bravenewworld | Something Psychic This Way Comes (Nightmare Catch-All)

The people of Union have had an odd week. While it was nice to cap things off with the knowledge that Gigas is not going to try and invade them again (for now), the population has had to deal with a different sort of intruder. Namely, Abra. Abra teleporting anywhere and everywhere. Abra teleporting places to try and hide.

Absolutely terrified Abra. To say nothing of the dreams the city's Psychic-types have discussed.

And now, as a new week dawns...the nightmares spread to everyone. Without exception. Perhaps you're fortunate and things that go bump in the night don't frighten you, but sleeping brings a sense of dread, and a hazy vision of a world in ruins. Night after night after night. The first one is horrifying for shock value. The next few are horrifying because they won't stop.

How will you deal? Where will you go, in the middle of the night, if you're the sort who tries to clear their heads? Will you share what you've been experiencing or keep it to yourself?

No matter what you do, the nightmares continue. And the Abra continue to shiver.

[[ This is a catch-all post/mingle for people wanting to react to their weird nightmares! As mentioned here, they have now spread to the entire population. Players are welcome to continue making their own posts addressing the nightmares if they prefer. ]]

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[ The Pokémon Kaiser is not afraid.

Irritated, certainly; he'd had to explain away why he wanted his mother, smothering fool that she is, to rewash his bedding upon coming into his room and discovering a wild Pokémon shivering beneath his blanket. And she'd been so pleased that he'd asked her for something that she'd been humming to herself all day. She'd made foods she thought he liked. No self-respecting perfect human could stand for such cloying attention from the lesser masses. So yes, the Kaiser has every right to be irritated.

But not afraid. Never afraid.

What's there to be afraid of? Things in dreams can't touch him. A building in ruins, catching fire - these things happen every day, and he cares not a whit for the cause. A sense of being in over his head - an illusion! Nothing's coming. Nothing's amiss. And even if it were, he'd be up to the task. A sense that he isn't, that he's nothing, that there's something out there that could and would sooner crush him than look at him, that there are powers out there he cannot control, and to even touch them would be folly, a nagging sense that, every time he lays down his head to sleep, won't go away--

So the Pokémon Kaiser is not afraid. He's out here in the dead of night, heading briskly for the forest with his mask in hand, because he hopes to take advantage of being awake at an odd hour to expand his territory. He's making real progress! If the Pokémon of the forest fear him, perhaps they'll begin to follow his orders without Poké Balls. Perhaps they'll betray to him the location of the ideal perfect Pokémon. So this is all part of the plan. Nothing ever happens that isn't part of the plan.

Certainly not running blind. Certainly not being afraid. ]

[ She certainly wasn't planning on seeing him tonight. No. She was out and about for reasons that had nothing to do with him. Or that One Abra in Particular that kept showing up wherever she went.

The city was too noisy. Everywhere was just bothersome. Images like this should have made her feel superior, not cause a nagging feeling of unease that needed to be stomped out immediately.

... But it was nighttime, it was dark and of course she still had on her dark glasses when that child practically bumped into her as she turns the corner. ]

What are you --

Out of my way!!

[ Drat, did he just yell at a human? No time to look back. No time to think. He has to get to the forest.

It's just a stupid vision. It's just a stupid voice. ]

[That voice. She had just been about to use string shot to trip him up for speaking to her that way.

The headache rebound from suppressing that impulse did not make her any happier, but at the same time he provided an outlet for her to focus on. Better than dealing with whatever this messy situation actually was.]

Little idiot. You want just anyone to see you like that?

[ ....Ken skids to a halt. And, despite his better judgment, looks back. ]

Y-you...

[ She saw him. She saw him. No, Ken doesn't want just anyone to see him like this (whatever "like this" might be, hah!), but even more than that...

He turns away. ] No one worth seeing's out this late.

Whether or not they're worth seeing, some people pay attention. Imagine, the word getting around that the Pokemon Kaiser's got something chasing him.

[She shrugs, looking entirely unruffled by his attempt as a jab.] But, if you prefer to get caught that way, little brother, then I'll just go back to minding my own business.

How long have you known?

[ That he and the Pokémon Kaiser were the same person. Since it was clearly your objective just now to rub that in his face. ]

Wouldn't you like to know? [She turns slightly, feigning disinterest, playing with a piece of her hair.]

You're not as subtle as you think you are.

[He was more than she was giving him credit for, of course, but she wasn't going to give him a straight answer.]

And you must have a lot of free time, to be tracking a child.

[ He can do this. He can. In a way, it's good he ran into her! Now he's not thinking about the....thing he wasn't planning on thinking about anymore...any more. Progress! He's a genius! Yes! ]

What an inspirational adult.

I pay attention, which is something you seem to be lacking. [She shrugs, unconcerned. Getting him focused on his role again was part of the objective, as much as it grated on her.] How I actually spend my time is none of your business.

Same to you.

[ He knows you are, but what is he?

Or something. Hah. Genius. He's a genius. ]

[Oh, that was rich.

She almost laughs at how rich it was, but instead she continues that unconcerned, distant tone.]

I don't care what it is you're up to. It's in your own interests to not get sloppy.

And it's in yours to forget this ever happened.

[ Surely you can afford to do that. It's a fluke, after all. ]

Is that so? You're just going to have to convince me.

[What a pain. Why did he have to be out night wandering?]

[ What, right here, right now? How irritating. Ken turns with a swirl of his robes. ] Do you really want to get into that in the city?

[ There's no breeze tonight, but something's ruffling his hair... ]

Of course not. [She's still too busy feigning disinterest to scoff.] ... Although, your parents might be interested in knowing just where to find their wondrous son wandered off to this late at night.

[ ...she wouldn't.

Even if she did, though, what good would it do? They don't own him. They can't stop him. Someday soon, he will discover the Perfect Pokémon Partner, and once he has it trained to his satisfaction, he will establish his own base of operations. He will no longer require those insects for cover.

The Pokémon Kaiser makes sure to keep telling himself that. ] Mind your own business.

[Lucky for him, it was a threat she had no intention of making good on, even with the means to do so at any time. It was demeaning, having to play this role to him, but it was all the point. He had to keep challenging himself.]

You bumped into me, remember? [No, he probably had already framed the encounter as something else. No matter.] Go run along and do as you wish.

[ ...mmrgh. Now if he goes, it looks like he's following her instructions. ] Just what I was thinking.

[ There. All better.

Now to get to that forest. In a way, it's almost a relief to be irritated instead of terrified. Nightmares! Hah! But since he's up, he might as well go. She's got him too riled up to sleep, anyway. ]

Something Psychic This Way Comes (Nightmare Catch-All)

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