Chapter Text
A long sigh.
I look over my phone screen and the "Mission Failure" screen plastered across it. A sense of annoyance bubbles up as I try to rack my brain on how to possibly overcome this stage. It was IS-EX-8. They said this stage was easy! What about this was easy!
I simmer a little more into my pillow before looking back at the phone screen. It was 6 am. The event was going to end in roughly an hour from now and I already felt how my head was starting to hurt. It was way too late. Shouldn't have procrastinated the entire event. Though who could have known that I'd get stuck on this one stage...as well as the second S stage. Well, I also wasted a bunch of time just messing around and wasn't even trying. If I did I am sure I could have done it.
My phone is flung a small ways down the bed as I give it a flick of the wrist and just lay down, massaging my eyes. Stayed awake all night and still could barely make any progress...It's fine. I'll get my revenge on the rerun. Though I shift uncomfortably as I think of the missed Intelligence Certificates. I briefly glance down to where my phone went off to, but just lay back down and decide it's not worth it...nor possible.
It is another lesson learned. One I was supposed to have learned...last event already. But that one was going to get archived anyway so it doesn't count. And this event in particular was pretty unfriendly to new players anyway. It’s not my fault I only started...however long ago. I let out an annoyed sigh and just thrash about the bed a little before getting into my sleeping position.
I'll probably skip class tomorrow, it's way too late and going while tired is sort of useless anyway. I try not to think about how that decision is made sillier by the fact that I didn't even accomplish what I set out to do with the night. Maybe I can help out mom with the groceries tomorrow. If I am in the mood. That class for tomorrow, that will be the second week I missed in a row...or third? I can't remember. I need to do a bunch of catch-up work, can't afford to drop another course. Though when should I do that? I already have so much to do. I say that but...It's fine. Taking a bit longer for school is pretty normal these days, isn't it...except that it costs so much. I lightly grit my teeth as I think about how my parents aren't aware how my studies are going...or rather not going. The thought of them finding out has me on edge. And a little ashamed. I try not to think about it. I need to sleep. Well, that’s easier said than done, of course. Luckily for me my eyelids were already heavy and my thoughts drift into incoherence as fragments of the dream I'm about to have come into my mind. Some barren wasteland. Uneasily, I drift into my sleep.
...
I feel a shiver up my spine and an intense stiffness all over my body. Also tiredness. I already dread the coming day with the absolute horrid sleep I must have just experienced. I roll onto my back with a groan, eyes still closed, and as I do...my bed feels a hell lot more hard than I remember. I force open my eyes.
Instead of the most familiar ceiling of my room I see a sky clouded by gray ugly clouds, if it’s day or evening or morning I can barely tell. There seems to only be the sound of wind around me, a terribly chill wind that seems to blow over the rest of these barren lands. I sit up and look around to only see a forest with gray birches. Or at least they vaguely look like birches. The rest of the vegetation looked similarly pitiful. I don't remember ever being here and I would rather not be, yet this place still seems to have a sense of familiarity about it. With confusion and much stiffness I stand up and stretch, as I try to process what the hell is happening.
A lucid dream. Of course. Damn, this is kinda cool!
I heard about lucid dreams on occasion. Hyperrealistic dreams where you are conscious, but still dreaming. And if you imagine it hard enough you can actually influence the dream. The sudden influx of possibilities have me excited despite the current pains I am shaking out of my body. Didn't know that lucid dreams adopted you feeling like shit when going to bed. I'll wake up with like...the stiffest neck, won't I? Damn. Well, worry about that later! For now! What should I imagine...
Maybe a nicer environment first off...a place that's warmer. Preferably inside. I close my eyes and begin to put my mind to work. I can't really come up with somewhere nice so my room is just going to do. And then...well...I read about this in some forums how some guys tried to learn how to lucid dream to imagine themselves with some girls and whatnot. It always sounded a bit silly, but I mean...if I already got the opportunity...my mind drifts to the subject of recent obsession. Arknights and all it's appealing character designs. My foot taps a little self consciously at my own thoughts, a little flusteredly. But who would not use this opportunity!
Well...I wring my hands. There is...well there is...Dur-Nar...Gavial...Plume, Skyfire, Ptilopsis, FEater, Warfarin...Texas, Franka, Liskarm...Cutter...Durin, Skadi, Grani. Sideroca, Whishlash- ...God this game has so many good looking characters! Of course it does! It's a Gacha! This list could go on forever...though to choose one of them. Hm. Normally, one just chooses their favorite character...though I always was bad at picking favorites so-
My thoughts regarding hot 2D women are suddenly interrupted as I realize that it has not become any warmer. The wind has not stopped and the scenery has not changed. Nor is the stiffness fading either. Most importantly, however, I heard a rustling sound from behind a tree. I turn, vaguely excited as it might just be one of the characters I was thinking about, revealing herself shyly from the tree while naked...!
