70. [DREAM/DREAM/DREAM/DREAM]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[So while the rest of Johto alternately panics, cries, or rushes around trying to capture as many of the soulstealing insects as possible, there are dozens of souls floating around in that dream limbo, drifting in and out of each other's slumbering thoughts and visions. Whether it's nightmarish flashbacks or just those dreams where you're at school taking a really hard test, and then Dracula shows up, and then everybody's naked ... anything is possible when it comes to what people see in their sleep.]

[But what appears in the darkness in this particular spot in the spaceless, shifting mass of dreaming souls... is a door.]

[It's old, and covered with boards and bolts, rusted near-through in some places. The lock is broken-- mangled and half-melted and wrenched out of the keyhole. The only thing on it that doesn't look ancient is a scrap of torn notebook-paper that's taped up on it at roughly eye-level. It reads only a single phrase:]</sub>

Fear of blood tends to create fear for the flesh.

<sub>[More importantly, though... the door is ajar. Through the gap come the scents of rust and metal-- and something organic, fleshy-- and a low, deep hum of industrial machinery. It's not a door that anyone in their right mind would want to go through. ... But for anyone who may have stumbled this far into the dreams of their fellow lost souls, either in flight from some other nightmare or just pure, wandering curiosity... there's just no other place to go but through the door.]




[Go on. Open it. After all.... it's only a dream.]</sub>

[ooc: SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG, GUYS. Thanks for being patient! If you commented on that planning post, there's something spooky planned for your character to do here so please feel free to tag or not tag as it pleases you!]

~*~

[ooc: This is the IC post for what was announced over here! Even if you didn't comment there, feel free to participate! I'm still happy to whip up Silent Hill scenarios for folks!]

Comments

[skillspanner]

[Yosuke's the boss of all penii-- wait, what.]

You're not scaring me -- let's do this!

[With something akin to a roar, Yosuke charges, then spins, attacking the crazy looking penis-monster head-on. Where this goes, he has no idea, but he can't back down, not after coming this far.]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Not bad! If nothing else, the creature doesn't seem to have expected to just be CHARGED at-- the strike hits the tender flesh of the creature's face and it recoils, as though surprised, letting out another roar.]

[Then the thick outer hide slams shut over its head once more and it brings its whole body slamming straight down-- aiming to turn Yosuke into a human-shaped pancake. Assuming it does not succeed at this, though, the impact makes the very floor quake jarringly. This thing is strong.]</sub>

[skillspanner]

[He only narrowly dodges the hit - which he is incredibly thankful for, because he does not want to be a Yosuke-pancake today. However, it was enough to knock him off his feet, the impact causing him to slam hard against the floor with a loud CLANG.]

[Not good. He let out a pained groan -- it hurt to move already. But if he didn't, he was gonna either be a pancake or dickfood for sure. He could only do one thing in the meanwhile, and that was to aim the point of his kunai directly at the monster and hope that trying to stab it would do him some good.]

dickfood = my new favorite word

[foolishwren]

_{[Unfortunately, this time, luck's not on his side. Head still encased in the sheath, it barrels towards him across the ground like a giant snake-- and while its aim is just off enough to avoid squashing him flat, it'll knock him for a serious loop-- that outer skin is tough as hell and though the kunai leaves a nasty white scrape, the beast doesn't even seem to FEEL it as it rushes past like a runaway train.]}

newly invented for your loving!

[skillspanner]

Cr-crap-!

[This wasn't good. No, no, this was bad bad bad. The worst kind of bad. It wasn't the first time he'd faced an enemy he couldn't hit with physical attacks... but his Persona wouldn't work here, right?]

[It was a desperate attempt, his eyes making the briefest contact with the tarot card in his pocket. He had to try. At least if he died, he could say he did it giving it his all - without quitting when things got hopeless. He'd beaten the odds before, right?]

G-go, Susano-o!

[The call was desperate, strained; his breath stopped for a moment - waiting, hoping that this would save him from certain death.]

;-; you're so good to me

[foolishwren]

<sub>[The beast reaches the opposite wall with its blunt head and starts to wheel around, its hood unfurling again with a terrible hiss.]

[... Alas... nothing. In the Otherworld-- in this Otherworld... there is very little a person can rely on apart from their own two hands... and whatever they can physically pick up and turn into a weapon.]

[But-- ... then something else cuts through the roars of the creature, and that something is a voice from somewhere above. Not some booming, godly voice though-- just the voice of somebody yelling their brains out.]</sub>


HEY!

Hit it in the FACE!

_{[... THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE COMING DOWN THE LADDER WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN?]}

It's because I love you!

