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

[forwearemany]

Acknowledged.

(They consider her reaction to them, and the crying.

Their headflaps ripple.

She is lonely. This is a non ideal state.)

We will stay.

[bridge_princess]

You... You don't know that. Don't promise me that you'll stay.

[Yes, deep down she was well aware that Legion was probably only talking about right now, but she'd found out about several disappearances already, which meant that nobody was safe. She could disappear. Legion could disappear. None of them would have a say. None of them would get to warn people. And that was just how it was.

Her fingers clenched.]

bu...But if you leave me at some point, I'm not going to be mad at you. We don't control that here.

[forwearemany]

Acknowledged. We will stay ... for now.

(They've noticed by now that she seems to take things quite literally. They don't bother to correct her.

Besides, she's right: it's all they can offer. It's entirely possible that the laws of this world could change in such a way that they would cease to exist, or be unable to exist near Parsee.

But this also brought up some questions...)

There have been disappearances?

(Not totally foreign to them, considering Enso, but it was new for this place.

When she grips them tighter, they wrap their arms around her as tight as they can without risking causing discomfort. If the disappear, they will likely return to Enso, but she will be returned to her own world, where it is impossible for her to be happy. Would she even remember this? Would such a memory be a torment?

It also occurs to them that they do not wish for her to leave. Home is, to the Geth, is their collective, and she is rapidly becoming a part of it.)

[bridge_princess]

[She relaxed a little when Legion said that, because it felt more honest to their situation. No wishful thinking. They were there for as long as they could be, as long as they were comfortable, as long as they didn't disappear. Yeah, that was the best she could expect right now.

The question made her grunt.]

There have. Osomatsu. Midoriya. Bakugou. 2B. I haven't been able to find any of them for a long time. I'm almost certain they aren't lost. Nobody's seen Osomatsu and 2B in a while.

[Somehow, a thought occurred to her as she was talking, and she realized that this might be something they were more familiar with. As coldly logical as Legion could be, they would be better prepared for disappearance, but perhaps...]

Did this sort of thing happen to you before? I think we might have talked about it. I don't remember.

[forwearemany]

...Acknowledged.

(The names are largely unknown, save for Bakugou.)

Disappearances were common on the island of Enso. It was believed they were returned to their universe and world of origin.

(Their headflaps ripple.)

Some would return. Others did not.

(Grimm. Guardian.

Faust-Doctor.)

[bridge_princess]

So... this place is going to be like that. Probably.

[She rested her head against Legion's chestplate and closed her eyes, sighing softly. She wanted to scream. No, their worlds weren't allowed to have them back. She wanted them to stay! She wanted them to remain here, with her, so that she wasn't alone. She didn't want to go back.

Breathe, Parsee.

She took a cleansing breath and calmed herself some. It helped that she wasn't feeding off of Legion at all right now. She could do this.]

I... will choose to accept that. I don't like it. But I will choose to accept it. I don't really want to lose any of you, I think but I ... I can do this.

[forwearemany]

Yes. As with Enso, it is clear new allies will also continue to appear.

(It's not all bad, friend.)

If we leave, we will likely be returned to what remains of Enso, or the new world created in its place. Our universe of origin has no place for us.

(They would hope to be sent back, except they don't want to leave their new friends behind.

They have two homes now. If only there was a way to live in both.)

We would try to find you.

(It is, in a sense, a moral obligation: she should not be forced to be alone.)

[bridge_princess]

It's not all bad back home, I swear. It has its moments. I... just prefer here right now. And I'd rather not lose you.

[Parsee didn't have many friends after all, so the fact that she could count on Legion at all like that, that she didn't have any effect? He was like a drunk Yuugi... only very much not.]

It's jut... nice to know that I'm not going to screw you up by being myself.

[forwearemany]

The Normandy also had its "moments".

(They still don't want to go back. Unless it's to see EDI.

Her situation in her old world sounds terrible. Trapped by her own abilities.)

Acknowledged.

[bridge_princess]

[Her arms started to circle Legion in a firmer hug, closing her eyes while the two of them talked. She'd probably be ... ok going home. A soft sigh followed and her forehead rested against the Geth's shoulders.]

There's always a ray of hope deep down... Thanks... I'm starting to feel a little bit better. Do you know much about this place?

[forwearemany]

(They let her. They're fine with hugging her for as long as she needs.)

We do not, other than that it is apparently a form of dream.

[bridge_princess]

So... this is my nightmare then. And we're sleeping. that... makes a lot of sense right now. I think my nightmare is these coming back in general. Having to figure out how not to screw up everyone's lives. Screw up mine.

[She laughed and sighed.]

That makes me feel a little better. We're going to wake up eventually. But do robots dream really?

[forwearemany]

Geth dream only when under magical influence. We are unable to speak for other species of synthetic.

(Her powers are her nightmare? An unsurprising, but disquieting thought.)

[bridge_princess]

So... this place shouldn't even have you, but then again Geth don't normally eat like humans do. It's really having trouble understanding you isn't it? Like a lot of trouble...

[forwearemany]

Affirmative.

(And yet, here they are. They persist in spite of the world's lack of understanding of their nature.)

[bridge_princess]

Well... I'm glad that Geth can apparently dream. It means that I don't have to suffer this shit alone. [She rested her head against its shoulder quietly, eyes lidded and almost closed.]

It's not as much of a nightmare right now, so thanks.

[forwearemany]

...Acknowledged. We are glad.

(No one should have to be alone, they think.

Even if they're not really the sort to want their allies to suffer with them.)

[bridge_princess]

Mmmm, we can both be glad. [There was a brief moment before she finally snorted out a little laugh.] You know, it took some getting used to, but I think I like the economy of how you reply sometimes. People add a lot of unnecessary words, don't they?

[Wait for it. She's expecting 'Affirmative.']

[forwearemany]

Affirmative. (And there you go, they said it.)

Organic communication is inefficient.

[bridge_princess]

[Hey, she was legitimately shocked she got the second sentence there, though it made her think about something Legion had said a little bit. Hmmm.]

Do the Geth have poetry? Or is that something that is more unique to inefficient languages like mine?

[forwearemany]

We do not. Our poetry database mostly contains the works of our creators.

(The Geth never needed such a form of expression.)

[bridge_princess]

Definitely not the same thing. I wasn't really sure if there was something your people would create in the way you communicate that you'd consider ... I don't know? Elegant for lack of a better word?

Efficient isnt' the same thing, and it feels like that is something your language understands.

[forwearemany]

The Geth had little concern for elegance.

(Despite a sort of elegance being inherent in all their designs.)

[bridge_princess]

That's not a bad thing exactly, I guess. It's just how you are. Humans have a big thing for aesthetics, be they in sound or in sight. Sometimes its a waste, sometimes it's pretty.

But maybe you do... in your own way. I mean you have very smooth lines to your body at points.

[forwearemany]

(They look at themselves.)

The Creators made us in their image. The Geth have kept this form.

(They do resemble Quarians. Not perfectly, but it's definitely there.)