Pantsu part 5: The Dreamening

[underwearfortomorrow]

[Dream]

[If you managed to fall into one of Eiji's more pleasant dreams you'll be met with a clear and peaceful night in what looks to be the middle of the Verdant forest. The trees give way to just enough sky to let the full moon shine through.]

[There's a small clearing and a camp set up. You'll find Eiji there tending to a fire and humming while he cooks a few skewered fish. Approach?]

[Nightmare]

[It starts out innocent enough. What you see around you is a small, somewhat weathered few floors of one of Union's towers. It's full of children, running and playing. It shouldn't take you long to realize it's an Orphanage.]

[Eiji is in one of the bigger rooms sitting with a bunch of kids. He's dressed oddly (By which he's dressed like a normal person in Union dresses like) and looks a few years younger. He's regaling them with stories about his grandfather.]

[It seems like a pretty nice dream until you start to smell smoke. Suddenly the place is over come with flames, kids are screaming, and Eiji is frantically trying to help but it starts to get too much. Everything is burning.]

[Locked to Rei]

[He'd been in and out of the strange Dream world a few times this week. He's not surprised to find himself back. While he knows its safer to stay with the trees, he aims to venture out to see if he can find anyone he knows.]


[Action: Real World.]

[Holy shit what the hell was going on. Aka Eiji just appeared back into his bed at the Shrine after a particularly nasty dreamwalk. Hina's startled awake- puffing up and trying to figure out what's going on.]

Comments

[underwearfortomorrow]

It isn't one of mine.

[He blinks, and then shakes his head.]

No, I've only just arrived. What about you?

[faithfulflame]

I've been through...two? Three dreams now? I've been in and out, really.

Have you...had any dreams yourself, lately?

[underwearfortomorrow]

Mm. I've seen a few.

[Also after waking back up the first time back at the Shrine Ankh nearly screeched him deaf.]

[He hesitates to answer her question.]

I have.

[Which means that it's likely Elly was privvy to some very personal memories of his. He should talk to her about it eventually but he...really doesn't want to talk about it at all.]

[faithfulflame]

Nothing to...terrible I hope.

[She senses the hesitation and steps over, giving him a quick hug.]

I'm hoping you didn't see any of mine, did you?

[underwearfortomorrow]

[The hug catches him off guard. He was never good at dealing with affection toward himself. He hugs her back, gently.]

Nothing I'm not already well acquainted with seeing, I promise.


[He shakes his head.]

No- is something wrong?

[faithfulflame]

No.

[Her answer is quick, almost too quick.]

Just...nightmares about father. [And definitely NOT about the end of the world and riding Casius into battle.]

And Grandpapa dying.

[underwearfortomorrow]

[NOT LIKE THOSE ARE ANY BETTER. He frowns. He understands that fear- not of his father but of losing a grandfather. The one he was close to the most- the one on his mother's side- he lost many years ago. The man has everything to do with who Eiji is today.]

Grandpapa is ...a very strong person. When his time comes, he will not make it easy on Death for trying to take him away, of that I'm sure. I won't say it won't come at all, but I will say that when it does you won't be alone.

[The part about her father- his uncle- he's not sure what to say. He never cared for the man himself, especially after how he turned away his daughter the way he did.]

[faithfulflame]

I know. It was just a bad dream.

[And a dream that was interrupted for the first time ever, by someone very, very special.]

And besides all that...I found a new friend here. [The little Gastly bobs into view, chittering a greeting laugh.]

[underwearfortomorrow]

[Well that was certainly curious.]

Ah- I see. Is he ...real? Or is he just apart of this strange realm?

[He peers down to get a closer look at the little Gastly.]

[faithfulflame]

He's real. And he...well, we've bonded already. He tells me his name is Sabaeus, and...I get the feeling he's one of those Pokemon I was meant to find.

[A theory she's got, given her views on fate.]

[underwearfortomorrow]

I see. [Who is he to deny that? He gives Sabaeus a friendly smile. He leans up, looking around.]

