Halloween Nightmare: Part I

[dreamposts]

✵ HALLOWEEN NIGHTMARE: PART I ✵

It comes without warning. A few nights before Halloween, when the moon is supposed to be full and bright, it suddenly blinks out and turns pitch black. Even the stars seem to be covered, casting a strange darkness all over Songerein. While the fae sense something unusual, the newly arrived people—the dreamwalkers—all suddenly fall over asleep as if struck by a curse. Thick, black fog covers the town and one by one their bodies glow bright before converting into dream energy and disappearing into their crystals.

Alarmed, the tapirs investigate, some plunging deep into the realm of dreams to try and find wherever they went. What they discover is something they had never seen before—a massive dreamscape rippling through the dimensions, one full of life, color, and sound. It's as if its own little world, unaware that a giant group has dropped in uninvited. Before the dreamwalkers can be too confused, the tapirs send out a message via their crystals:

Careful, Dreamwalkers! We don't understand what's happening, but you have entered an unusual dreamscape, one where everyone here believes this to be their own world. It feels unstable, to the point where if too much disturbance happens it could turn this entire place into a nightmare! One that could affect Songerein!

Good news is it looks like they're throwing a huge party, so maybe if you just have fun and help out, it will pass quickly and you can return. There's a strange barrier that prevents anyone from coming out of the dream normally...but, we'll figure it out! Just try and have fun, okay?

That might be a tall order for some, but there's little choice. Already everyone has been outfitted in appropriate costumes that serve as "disguises"—some more realistic than others—allowing them to blend in. So long as they follow along and don't cause any disruptions, the locals won't bat an eye. However, the moment someone behaves oddly, such as speaking of other worlds or not behaving in a "frightfully ghoulish" manner when expected, the locals will start eying them with suspicion and small cracks will start to form in various places, most notably the sky where are a large grinning moon watches over everything. Fortunately it will take quite a lot before things get dangerous, but care is needed.

Now, what kind of "dream" have they been pulled into?

I . HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL

The town is bustling and looking quite alive despite its rather monstrous and undead citizens. The architecture style is a mix of ye olde Victorian England and steampunk—with bones and spiders and a lot of sharp things, of course. There is a giant cauldron in the center that acts as a fountain, and while touching it won't harm anyone, drinking it might cause a few green, gassy, flammable hiccups and fire breath that goes away after a while. There is even an odd story going around about a crazy witch called Baba Yaga and many wonder if something strange will happen again like all the other years. For now it's advised for everyone to carefully explore while perhaps getting into the various festivities. It's their time of the year after all!

A. Costume Party. Everyone's in a costume and there are plenty of contests and parades for everyone to show theirs off. All are encouraged to do their best and act like whatever they're dressed up as, and some may even be pulled into random impromptu "acts" for fun. Cute little black cats with witch's hats will hop on their heads and drop some special candy as a "reward." What could be so suspicious about this? (Yes, this is the cursed candy mentioned in the official details.)

» BONUS: MAGIC THREADS. Some locals need a little help with their costumes and request special thread that can be harvested by the ghoul worms—an underworld version of the silkworm. However, getting to them can be a bit...tricky. The worms need to be scared out of their wits for them to spit out the thread. The next difficult part is capturing the thread and not having it all over one's face. There are also some rainbow spiders who produce colorful threads, but they need to be sweetened up before they'll pass over their hard work.

B. Beware the Food. Of course the food is to die for. No, really, be careful of the food because there's a high chance it's been cursed and will cause one or more of the following: 1) suffer severe food poisoning; 2) become an undead zombie; 3) turn into a ghastly toad; 4) have a Wicked Witch experience and turn into a puddle of goop to then become a slime monster. Except for the first one, these changes are all painless and will just make the affected feel funny for half an hour. For the food poisoning, drinking from the Cauldron in the center of town will cure it, but for those who don't want flame breath, creating a certain witch's brew could be concocted.

» BONUS: WITCH'S BREW: Gather the following items to create the special witch's brew that will not only cure the food poisoning but other maladies as well. Just need a few tails of newt, a couple eyes of mud guppies, and the nails of opossums. Fortunately there are quite a few stores that carry these items so no one has to harvest them themselves, though they are certainly welcome to. If buying, the payment requires five chocolate coins. The catch? All the kids have the chocolate coins so need to somehow get them. Maybe the trick-or-treating can help.

C. Jack-o-Lanterns. There are pumpkins everywhere and an assortment of activities to do with them. From simple pumpkin carving for decoration, to loading them into catapults to see how far they go, to avoiding flaming pumpkin heads flying around causing mayhem. But the real buzz is carving pumpkins for the newly "arrived" skeletons that have unearthed to join the populace. As part of a celebration these special pumpkins will be worn by the new skeletons so the more decorated the better.

