tabularasa_rp | 004 - Lucid Dreaming

004 - Lucid Dreaming

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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[Always assume the worst. That might as well have been Parsee's own credo, so they shared a mind of that today.

She listened to 'Panther' and her eyebrow raised. So, this was one of their worlds, one of their situations come back to haunt them? Wow, did that ever feel.... normal actually.]

Not really, but I'm never fine. [Snort] So... there's a world of dreams and nightmares in one of our worlds? That's just peachy. Fall asleep to the tonking of a clock, which I can almost hear, slacking off and getting the timing wrong I might add. And here we are. Dreamland.

[Pffft, the water clock was in her head. She was obsessed with that thing.]

I guess that almost feels normal. Something was bound to screw up. What can you tell me? And what's with the getup?

A world of dreams and nightmares is putting it lightly. Mementos is basically formed of the cognitive desires of mankind... and not the good ones, unfortunately.

[ Panther squints, trying to decipher just which layer they're on... this is surreal and disorienting, honestly, being back here. ]

...Do you have something like this in your world too, then? [ She blinks, looking back at Parsee, before her shoulders shrug. ] Usually, there are Shadows prowling around, so we'll need to be careful. Are you able to fight? [ She can assume that Parsee is a combatant, but, she doesn't... really know the other well enough... ] Uh... this happens whenever we enter Mementos at home. Basically, if it sees us as a threat, we change outfits. I'm... a member of a group known as the Phantom Thieves, so, it happens to us all. There should be two others in my group around here, too, if we've all been dragged here.

...

[So, that was a lot of useful information. The first was that, along with her memories of Ren's that she'd 'borrowed' and a few talks, she could put a few of those things together. The main thing was the fact that this outfit looked so much like his that her saying two of her team members here and vaguely knowing she was from his world added up like two and two.]

Ok. I'm going to stop you on 'too much' detail. Our little friend with his mask and all of his pretty little secrets wouldn't like me prying too much. He's cagey about details, and I think he's trying to protect you. He doesn't need to from me... mostly. But, still. Let's not talk about the Phantom Thieves. Not too much. I don't want to tick him off or get you in trouble, k?

[Joker was soooo paranoid.]

Nah, we don't have anything like this back home. But I'm a vengeful spirit and a monster. Getting into fights is pretty normal. And... people suffering because of negative emotions is kind of how I ended up being me. So, yeah. This place is feeling a little more 'homey' to me.

Let's be careful and find a way back. I'm kind of missing the void right now. But...

Uh...

[She walked over closer and leaned in to whisper. Very faint.]

You can answer this. Have we met?

Oh, you've met Joker. [ She won't call him Ren, naturally, but it does make her giggle. She can picture Joker -- Ren dodging questions here and there all for the sake of keeping their secret... secret. ] Yeah, he's good like that. Don't worry, I didn't plan on telling you much more anyways. Just enough to sorta... help you understand a little bit more.

[ Ren's a good guy, and Ann's been dodging questions from other people left and right, too, with the same wants and needs to keep her friends both here and at home safe, too. It's only right. ]

You're too pretty to be a monster, don't call yourself that. And vengeful spirits are cool! [ Parsee seems cool, at least... ] Finding a way back is a good idea! I've never not been able to find the way out, so, if we take our time, we should be able to find our way up and out.

[ As Parsee approaches and whispers, Ann blinks a few times, and then smiles and nods, lowering her voice to a whisper as well. ]

We have. Your Bridge, when I first arrived.

Pffft, oh and how. I pester that one all the time.

[She snickered a little bit. She did make herself a regular over at the bar. The admission that they'd met on the bridge put two and two together. Ok, so this was definitely Ann then. And Joker was Ren. She filed the information for future reference as she leaned back from being a little uncomfortably close.

Damnit, why'd she have to go and compliment her like that? Her arms folded in front of her and she sighed.]

You're prettier than I am, and I'm not that pretty you know. If he wasn't so into the king of being sneaky about everything, I'd assume you had his eye, heh. But... and this is important.

Never assume being pretty doesn't mean you're not a monster. There's some very pretty youkai out there. But before I get too jealous, why don't we get started? You know this place better. Lead the way. I'll [Her claws extended.] be right beside you.

He's pretty fun to pester, huh? I like doing it, too.

[ Mostly because Ren just usually goes with the flow no matter how hard she tries to troll him. Which only makes things even more fun. Poor Ren.

Ann blinks again, and then frowns, placing her hands on her hips. ]

Not true, you're beautiful! I think you are, at least! W-wait, Joker... and me? [ Oh. Her cheeks do turn a little pink, but fortunately she's got on that stupid mask and you know. Maybe Parsee won't be able to tell. ] Haha, that's funny!

[ She'd have been delighted to hear that, a few months ago, Parsee... ]

Oh, yeah. This is super important. [ Right, back to the matter at hand ~~thank you god~~. ] I'll bet there are, but I think that you are exceedingly beautiful. So there. [ On that note, she begins to walk, keeping her eyes peeled. So far, so good... this means very little right now, though. Shadows can lurk anywhere and everywhere, and... she's pretty sure that's... weird lava shit coming down one of the staircases. ]

...Mm, we should probably avoid touching that stuff, too.

