact that that's a dog's name.

[obscurus_phantasma]

It's a test for herself; whereas before whenever Mel wanted to Summon a specific spirit, she needed an item of theirs. But considering how she very nearly feels drunk off the power ghosting through her veins, the Goddess has confidence she can bring back anyone by focusing on the emotion behind the name. Or, in Damien's case, the name itself. If it doesn't work, she'll try for description instead, however touching him may be enough of a catalyst.

Trusting the hacker to temporarily guide her, Melinoë closes her eyes long enough to focus on Snoopy the feline. . .and ta da! Have your cat named after the Peanuts beagle, Damien. He's blocking their path and gives a mew in greeting, whereupon hearing the sound, she herself giggles out of merriment.

[abeautifulgame]

Damien stares at the cat for a long moment, surprised and not all at once, and then pulls away a little bit, to lean down, reaching out for it. It's an almost absent gesture, though, almost reflexive -- what can one do but pet a cat, when confronted with one?

He glances back at Mel, regardless of whether or not it approaches him. "I thought you needed to have something of ... someone's." His? The cat's? He's not sure, honest, but he seems to remember that being a caveat in that memory of hers he saw. Then again, though, he also seems to remember her telling him that was her first time, after the fact. Maybe she'd grown since then.

[obscurus_phantasma]

Of course the feline approaches, purring and rubbing and snaking through limbs.

With her own hum of pleasure and pride, she stands at Damien's shoulder, idly caressing the back of his neck. "So did I, but being here...I haven't felt this powerful in a long time. I thought I had to at least try, being it won't always be the case. I'd be a poor ghost guide if I were unable to just bring them forth," she teases, snorting a bit at the thought.

[abeautifulgame]

"Not expecting the high to last?" For lack of better wording.

Regardless of semantics, though, he turns his head, not trying to escape her hand but look back at her. After another beat, he starts to straighten, even if dislodging her isn't his intent.

[obscurus_phantasma]

She adjusts, folding arms across her torso. "I'm...suspicious. When has the Void ever given us this much at once?"

Snoopy takes to grooming, unconcerned with their conversation, but snaps to attention when Mel resumes their journey to the (non-existant) trains.

[abeautifulgame]

"Point," Damien concedes as they start forward again.

A sort of comfortable silence falls, then, held until they reach the platform -- lingering as Damien pulls away, to peer down the track. He doesn't think much of the fact that there's no obvious train in the station, despite that little stab of curiosity. It doesn't matter that there isn't one readily available as, as far as he knows, he can just summon one.

He pulls up the exploits he's written for the L, back home, that in mind, and frowns when they don't find the train. He tries a few other things, adds a few lines of code, written on the fly, to the hack, but still nothing. That's -- odd, not to mention intensely frustrating, and he frowns, that in mind.

"Well, there either are no trains, or ... " Or the Void has already grown bored with him having access to his toolkit.

[obscurus_phantasma]

The cat companion follow amicably, hopping down onto the tracks and sniffing about. Mel doesn't exhibit any concern, seeing as Snoopy is already dead, and if something happens to attack them, she'll dismiss the ghost and summon more powerful ones for assistance.

She waits patiently for Damien to work his magic, looking left and right, then back at him curiously. Though the cat is still present, and so suggests she's still fully powered, Melinoë tests things anyway, just in case.

With Damien's eyes cast elsewhere, she sheds the mortal body and takes on her true form, the Goddess, and carefully asks, "What do you see when you look upon me?"

[abeautifulgame]

Damien glances away from his phone -- and immediately startles. Judging by how quick he is to recover, however, it seems more like he just wasn't expecting so abrupt a change, not that he's sudden afraid of her or somehow turned off. Once he has, he shifts a little, to turn to face her more fully, to study her so he can answer.

"Black eyes. Black skin, too -- well, mostly. There's ... " He gestures to the white part of her face, not sure if that's skin or a mask, the paint it looks like or something else entirely. It runs down her arm, too, though, so -- yeah, he has no idea. He shakes his head a little, that in mind, and a little helplessly, answers, " ... white."

[obscurus_phantasma]

Melinoë raises those arms of black and white, a lacking, a void, and wiggles fingers so that the light catches off her near-claws. And she's smiling, widely, having not seen herself in years.

With a laugh that is raw joy, Mel doesn't shift back just yet. "This is me. Or, as close as your precious eyes can handle."

Snoopy peeks...then goes back to being a cat. A ghost cat.

She draws nearer to Damien, the dress trailing behind with ease. "So, then, I can still play, therefore that still works." Whateverthefuck that is. To lighten the blow, Mel playfully pouts. "Do you still love me?"

Those words haven't been exchanged, yet, so the fact that she's using them and pouting should really drive home the teasing flirt.

[abeautifulgame]

"Is this the part where I quote that space western everyone was losing their minds over fifteen years ago?" Don't even act like you weren't a fan of Firefly, Damien. "'Were I unwed I would take you in a manly fashion'?" He pauses, for effect, then adds, "'Because you're pretty'?"