D. Trick-or-Treat. Of course there is candy being handed out and thrown out to be passed to the younguns. Some adults may find a giant skull head full of various candies shoved into their hands so they can give them to any excited gremlins. Just beware, those little monsters are more than happy to pull a trick instead, so tricks are also fair game as long as they are eventually given candy. In fact, tricks and pranks are highly encouraged, to the point that some are throwing competitions. Should anyone try to withhold the goods, however...well, curses from children are the worst.

E. Candy Corn Golems. Some candy corn will randomly come together and transform into candy corn golems. They range from knee-high that can do little more than just do feeble punches and throw goop on people's legs to a towering ten foot monstrosity that is ready to launch candy corn missiles that explode into harder gunk that can completely imprison anyone. While some locals might find their presence a suitable chaotic ingredient, many don't as they have no idea how these creatures came to be as the usual hexes and underworld magic seem to have little effect. Yet they are susceptible to the dreamwalking abilities… Most will cheer when a golem is defeated, but some may become suspicious.

» BONUS: FIND THE SOURCE. Even though the golems can be taken care of, the more that only the dreamwalkers can destroy, the more unnecessary attention and suspicion is aroused. Best to figure out where to find what's creating them and put an end to it. Whispers of a "mad witch" and "crazy hag" can be heard and curiously, some of the smaller golems trundle down away from the main chaos through some small alleys. Following them will lead them to a strange house, the magic spilling out unnatural. There are drag marks and broom bits that are tinted blood red and inky black. Stray, tattered pages and black smears can also be found around the house. Attempts to enter the house result in being blown back into the town center cauldron, however as long as attention is drawn to the house then suspicion will reduce from the dreamwalkers.

II. GRAVE WEDDING

Just outside of town is a vast graveyard that stretches for a considerable distance, the madly grinning moon seeming to loom and be its brightest here. Although mostly consisting of graves, there are also large mausoleums and a dilapidated looking chapel. Many live within the graveyard and those not participating in the town's festivities are having their own little parties. There's even a wedding being held at the chapel. However, not everything is going well and a helping hand—connected or not—will be appreciated.

A. Haunted Wedding. What a spooktastic night for a wedding between a bootiful bride and her ghastly groom. The chapel may be old, riddled with holes, and look ready to fall apart at the slightest breeze, but it's the ideal venue for all wicked weddings. With the pews filled with other residents of the town, it looks to be a perfect celebration—until red-eyed goblins suddenly burst through the already broken windows and holes. Some of the guests are quick to fight back (with some thinking it part of the event), but these goblins seem stronger than usual. Anyone who is nearby will be asked to help and get rid of them before they really do wreck the wedding!

» BONUS: GOBLIN SEALS. No matter how many are defeated, more just keep appearing to take its place. A gravekeeper shouts out that they witnessed the goblins appearing near a dark corner of the cemetery, a place known to be heavily cursed and filled with hexes due to all the witches buried there. Those who investigate will find all the graves dug out and each one with a summoning seal inside. Fortunately they are easy to destroy by either casting magic or even chucking rocks to break up the symbol. Destroy them all to stop the goblins, but be careful as some will pop up in the process.

B. Grave Situation. The graveyard is considered as one of the largest neighborhoods with many finding their underground or stone mausoleum homes quite comfortable and even luxurious in some cases. As part of the Halloween prank, tombstones, grave markers, and even coffins have been moved around and the residents are not happy. They'll need help replacing everything, but be warned—some pranksters have gone beyond and boobytrapped some. Triggering the traps will produce sticky webbing, glitter paint, and "bloody" marshmallow slime (it's just dyed red).

» BONUS: HOSTILE NEIGHBORS. There are some undead and skeletons lying in their earthly beds and cramped coffins that will not take too kindly to being disturbed. They are quite aggressive and will outright attack anyone who comes near their homes, even if they aren't in the right place. They need to be restrained and it would be bad news if anyone is severely harmed or worse—destroyed. Careful examination will reveal a strange slip of paper with what looks like a hex symbol on their heads, and if removed they will pass out but return to normal.

C. Nightmare Graves. Some tombstones will have writing that will mysteriously change to words that will provoke those who read it and send them immediately to a nightmare. It could be something completely random or it could be personal with the severity also random. Some dreams will be reflected on the tombstone similar to the crystals while others can be entered via dreamwalking. In either case, the dreamer's body will be lying in repose in front of the tombstone, which will have a line of "Do not disturb" along with cryptic words related to the nightmare.

