ic Asleep on the job

[Kaede Kimura]

The Dreamer

 

The Dreamer cocked an eyebrow as Moyd failed to recognize Hyperlucid Dreaming, although if he had known Alice perhaps it had yet to be coined, she was the first after all. The Terminus made more sense.

 

"A Hyperlucid Dreamer is one whose dreams are projected physically into reality. If I dream of fire it really burns, a dog can dig up a garden." She demonstrated by focusing, calling over one of her many dreams still scattered around the room, a small feathered serpent swiftly flitting around her before continuing on it's flight. "As for the Terminus... it is an alternate dimension which is bent on conquering and subsuming all others."

 

She did her best not to think too hard about the Terminus as Moyd seemed to struggle with his memory, before he continued. She was not in agreement about the place of Dreams in the world, but decided not to argue. He was not exactly incorrect about some of the consequences. Instead she focused on answering his questions.

 

"We are in the Byron Art Gallery, in Freedom City of the United States of America. I live in this same city at a place called the Atomic Tower. I assist their research with my Dreams and also make donations to charity. I am a part of a team of superhumans called the Atom Academy, we do rescue work and further research. As for what holds my life together..." She pauses for a moment, contemplating. Her duties at the Atomic Tower were just that, a duty. She cared a great deal for the Atom Academy, but it hardly held her life together. She enjoyed spending time with Christopher and Lark, but that was simply recreation and the occasional heroics. "Oh stuff and bother, I do not know! I have been on this world for over four years and I do not know!"

[Supercape]

GM

 

"Dangerous! Like you ancestor. What if you dream of hell? Of fire, floods, and storms? You could wreck a city, or a world. And that's not the worst of it, is it? What if you dreamed of a person? Would they be a person, or your dream?"

 

Moyd bit his lip. 

 

"You sound like a nice person, M'lady, but the worst of us can sound nice. I do not know which colour your soul is painted, but I fear the paint. It may destroy everything!"

 

He spun round, coat flapping elegantly. "And besides, I have a certain revenge to wreak. An unpleasant one, I can assure you. Atom Foundation? Atom Tower? Here I come!"
 

Melodrama was the order of the day, it seemed, judging by his stride and coat tails. And yet despite the show, he was off at a pace that would do an olympic sprinter proud. 

 

Fast. Too fast!

 

He was out of the door...

[Kaede Kimura]

The Dreamer

 

The Dreamer watched the man suspiciously as he talked about the dangers she could pose. She was aware of this. Her world had struggled through great trials and tribulations after Hyperlucidity arose, but it had survived. Then he declared his revenge upon the Atom Academy, and took off heedless of her outstretched hand and cry to wait.

 

She needed to stop him, but- She looked around at the people around her. Would it be safe to leave them here? She could not in good conscience leave a man bleeding into the carpet. Instead she would have to harm her conscience in other ways.

 

 It took the barest moment of concentration for the monster to rise to reality. The Carnifex stretched languidly, stone spikes cragging out from it's joints. "Ah, it has been some time, nearly a year. What compels my dear Dreamer to call for me this time?" The towering creature plucked one of the muffins that had fallen with the patrons, sniffing it daintily for a moment before tossing the whole thing in it's mouth. 

 

The Dreamer's face was marred by a frown as she looked up at her nightmare. "There is a man, he put all these people to sleep and swore to enact vengeance upon the Atom Academy before leaving. I need you to apprehend him.

 

The Carnifex sighed disinterestedly, having started lounging about, toying with the green orb The Dreamer had confiscated.  "And what is in it for me? Do I get to eat his fingers?"

 

The Dreamer shook her head at her monster as she started checking the first of the patrons. She couldn't waste time negotiating. "I will let you roam for a day of your choosing, as long as you don't start trouble."

 

The Carnifex had been dangling a tiny dream of an Ultio Suit by his cape above its open mouth, but it's jaw snapped shut at The Dreamer's offer. "Deal. Who am I looking for?" The Dreamer quickly sent her memory of Moyd to her nightmare. The beast grinned and began a march for the door. At the last moment, The Dreamer called out.

 

"And be careful. He knew Alice."

 

The Carnifex hesitated a moment, not turning back and revealing it's sudden trepidation. Was it his doing? It needed answers.

 

The monster stepped out the door.

[Supercape]

GM

 

The sun was low, the clouds wet. It was not a pleasant day. 

 

Rain fell to the road, umbrella's were up, car wipers were on. The air had the haze of heavy rain. Thirty yards or more, oblivious to the rain, red hair still waving, Moyd was striding through people. Despite it being a busy day on a busy road, with heavy pedestrian traffic, the people on the street seemed to avoid him. More than avoid him - they seemed oblivious to him, like he was some natural obstacle they had to part way for. 

The occasional woman seemed to notice him, scan him, even admire him, but still even they parted before him. 

 

Cars grumbled down the street, roadworks nearby, jackhammers hammering and causing even more congestion than one would have liked. 

 

A hotdog vendor screamed how his hotdogs were hot and tasty, but the rain seemed to kill appetite of the populace.