Yes, he still loves you, Melinoë -- or, at very least, he'd still hit that.

After another moment, and more seriously, though, he ventures, "I wonder if you'd show up on camera, in lieu of a mirror." If she wanted to see herself, he could try taking a picture. He can guess that it may have been awhile, even if awhile is only the last few -- however long they've been here.

[obscurus_phantasma]

She inserts a simper that's so borderline-anime it'd be embarrassing in another setting. "I do thank you ever so much," she declares, clasped hands flush against glittering cheek, lashes fluttering.

With a snort, she inquires, "What, do you think I'm a vampire now?" Unaware of his would-be kind gesture, she's joking, of course, knowing Damien's wiser than that, but Mel's a little slow on the uptake. She opens her mouth to display regular teeth.

[abeautifulgame]

"You tell me," Damien shoots back, popping one shoulder in a shrug. For all he knows, she is a vampire -- they're sufficiently creepy and dead and actually exist, where she's from, given the memory he got from her, that one time. For all he knows, he knows better, however -- he's teasing, in a mood to return the banter and happily despite the fact that he can't find the fucking train.

He lets the joke go, then, after a beat, to explain, "You said this was as close as my eyes could handle, though, and camera's much less complex than my eyes." Even if the camera on his phone is top of the line for the year he's from, maybe it won't be able to handle her. He has no idea how this shit works.

[obscurus_phantasma]

She murmurs the Italian equivalent of 'dork' before straining to hear or feel if any means of transportation is going to show. That no other being is lining up to board is somewhat eerie, but only minorly so, since there are other stops.

With lips slightly parted, Mel takes to studying Damien again, a ghost of a smile just starting to form then falling back into a neutral place. "You want to take my picture?"

[abeautifulgame]

"Would you rather I didn't?" he counters, not really an answer. He figured that was a given, considering the mention of the camera and all. He also doesn't understand why this might be a hang-up. "Has anyone bothered, before?"

Maybe that's it?

[obscurus_phantasma]

She flounders to get a sentence out. "No, it's that...I..." Giving up, Melinoë swiftly strides forward and crushes herself against Damien, mindful of the pointy parts of herself, and kisses him.

Pulling away enough to catch his gaze, the Goddess nods. "Yes; let's see if the camera will capture me."

Also, she kind of, sort of just fell closer to being in love with him?

[abeautifulgame]

Damien returns the kiss. When she pulls away, he smiles -- smirks, really, and holds up his phone. "What do you think? Ridiculous selfie? Or would you rather pose for me?"

He'd be happy, either way.

[obscurus_phantasma]

"Ridiculous selfie." Obviously, especially if she doesn't show up on the camera. Then it will be that much more ridiculous and awesome and she'll want a copy somehow, please and thank you. A trip to the beach seems needed, now; Mel can grab a tablet or something.

When Damien does take the photo, Melinoë will, indeed, show up, crown and all, but not as clearly as him. It'll almost be as if a filter of sorts were placed over her and only her.

[abeautifulgame]

"Alright, c'mmere," he orders and never mind the fact that she's already practically on top of him. Still, he takes a moment to shift, himself, getting as close as space will allow, one arm looped around her waist. When he's satisfied (and he's sure she is), he holds up the camera, thumb hovering over the button.

"Say cheese."

He pulls away a little, a second after that, if only so he can check the picture. He holds it out for her inspection, once he has. "Guess you're not a vampire, after all."

[obscurus_phantasma]

"Lucky for you, I suppose, for if I had been one, I surely would have bound you to me forever." Still being near enough to do so, Melinoë slowly drags her teeth along Damien's neck for the added emphasis, a low rumble of a laugh bubbling up. She's deliberately ignoring the fact that he'll die without her, shoving that fear down, down and just enjoying the moment. She's fully powered and Damien is here now.

[abeautifulgame]

"Shame you're not, then," Damien murmurs, a shiver running through him at the brush of her teeth. What he wouldn't give to live forever. Wouldn't that be a fucking surprise for Aiden, if and when he ever returns home, and when he inevitably catches up with him, kills him? Wouldn't it be nice, to just be able to get up again and walk away?

He pushes that thought, that memory of his own looming mortality away, just as she does. He turns his head to chase and hopefully catch her lips, instead.

[obscurus_phantasma]

She meets him and keeps Damien in place by forming both hands on either side of his face, at first smiling into the affection before wrapping around him and deepening the embrace.

When a time comes to break, Melinoë's withdrawal is infinitesimal. She removes her crown as she lowly demands, "So, be mine now."

[abeautifulgame]

"Always," he promises. It's a good thing, really, that the train doesn't seem keen on appearing anytime soon, to let anyone off onto the platform with them. It might be awkward, if it did, considering what they ultimately get up to. He wasn't kidding when he side her new look wasn't a turnoff.

-= FIN =-

[obscurus_phantasma]