» BONUS: NOCTAERE. The longer someone stays in a nightmare, the greater the risk in either attracting noctaere into the dream and out into the dreamscape and for the dreamer to become a noctaere themselves. It could be a partial or full transformation, depending on how strong the nightmare and how sensitive the dreamer is. Dreamwalkers must help try to stop the change before it's too late by attempting to change the dream or calm the dreamer. But if the dreamer turns into a noctaere and starts causing havoc within the dreamscape, then they must be subdued physically with dreamotion abilities.

[Mod Note: This is Part I of our event! To look over the official details as well as ask any questions, drop them in the official Event Details post. While we prefer for threads to remain in the event log, players are welcome to take their threads into their own individual logs for personal organization. We only request players to comment to the event log with a link to it so that others can find them more easily!]

Comments

ii-c!

[starshower]

[That sense of foreboding hits Tifa the moment she wanders into the dream, rolling over her in an uneasy chill that makes her wolf ears twitch back in fear. Of all the nightmares she's seen so far today, between the shadowy figures and the cruel whispers, this one feels... different. Almost more real in an eerie way. There is no movement, and not a sound besides the low, steady... breaths? She can't quite tell... but one could easily cut snap the tense air with their fingers if they wanted to.

Tifa, however, allows her eyes to wander through the room in front of her from the threshold of the door, not noticing what's behind her until—]

Huh!?

[Tifa jumps, startled by the hand around her arm, wrenching it free when she spins to face off against whoever—or whatever—it is, and that's when she spots her, a step down and a finger pressed to her lips. Well, a little too late for that, but Tifa exhales a sharp breath and descends to meet her.

Silent curiosity fills her worried expression, but she remains quiet, waiting for instructions because clearly, this isn't anything at all like the other nightmares she's walked into.]

[lethechained]

[ There is something intensely real about it. This place has none of the vagueness of the average dream; here, every aspect is crystal clear right down to the grain in the subtly faded wood. The dreamer must have been here, and for quite some time, to remember it in such stunning detail. The place would be beautiful in a rustic sort of way if it didn't feel so wrong, from the floor to the ceiling and in every stale molecule of air.

And it's clear in an instant that Tifa's done exactly what Naminé hoped she wouldn't. The sound of the older girl's startling seems to echo in the near-complete silence, causing the blonde to freeze in place. For a handful of seconds, she holds absolutely still, the only movement coming from the urgent dart of her eyes as they focus on the edge of the doorframe nearest the living room and stick there.

The sound from the rafters has gone quiet.

Naminé stops breathing, too, and she doesn't start again until the new stretch of silence has gone on for nearly a minute. Then her lungs fill with a quiet rasp, and her eyes turn back to Tifa with something that's too fearful to be relief. The Nobody gestures then, beckoning with the same hand that she used to ask for silence before, then turns to take careful steps back down the stairs toward the shadowy darkness below.

Basements might not be the most hospitable part of any setting, but she seems to feel pretty strongly about its comparative safety in this one. ]

[starshower]

[It's definitely not the kind of hiding place that Tifa had in mind, especially when she stares further into the darkness at the bottom of the stairs, but swallowing past her fears, she follows just as carefully, tiptoeing down each step so as not to make another accidental peep. She shouldn't be afraid, not of what could await them in the basement, if Namine is the one leading them down, but this is starting to feel more like her own nightmare than one she walked into.

No... She needs to trust in the girl if either of them want to make it out of here.

It's at the bottom that Tifa finally lets out the air she'd been holding in, but she remains cautious and silent, not wanting to rouse whatever is lurking inside the walls of the house. So, she lets her brows furrow together instead, as if to ask "now what?" Are they safe here, or have they just backed themselves into a corner?]

[lethechained]

[ The girl ahead of Tifa on the stairs makes surprisingly little sound. Her descent has a practiced way about it, as if she knows just where to put her feet in order to keep the old wood from creaking, even in the gloom.

Presently, they arrive at a curve near the bottom of the stairway. Naminé reaches up to a dangling cord and, with a careful, measuring glance back up at the doorway above, she pulls the string; dim light illuminates the space, just barely enough to see by. The basement is full to the brim with objects of all shapes and sizes, every last bit of it covered in dust or cobwebs, like some long-dead collector's treasure trove. The grody, flickering bulbs above give the shadows an eerie feeling, almost as if they're alive.

Naminé makes her way carefully down the last few steps and pauses not far from where they meet the floor, hands lacing together against her midsection. Then, only half-turning back toward Tifa, the girl looks up with solemn concern. The blonde seems slightly less afraid down here, and yet every line of her body still reads as tense, almost anticipatory, like someone waiting to start a boxing match. ]

Do you have any memory of this place?