[skillspanner]

Crap. Crapcrapcrapcrap--

[He's going into complete panic mode. Is this how I'm gonna die? It's the only thing he can think right now. After going through so much and surviving through saving humanity, losing to a penis with sharkteeth is really just... so, so wrong.]

[Until he hears that voice - and subsequently, the sound of coming down the ladder. Where the hell was this backup before? He freezes for just a second, looking over to the ladder before nodding. He sees he's got a brief enough second to prepare as it heads back in his direction- he lets out a yell, charging forward and aiming for its creepy ass face with all of his strength. Here's hoping...]

;-; NEVER LET ME GO

[foolishwren]

<sub>[This time, the beast's head is exposed-- it's aiming to bite rather than just RUN OVER-- and Yosuke's strike will hit home, splitting the tender skin far easier than the tough outer layer. This has the unfortunate side effect of splattering Yosuke with steaming blood, but HEY it's better than dying, right?]

[The creature lets out a floor-rattling screech and twists away, moving with surprising speed for something so enormous. It rushes across the floor and soon disappears into another vent on the opposite wall.]

[CRISIS AVERTED... for now.]</sub>

I WOULD NEVER EVER!

[skillspanner]

[He's frozen in place for a moment, but as it starts to retreat, Yosuke sinks to the floor. The kunai fall from his hands, clanging against the floor and he lets out a sound that's something between a relieved sigh and a laugh. He doesn't look up, but still, he finally manages to spit a few words out.]

Thanks... uh. That totally saved my ass.

[foolishwren]

_{[The klank-klank-klank of his supposed savior descending the ladder speeds up, until there's an "umph!" and the sound of soft rubber boots hitting the metal floor. And with that, the mystery person approaches.]}

Don't thank me.

I didn't really wanna watch something I killed two years ago EAT some person who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time...

[skillspanner]

Wh-- [He shakes his head, taking a minute to collect himself before picking up the dropped kunai and putting them back in their respective holsters.]

I would've been toast if you didn't tell me that... it still deserves a thanks, you know?

[foolishwren]

Heh. No prob.

_{[The girl draws up to him at last, looking him over before turning her attention to the hole that the giant worm disappeared into.]}

... It's not dead, though. ... It'll be back.

... Hey, don't I know you?

_{[... Yeah, because saying that the giant monster will be back soon is a great preface to 'HEY HAVEN'T I SEEN YOU SOMEWHERE BEFORE'.]}

[skillspanner]

Well, at least I know how to deal with it next time. That's a hell of a lot better than not knowing at all.

[He quirks his head a little, looking at her. She's definitely familiar, but he can't really place how.] I dunno... maybe? Hehe, you... do look kind of familiar.

[foolishwren]

_{[She rubs the back of her neck, squinting at him in the dim light for a second. ... Maybe...]}

... Are you from Johto?

_{[He wouldn't be the first familiar face to show up in her dreams on this strange, long night...]}

[skillspanner]

Oh! [That makes sense... he'd probably heard her voice over the network then. He'd kind of forgotten about Johto in the midst of all the craziness.] Ye-yeah, that's gotta be it.

[foolishwren]

_{[Given the amount of time Heather spends talking with Rise, it's probably a given they've at least heard each other's voices in the background once or twice.]}

You wouldn't be the first one who's showed up in this place... _{[Then she frowns, squinting at him.]} ... How'd you get in?

[skillspanner]

Others have too? [Cocks his head to the side, looking around again now that he's a bit more calm.] I don't remember.

I opened my eyes, and here I was... well. Up at the top, or outside or wherever it was... this place.

[foolishwren]

A few.

Anyway, I should try and get you out of here. That thing was just an appetizer in the Banquet of Oh God, What the Shit.

[skillspanner]

Oh, geez. [Pause.] Hey, but uh... what about you?

[foolishwren]

<sub>[She's already turned around to start heading back towards the spindly ladder. She's grateful it hasn't COLLAPSED yet...]

[But she looks back over her shoulder anyway.]</sub>

This is my dream.

M'used to it.

[skillspanner]

Still... [This whole place makes him unsure forever.] Be careful anyways. This place...

[foolishwren]

_{[Perhaps surprisingly, her response is to snicker.]}

I know my way around Hell, don't worry.

[skillspanner]

[It could've been surprising, but just like he knew his way around the dungeons in the TV world -- it made sense.]

G-gotcha. Now I just gotta get the hell out of here without getting my ass kicked again.

[foolishwren]

Hopefully. C'mon, you go up first.

_{[She stands at the base of the ladder and gestures up it.]}

[skillspanner]

Oh, uh-- right.

[He nods, taking a cautious step towards the ladder. The sooner he's out of here, the better, though. At least as far as he's concerned.]