Do you know who's dream this is? Or where we are exactly?

[faithfulflame]

I haven't a clue, honestly. We could explore a bit, see what we can see, if you want.

Is Hina with you, by the way?

[underwearfortomorrow]

[He looks around. He doesn't recognize anything yet so he nods.] That sounds fine with me. It's better than waiting idly by the trees until we wake back up again.

[To her question about Hina he turns his eyes skyward. Hina is swooping down minutes later and landing on his shoulder. It. is probably interesting to note that Hina is still a Fletchling while she is definitely far over leveled.]

Here she is. Shall we?

sorry for the short tag...wasn't sure what sort of horrors you have in mind

[faithfulflame]

That's what I think too. Maybe we'll find a clue about what is going on.

[She starts off in a random direction, heading towards something she can't see. What will they find? Find out next time on Dragonball Z]

[underwearfortomorrow]

[Eiji lands in step with Rei as Hina settles in the crook of his neck. He's glancing around, keeping an eye out for if things change.]

It's seems to be pretty huge to be effecting the entire city. Have you ever heard of a Pokemon or Enlightened with powers of that magnitude?

[faithfulflame]

Aside from what switched our bodies? No.

[She keeps walking, until the dreamscape gradually shifts. The air is warmer, steamy, almost cloying. And there's a faint light in the distance, like a light at the end of of a tunnel, a tunnel made of fog!]

[underwearfortomorrow]

Was it ever discovered what caused that fiasco?

[He blinks as things start to shift. Ah...what was this? Were they walking into a bathhouse.]

Do you see that?

[faithfulflame]

No...

[She nods, thoughts jerked away from the past.]

And I did, yes.

What do you think? Should we keep going, or turn back?

[underwearfortomorrow]

[He thinks for a moment before nodding his head.]

We won't learn anything if we turn back.

[faithfulflame]

Alright then.

[Rei takes a step forward, and it is indeed a bathhouse. A large, spacious one. A large tub stands at the center, and steam roils all around them. It doesn't look terribly unpleasant, really. Like pretty much any bath.]

How...odd. [She approaches the tub, looking back at him.]

Definitely not one of my dreams. You?

[underwearfortomorrow]

[It's a little too muggy for his tastes but that was probably his typing talking. He approaches the tub to inspect it and frowns, shaking his head.]

It isn't one of mine...

[faithfulflame]

[As he approaches, something moves beneath the water. A sudden motion, something surging from one side towards him!]

Eiji! Look out!

[underwearfortomorrow]

[He's not as fast as Rei at catching it- though Hina fluffing up twice her size is a good warning. He stumbles back just as the creature bursts from the water.]

[It...doesn't really look like anything- it seems to be vaguely humanoid in shape but its actual appearance Is skewed by the constant running of steaming water over it's form. Beneath the water a dark shadow can be made out, as well as two glowing red eyes. Before Eiji can react it lunges for him, pinning him against the wall.]

AHHRGH!

[faithfulflame]

Eiji!

[Rei's eyes go wide as she rushes forward, hands extended. She calls up flames, the little ones that normally drive away beasts and hurls them at it's back! It doesn't seem to phase it, being a watery monster, so she starts attacking it's head.

And immediately regrets it. She stumbles a pace as her mind slams against a psychic barrier, a Dark Type wall that keeps her powers out. Anger swells in her, as well as pain...and she reaches deep inside for more fire, throwing more Embers and the like at the creature.]

Let him go!

[underwearfortomorrow]

[What sucked about steaming water was that it was really, really hot. Eiji already didn't do well to heat. He hisses in pain as steam rises off of them both and he tries to get his grip on the monster but his hands just go through it uselessly. You know, in addition to burning him even more.]

What do you want!?

[The monster laughs this low, gurgling sound and then turns its head like an owl to peer at Rei. He lets go of Eiji with one hand to make a grab for Rei.]