[ Quiet, it seems by her tone, is still crucial; she speaks at barely a whisper, despite the sense of urgency in her voice. But such a strange question... ]

[starshower]

[Not so strange in the sense that she thinks she understands why she would be asking. At their first meeting, there had been some recognition on Namine's side, and Tifa wonders now if this is a place she should remember if she had those memories still.

Glancing up to the light filtering in at the top of the stairs, Tifa shakes her head.]

No... Should I?

[Had this been somewhere she'd been before? And if so, why here of all places? This is clearly something out of Namine's world, so...]

[lethechained]

[ The softening of Naminé's brow might indicate relief; it's hard to tell in the semi-dark. ]

Not necessarily. [ Her voice is more telling, hushed though it is. The gladness there is bittersweet, despite how she says, ] If you don't, that might even be a good thing.

[ Without meaning for them to, Naminé finds her own eyes straying toward the same place Tifa's have gone. The blonde's mouth tightens again, the set of her lips grim. Normally, a light from above might be comforting. Right now, it's ominous instead, and no sound filters down to the bottom of the stairs. If not for what they heard earlier, it might even be convincing enough to fool someone into thinking they were alone here. Ruefully, Naminé remarks, ]

Only, that means that you haven't seen it yet. I wish - that you didn't have to, but... it's too late now.

[ Almost guiltily, she turns her face from the light, looking with resignation toward one part of the room. Difficult to determine what she's focused on, considering how crowded the space is. Her voice grows even quieter, more solemn. ]

It's already awake.

[starshower]

[Instinctively, and without realizing, Tifa takes a step closer to Namine at those words, and she takes the girl by the hand as if she's preparing herself to run at a moment's notice and to take Namine with her.]

What's awake...?

[Whatever "it" is, she isn't sure that she wants to stick around and find out, and yet she's still putting herself between the younger girl and the stairs, her eyes piercing the dark and watching the top landing of the stairs for whatever might show itself.

A monster? Another shadow like in the other nightmares? A ghost? She can't think of anything worse than that...]

[lethechained]

[ Subtly, the girl stiffens at Tifa's movement, only to settle again once there's been a second to process it. Naminé's hand is unresisting, a beat late to tighten, but when she does, she holds firmly. Her fingers are shaking, mouth downturned into a frown as she looks up at Tifa. ]

You heard it, didn't you? The thing upstairs.

[ Past the older girl, Naminé can still see the light up there; her eyes shift focus to it for only a moment before she turns her head, glancing around as if searching for something. ]

It's hard to describe, but--

[ The blonde finally seems to spot what she was looking for. There's a discarded paper nearby amongst the other detritus; it looks like it's been drawn on by a child. The contents are hard to make out in the gloom and without seeing it up close, but the shape on it does give a disconcerting impression even from a distance. Naminé takes half a step away from Tifa to begin to reach down for the item.

And then, on the floor above them, something hits the ground with heavy thunk.

Naminé's head whips back toward the stairway, her eyes as wide as they can go. The rest of her freezes in the same instant, her grasp on Tifa's hand suddenly rigid, breath held tightly in her lungs. ]

That's-- not supposed to...

[ Despite how certain the blonde has seemed of everything so far regardless of her fear, this-- doesn't look like it was part of the plan. ]

[starshower]

[Tifa's gasp at the noise is loud, visceral—the scare goes through her entire body, stiffening her stance and tightening her hold on Namine's hand to an almost dangerously tight grip. Her suddenly quick breathing comes to a halt when she realizes that she may have compromised them more than she already has, and she takes several very cautious steps away from the stairs.

Whatever that was, it doesn't sound like it was supposed to be that way. She isn't sure if she should say something, or ask about it, but it's hard to do either when only silence comes out of her mouth when she opens it, fear crippling her words.

She was supposed to come in here to help Namine out of her nightmare, not spiral further into it with her.

They need to do something.]

Should we hide, or...?

[Face it? Can they even fight it? What are they up against?]

[lethechained]

[ In the space after Tifa's gasp, silence rings out even more deeply than before. But there's no peace in that pause, not when Naminé's hand curls tighter in response, all the color gone from the girl's face in horrible, knowing anticipation. Only a couple of seconds pass before she's twisting in place, features a mask of distress. Now that things aren't proceeding as expected, there's more indecision in her pause, but by the time Tifa asks, the choice is already made. If she hadn't asked, Naminé would have given a similar, hurried whisper of, ]

We have to! It already knows we're--

[ The floorboards above begin to creak and groan as something heavy moves across them, faint strings of dust filtering down from the ceiling as the girl cuts herself off with a strangled, fretful inhale. But by then Naminé's adrenaline has kicked in and the next moment she's tugging urgently on the older girl's hand as she passes her to go further into the room with a hissed, pleading, ]

Come on!