[She blinked at first, as if taken aback.] Y...you do? [She thought she said that under her breath but it was at least a little louder than she should have said if she hadn't wanted Ann not to hear. She wasn't accustomed to people thinking she was pretty, much less desirable. she'd gotten it some from Tifa and Rinoa, but it was still weird to hear in her mind.

But, then she was on the move and Parsee scrambled to catch up, the thought about arguing dying in her throat.]

Yeah... let's... not touch the super-hot looking goop on the ground. I think we've still got a path, but we need to make sure not to get boxed in.

Yeah, of course! You're beautiful, you've got gorgeous eyes, and your hair is really pretty, and let's not even start on your personality. You're brave, and funny, and a total badass~!

[ Sorry, Parsee, but once Ann gets going, it's hard to get her to stop. Especially when she means every single word she's saying. Fortunately, though, toxic, scalding hot... molten shit is starting to get her attention, too. ]

Yeah... it doesn't seem to be fast moving, either. If we can avoid it and get up to the first level, then I think we'll be able to find the exit without a problem. The issue, is that this place changes, so... it might take us a while.

...

[She stayed behind Ann, blushing furiously. Parsee was right about to start a pretty heated argument about how her eyes were not gorgeous and why was she saying that, and Ann was prettier than her by far, but ...

...

Lava.]

Tch. I think the tunnel over that way is clear. Why don't we head over there, and see if we can find a path forward there?

[She started to make her way over, eyeing the lava carefully. Yeah, that was definitely enough to keep her attention for the time being, because she absolutely didn't want to deal with it. Little too much of a test of how immortal they were here.]

That's a good idea... this is a little worrisome. I thought we'd only have Shadows to worry about...

[ Time to change the trajectory of their path. She's quick to go down the tunnel Parsee suggests, looking a little relieved that there is not, in fact, lava flooding out towards them here. This doesn't mean their out of the woods yet, of course, but it's a start, and she'll take it. ]

...I don't have any idea what this place seems to be mixed up with. It's familiar, but not like... I don't understand the meat. [ You know, the pulsing shit on the walls there? ]

This place... probably isn't exactly what you remember. We've noticed places get jumbled together, like the cafe and bar. What do you wanna bet it's your place, plus something else?

[That would make a certain amount of sense, especially considering that this was some sort of dream world or collected unconscious shared realm.]

At a guess though? it's probably some place that isn't big on subtlety. The meat walls are definitely NOT subtle.

Agreed, and that's a little concerning. Mementos is confusing enough, but mixed with whatever this is? It's probably not a good situation...

[ Which means finding an exit is going to be a LOT harder. She's concerned about what sort of enemies they're going to run into, if any... Shadows? She can handle Shadows, she thinks. But she's not sure what else is lurking around in the darkness, and it's unnerving. ]

Agreed... mm, I just hope we don't run into zombies or something...

Eh. Those things wouldn't be too bad solo. Its if there's a horde of them that we need to be worried. I could probably handle one. Long as it wasn't like a hopping vampire.

But those things are a real problem. [She grunted and shrugged while they walked. Talking like this was helping. It kept her mind off of certain other possibilities to just chat.]

What about zombies do you hate so much?

Have you ever had to deal with a real zombie horde? [ Oh good God that sounds worse-- Wait, what's a hopping vampire?

[ Because now she's picturing Nosferatu, stubbing his toe, and hopping around on one foot whilst hissing... ]

I think I've seen one too many zombie movies... I hate the way the shamble and look. Their teeth, and can you imagine the smell? Then again, I've got like, this theory. Like, say a zombie apocalypse happens... wouldn't the zombies just end up dying out once there wasn't a food source? They're just rotting bodies, right?

They don't really do the whole horde thing where I come from. [Pause? Oh right, she's Japanese and those were a mainland thing. They just showed up in Gensokyo was all.]

Jiangshi. Animated corpses that are somewhere between a vampire and a zombie. Have this talisman thing hanging on their forehead. Usually move around by hopping from place to place and lunging at their prey. I think they came up with how to make them on the mainland.

....

Wow, you've had some time to think about this haven't you? Uh, without some sort of magic keeping them together they'd rot eventually. A Jiangshi lasts, but ... you wouldn't make a horde. I only ever knew of one, and she kept to herself. Got hired on as a guard somewhere I think. Eat trespassers, that sort of thing.

...I'm so glad that like, we don't have that at home. Yet. I've seen too many movies about this sort of thing, you know? Aha... I don't know if I could handle a vampire zombie mix, though. I didn't even know that was a thing.

[ And brand new nightmare fuel, courtesy of Parsee! At least, as far as she's aware of... that thing doesn't exist in Mementos. Yet. ]

Y...es. Sometimes when I'm in class, I zone out. [ All the time. Every single fucking day she is in school. Ask Ren, she sits right in front of him. ] ...You knew one? Was... she nice?

Well... I knew 'of' her. We didn't talk. I didn't have any reason to go sneaking into the place she was guarding, and she didn't leave much. I heard she was kinda boring. She didn't really leave her job much.

Jiangshi are pretty rare anyway. they were always kind of a strange thing. So you'd never see armies leaping up to nom your face.

...probably for the best.

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004 - Lucid Dreaming

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