[ Where to hide is the question; Naminé seems sure about the necessity but her gaze shifts quickly over the space in search of the best option. There are plenty, to be sure - almost too many, a veritable jungle of possibilities that's overwhelming at first glance. ]

[starshower]

[Too many is better than not enough, surely? Tifa would like to think so, but she finds herself paralyzed by the same thought as Namine when they journey further into the darkness of the basement. There's another smattering of dust following a thump right over their heads, the wood getting caught in their hair and sticking to their clothes. Not that Tifa pays it any mind... They have more pressing things to worry about.

Like finding a damn place to hide!

She tries not to think on it too much and takes initiative by pulling Namine along with her. There are some boards and blankets and tarps leaning up against a wall that they can hide between, so she takes her there and practically shoves Namine under first. There are some dusty old rolled-up curtains that she grabs and drapes over their hiding place before sliding in beside the girl.

When she's finally caught her breath, she peeks around to check.]

What is that thing?

[lethechained]

[ Naminé reflexively lifts a hand to shield her face from some of the dust and splinters, fingers curling against her upturned palm. It doesn't constitute a real distraction from her search for a place to disguise themselves; surely by now she's as accustomed to the options in this area as she is to everything else, and yet she hesitates. Perhaps she's only used to hiding alone.

Still, she offers no resistance when Tifa pulls her along. The blonde stumbles briefly on one of the many ankle-level hazards as they go, but she swallows the yelp in her throat with all the force of someone who knows their life is at stake. Ducking obligingly as the older girl hauls her under the boards, Naminé immediately tucks herself into the smallest shape she can manage in order to leave room for Tifa. Even as the curtains shade their already darkened refuge, the girl holds the air tightly in her lungs.

Naminé hears the question, that much is obvious. But her response, rather than an answer, is to shake her head - hard to see in the gloom. Instead of leaving it at that, she lifts one shaking hand to place it on the darker-haired girl's arm, fingers curling gently but with purpose; now's the time to be silent again.

If Tifa's looking, she'll discover the truth for herself soon enough, whether Naminé tells her or not.

The creaking, heavy footsteps reach the top of the stairs and pause there. In the wake of them, the quiet proceeds onward undisturbed for an interminable handful of seconds, and then - the aged framework of the pathway downward into the basement begins to protest with the screech of old wood and rusty nails as something descends it, slow and unhurried with the methodical pace of a predator in the midst of a hunt.

When the thing - and a thing it is - rounds the bottom of the stairway, some part of it is visible in the gap between the curtains. It's just slightly too large to be a man, and in the darkness it seems to take up entirely too much of the space around it to be human-shaped.

With so little of it in view, it's hard to make sense of what it is - not without opening the curtains a little wider. ]

[starshower]

[The urge to peek is there. She wants to know what she's up against, but she knows that the moment she so much as blinks, it could be over for them, which is a silly thought-process now that she remembers that they're in a dreamscape and they could use that to their advantage, but it feels safer, more natural to sit still and hope that it passes.

It won't, of course. This is more than a dreamscape, after all. This is a goddamn nightmare.

Her eyes screw shut when she does get a peek at it through the tiny crack in the drapes, and if she isn't careful, the foundation of the house might start to shake, and it's only Namine's hand on her arm that calms Tifa enough to not give them away... for now. Her breaths come in short, silent spurts, quickening as the footsteps pass through the landing of the basement.

The footsteps are getting closer now, so close that Tifa can feel the floorboards underneath them shaking with each one. Or is that...

Another quake. And another. It's low, gentle, but it's becoming much more consistent, until it's a steady shaking that doesn't line up with the monster's pace. Her dreamotion abilities are acting up again, and if this doesn't end soon, things are going to get very, very dicey...]

[lethechained]

[ Reasonable as the desire to know what they're facing might be, Naminé can only hope that Tifa won't take the bait; eyes firmly on the small opening in their shelter, the blonde is more concerned with making sure they go unseen through it than stealing a glance at an enemy she already knows well.

The creature picks its way around the room, the quiet scraping of claws on wood and metal indicating its presence even when it's out of their small range of view. Occasionally there's a muffled clatter or rustle as contact with one object or another is made; as inhuman as the shape of their pursuer is, there's no mistaking the fact that whatever's out there is searching for them with an awareness that doesn't quite fit a mindless beast. Ever closer it drifts, creeping over tables and around statues as it gradually nears them with a surety that really does belong to a nightmare.

Except - with the lessening subtlety of the quaking ground, soon enough it reaches a point where the entity slows to a stop not far outside of their haven.

Bemused both by the abrupt silence and the unexpected tremors, Naminé knits her brow in the mostly-dark. The varied contents of the room have begun rattling with each shake, and the girl's heart is loud in her ears, but neither sound is loud enough to distract her entirely from the fact that the creature outside is dangerously close at hand. Turning her head, the Nobody looks Tifa's way, features strained.

Earthquakes weren't part of the original equation. So if they're coming from somewhere new, and Tifa's the only thing that's changed in this situation from what Naminé remembers...

Uncertain, she curls her fingers just a little more tightly in their places, both a silent question and a warning at the same time. ]

[starshower]

[It'll become more obvious as the quakes do that Tifa is the epicenter of it all—where they're the strongest and the single place in the basement that they ripple out from. The longer it continues, the more she breaks out into a nervous sweat, the room suddenly feeling much hotter than any normal basement would feel, but then she remembers...

The worse they get, the more the ground will begin to open up, revealing pools of hot magma beneath it. It, thankfully, hasn't gone to that point just yet, but the longer this goes, the more danger they'll be in. Because of her.

She tries to focus on the feel of Namine's small fingers squeezing at her arm, her eyes shutting tight as she tunes out the sound of the footsteps on the other side of their shield and the rattling of the items on shelves and tables, or the crash of something several feet away breaking on the floor. Hopefully that will draw its attention elsewhere long enough for her to pull herself together...?

Tifa peeks one eye open to look over her shoulder at the girl next to her, Tifa's own brows knitting into something apologetic.

She wishes she could speak and remind Namine that they could fight their way out of here, that she isn't going to be alone through all of this, but Tifa knows that the moment she lets out the air she'd been holding in her lungs, she'll put them both at risk. She can't until she knows more about what's on the other side.

The footsteps tread in the other direction to where the glass had shattered, and that's when she takes the opportunity at last to carefully peer between the drapes...]

[lethechained]

[ From her place beside Tifa, Naminé's less aware of where the center of the quakes are than she might otherwise be, as she's constantly experiencing the full force of them; perhaps it's better that she's not informed, since it would only cause her yet more stress.

But she gets all the confirmation she needs in the knit of Tifa's brow, illuminated dimly along one side by the swinging, jittering lights dangling from the ceiling. The sound of shattered glass nearly pulls a startled noise out of Naminé to match, yet she holds it in through the distressed jump of her shoulders. Her big blue eyes are pleading and helpless at the same time; as much as she wants Tifa to be able to calm down for both their sakes, there's just not a lot Naminé can offer but to bring her other delicate hand over to clasp the older girl's arm in as much solidarity as she's able to muster.

Gaze darting to the gap, the blonde doesn't quite manage to look relieved as the footsteps are momentarily diverted by the earlier sound. Though she knows what's on the other side, she still trains her eyes that direction as the creature crosses their line of sight.

It's a hulking thing, hunched over and yet sharp in its every angle. At first it looks as if its arms are bent the wrong way, but a closer inspection proves those are wings instead, each fingered tip protruding like a wicked blade. Its head is bowed to examine the fallen glass, though it doesn't take long for it to determine that it's been distracted by something meaningless; as it straightens, Tifa might catch a glimpse of its face, and it's--

What is that? There's no proper name for such a creature, lost somewhere between bat, dragon, and some awful alien entity with a mouth that splits too many directions. It's wrong, all wrong, and--

Naminé's fingers adjust their grip urgently, not pressing so much as giving a tiny pull. That thing, that monster is already starting to turn; it's best not to be too close to the opening, lest it sees. ]

[starshower]

[Tifa heeds Namine's warning and slides back, the fear on her face clear as day, even within their small, dimly lit sanctuary, and her breaths, although still quiet, have quickened. She managed to catch a glimpse of its face, not quite able to make out what it is besides it being terrifying, and having seen it with her own two eyes, she understands now why Namine might be hesitant to go on the offensive.

This is her dreamscape after all, and so she'll trust that she knows what to do in a situation like this.

She's pressing her back to the wall, and Tifa's hand has come to rest over hers, gripping it so tight that her knuckles turn white under her gloves. She's scared, and she doesn't want to be. She doesn't want to let it show...

Things like this can smell fear too, can't they?

So, she waits, biting down on her lip to try and settle the tremors before they cause any more ruckus, and there's another trinket that falls off a shelf, this time... right over their heads. It bounces off their hideout and rolls to the floor, and she can hear the low noises of the creature when it snaps its head in their direction.]

[lethechained]

[ Naminé, trembling like a leaf in the breeze, tightens her grip under Tifa's almost protectively. The girl does know what to do - what she got by with when she was in the real version of this place. Running and hiding where the only tools at her disposal; it was just when she had company that other choices became available. But even being aware of that, even knowing how strong Tifa is, there are just some fights that are better--

The clatter of a chachka tumbling to the ground just in front of them makes the girl go still, every muscle tense. Dismay and fear blend together in her expression in an instant as the creature swivels their direction; by now, there's no mistaking what it means. The sounds it makes aren't like anything else, but the intent is unquestionable.

Unhesitating, the footsteps move in their direction. The girls' view of the creature is far less obstructed as it grows closer, but the focus is low, the monster's strange limbs and bizarrely rigid spikes of fur the only things visible through the gap as it huffs humid breaths against the outside of their shelter.

For a moment, it pauses.

Then, all at once, several long blades puncture the fabric of one of the curtains hiding them view. They go through it like a hot knife in butter, the ripping sound audible as they almost immediately begin to drag downwards, shredding the material easily as the thing pulls it back, and--

There the creature is, looking right at them. Its mouth parts in that horrible, too-many ways - almost as if it's pleased with itself.

Now might be a good time to run, provided they can get around it. ]

[starshower]

[It all happens too fast for Tifa's liking. She would have preferred not at all, to be honest, but she has to act quick. The ripping sound of the drapes that hide them feels like nails on a chalkboard, sending ripples of fear and shivers up the back of her neck that petrifies her for a moment—long enough that she finally sees the creature face-to-face for the first time, its mouth opening wide as if preparing to swallow them whole. Its eyes meet hers, and she can see that flash of satisfaction in them, and that's what sparks her muscles alive again.

She takes Namine by the wrist as she jumps to her feet, her foot kicking up what was apparently a turned-over table shielding them back at the beast, hoping to stagger it long enough that they can escape to the stairs, guarding Namine with each step.

Unfortunately for them, the table doesn't do much to deter it, and it swipes at the wood with its hands.]

Go!

[Tifa pushes her forward to the stairs, lingering behind to make sure that Namine is safe before she takes off after her.]

[lethechained]

[ The blonde has never been one to express herself loudly, but even she can't help a yelp of fear as the monster tears their shelter to ribbons with a single movement. Naminé's body shrinks in on itself defensively, curling against the perceived threat of what might happen in the next few seconds.

But it wouldn't really do any good, where protecting her is concerned; it's all instinct. The one that follows after might be more useful, as the girl's already mentally urging herself to flee when Tifa pulls her to her feet. It's not a challenge, easily-moved as the delicate lass is, and Naminé manages to get her feet under her as the table goes flying right into the monster's face. The thing staggers under the sudden assault, more surprised than hurt, and it quickly becomes clear that wood is no match for it, either, as the furnishing splinters against the beast's claws.

Still, it's diversion enough. The lass doesn't need to be told twice; she'll immediately make a race for the stairs. Agility has never been her strong suit, but she knows this room well, and she doesn't stumble as she ascends the stairs about as rapidly as can be expected for her - although she does look back as the monster casts the remains of the table aside, snarling. They've got a head start, but not much of one. ]

Hurry...!

[starshower]

[Tifa takes the stairs three at a time, legs burning with adrenaline, her hand on Namine's back as they climb for the main floor's landing. With each heavy step that follows behind them, the top of the stairs feels like it stretches further away from them, just out of reach of her feet. It's all in her head of course, but when they reach the top, Tifa stumbles at the last step, righting herself quickly before she's looking around for somewhere—anywhere—to run.

She doesn't know the house well enough, and she knows how nightmares work—where a door once led, it might not anymore, and she could run them right into a trap, so she leaves it up to Namine to tell her where to go next, turning on her heel to face the beast as it clambers up the stairs.

Fists raised, she prepares for a fight, and this time, the house shaking under them is no accident. The tremors are violent, and heated fractures split the floors open with the hope that it will buy her some time while the beast loses its balance with each quake.]

[lethechained]

[ As many memories of climbing these stairs as Naminé might have, she can't imagine that she's ever done it faster than on this occasion, Tifa's presence behind her and the desire not to block her way adding to the Nobody's hurry. When they reach the top, the sight that greets them is the same one that it was before; a peaceful kitchen and a calm living room, deceptively inviting after the darkness of the basement. The rules here in this nightmare seem to hold the space together much better than in the average dream, and the blonde doesn't hesitate to continue her flight onto the landing of the ground floor and take a sharp turn toward the living room, seeming well aware of her goal.

Casting a look over her shoulder, Naminé's face is the picture of concern when she spots Tifa still facing down the monster. As it clambers furiously up the stairs, the blonde takes quick but now shuffling steps toward what looks to be the front door. The ground sways under her, under all of them - she's stumbling but the creature is, too, clawing at the railing to try to keep itself from toppling over the side. It's tenacious, but there's no denying that it's being slowed somewhat by Tifa's efforts or that they're making it angrier, judging by the horrid noise that leaves the thing's throat. ]

Come on! We have to get--

[ Naminé's fumbling hand grasps the knob of the entry door, turns it - only to find it won't budge. Her head snaps toward the wooden surface, her surprised distress so great that even as the floor buckles near her, all she can say is, ]

It's-- still locked?

[ Evidently, that wasn't supposed to happen either, and it won't take much longer for their pursuer to catch up even with the handicap. ]

[starshower]

[It's only a few stairs away by the time Tifa takes after the girl, running through the living room and to the front door, stumbling over her feet on the way at a particularly violent tremor before she reaches it, freeing the doorknob from Namine's hands to give it a jiggle herself, but it only clicks back at her, the noise dreadfully loud in her ears.

Time is of the essence, and they're quickly running out of it as the beast reaches its last step, clawing its way onto the landing of the main floor with its ungodly noises. With one last glance over her shoulder, Tifa focuses all of her energy into her feet planted firmly on the ground, and within seconds, flames roar over them and she pulls Namine out of her way as she takes three steps back.]

Get down.

[It's the only warning that she'll give before she charges at the door, using the speed and momentum behind it to land a kick on the door's handle.

... But will it work?]

[lethechained]

[ Naminé stomach turns from the floor's violent upheavals, her weight pressed into the door more to try to keep herself steady than because she believes in her ability to force it open. Looking up as Tifa arrives, the girl meets her eyes with her own wide ones, and it doesn't take much prompting for the blonde to shift out of the way to let the stronger girl try the doorknob.

Arms clutched around her midsection, Naminé nods at Tifa's further command, shifting back and out of the way as best she can. When she stumbles in the attempt, the blonde catches herself with one hand and and one knee on the weakening floorboards, safely out of the way of Tifa's attack but struggling to find her feet again. Her attention at that point is torn between the desperate hope that the door might give way under the assault and the visceral fear of the monster that works its way ever closer, hissing and screeching as it tries to avoid the flames and forming cracks in the floor to move toward them. In the end, the second one wins out over the first as Naminé watches the creature begin to tense, body hunching in obvious preparation to spring the rest of the way toward them.

In that moment, a few things happen all at once. Tifa kicks the doorknob, the handle driving straight through it to the other side as it splinters both the frame where the locking mechanism is attached and part of the door itself, letting in streams of bright daylight in the new gap when the barrier starts to fly open. The monster, seeing its opportunity escaping it, pushes itself up from its crouched position on the floor, bladed wings beginning to extend as it leaps forward. And Naminé--

Naminé doesn't know quite when she got upright, but the next thing she's aware of is flinging her arm up past where Tifa is, palm extended as she cries, ]

Go away!

[ And then there's fire. Not the flames burning around Tifa's feet, or catching on the wooden timbers of the house, or licking up from the cracks in the floor. This is more directed, more furious, a large plume of Fire - even Fira, perhaps - that bursts forth from Naminé's hand and washes over the beast, catching on its sharp fur and spreading to hideous flesh as it screams--

But that certainly put a stop to its pursuit, no matter how temporarily that might be. With the door swinging open, now's the time to flee - though the view of what's beyond is obscured with light as if the world outside is too bright to perceive. Whatever's out there, it hardly matters; the cabin isn't long for this world if the ominous sound of wood starting to split and crack is any indication. ]

[starshower]

[Tifa hardly thinks twice about the light blinding her outside. All she sees is a place to run, whatever is on the other side be damned, and the thought is the only thing on her mind, especially so when the fire threatens to consume not just the monster, but the entire house as it grows and grows. Impressive as it is that Namine could pull that off in the dream world, regardless of whether or not it was intentional, she has no time to say as much.

The screams are blood-curdling as Tifa rushes away from them, and she can feel the heat coming from the fire as it struggles to give chase, struggling as it claws its way forwards after them. It's best that they don't look back, so Tifa grabs hold of Namine's hand again, fire or no fire, and runs alongside her, through the door and into the light, where they'll find some sort of refuge away from the beast and the cabin that will inevitably burn to the ground, and even better, a way out of this place and back into the real world.

Or, as real as Reverein's going to get, but anywhere is better than here.

Behind them, there's another groan and crack as the wood of the house starts to splinter apart, and Tifa, gritting her teeth, pauses in their steps to really make sure that they can make a clean getaway. With more fire, she forces the doorway to collapse in on itself before she's turning tail and running again, with Namine at her side. Into what, she has no idea, but at least it's away from whatever that thing is.]