Instead, what I see is a creature I am pretty sure is an Originium Slug. I frown. That is not a cute anime girl, I think to myself.
"What is the deal with this." I say out loud as I walk closer to the thing with an unamused expression, hands on my hips. I shiver slightly as I walk through the forest and the fact that it’s fairly cold hits me. And the fact that I don't have any shoes...this is starting to suck. Can't I just wake up? I stand before the slug.
It seems to regard me idly and move towards me. I wonder what I should do now. If I can't influence the dream then there is no point in staying in it, right? And even if I could summon an attractive anime babe from the void, no point if it’s in the forest. I wonder if I wake up now will I wake up in the morning or in the middle of the night...it won't matter either way. Not like I had anything important to do tomorrow. I sigh to myself as I think of ways to wake up when suddenly-
I look down to an uncomfortable feeling on my leg, the slug had moved closer and is now sliding up my foot. It feels cold and slimy. With a frown I go to move it off but as I do it suddenly pulses and those spikes- "Agh-!" The slug removes itself from me and I stumble back, I blink a few times in confusion as I fall on my back. All the uncomfortableness that has been plaguing me seems to intensify that much more. I curse and go to try and stand. I flinch.
"What the...!" A surge of pain goes through me, originating from my leg. I look down and the pain seems to intensify that much more as I realize...the goddamn slug had stabbed me. With those...shitty spikes! The sight of the blood makes me nauseous. And the pain is sharp...it didn't penetrate too deeply, I hope...b-but that's a lot of blood. My thoughts are interrupted as I hear the slug begin to move towards me again. I scramble away, struggling, as my right leg hurts to move. Though it’s fine, the slug is, well, a slug and quite slow.
"Get away from me!" I call to the thing in a pissed off tone. "Fuck...fuck." I stumble up looking down at my leg, there was...a lot of blood. That is probably the worst I got ever hurt. The more I concentrate on it, the more pain seems to register for me. I basically just got stabbed now, didn't I?
"...Why am I not waking up! Usually a pinch to the cheek does it, right? Then what the hell is happening! This ain't no lucid dream, this is a nightmare!" The slug seems to still be advancing towards me while I am resting against a tree. "Fuck off!" I yell at it. It seems to not care. My voice echoes through the eerie forest.
Frowning and shivering I limp my way further away from the slug. I make sure not to move my afflicted leg too much. The pain is really killing me. I try not to think about it. I think about it a lot. "Wake up...wake up...fucking wake up." I tell myself.
Yet, I don't. Still stuck in the dream. I try to bear through the pain and find a suitable place to rest. Struggling my way to some nice enough looking rock I sit down and try to nurse my wound. I close my eyes and reach down to the wound, immediately wincing once making contact. I retreat my hand back and lean on the rock, just trying to steady my breathing. "It's so cold...can it at least not be cold...it hurts. Fuck, it hurts." There was a certain burning sensation in the wound, the kind that made everything just worse. "Did I get poisoned or something? Why am I dreaming about getting poisoned?" I groan.
The sound of something running through the forest catches my attention. And then a howl. Wolves? I freeze up in fear. "...Come on now..." Y-you can cut the crap subconscious! I'd rather not dream about getting mauled by wolves in a hyperrealistic manner! Come on, I know I am not the best guy, but I don't deserve that! Come on! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up, wake up, wake up!
I close and squint my eyes repeatedly, hoping that the scene before me suddenly changes and I get to wake up in my room. The futility of those actions become obvious to me as I see a dog like thing emerge from the depths of the forest. Two of them. They vaguely resemble the dog enemies in Arknights- I do not have much time to think about that. Something inside of me is telling me to fucking run. And so I run.
I get up as quickly as I can, uncaring of my hurt leg. It still hurts, and the strain is not making it easier, but it doesn’t seem as debilitating as a few moments prior. I hear something else in the forest approach, but I don't look back. Dogs are fast, aren't they? I try to run. I should climb up a tree or something, I should- evade them somehow! Confuse them! I should run! I need to run! Run!
The sound of the dogs closes in on me, why are they so fast!? My expression scrunches up notable even to myself and then suddenly I feel the worst pain I have ever felt in my life. The creatures caught up to me and one just bit me in the place where the fucking slug stabbed me. All I can do is fall over and scream, thoughts rushing into my head, or perhaps it is more apt to say instincts are. I simply try to flail and thrash these dogs away from me, but they are stronger than me. I feel another set of teeth pierce into me and the pain is making me lightheaded.
"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!" I am unsure if the words even are properly formed or if I am just screaming my lungs out. "I WANT TO WAKE UP! LET ME WAKE UP! AGH- MOM! MOM!" I am unsure what the dogs are doing to me, I dare not look, I cannot look. I am just trying to struggle but it seems to only further the abject suffering. The fear of death fills me and the smell of blood lays thick in the air. The shock is keeping me from blacking out.
I scream for my life.
Suddenly, the weight on me seems gone, though it takes me a moment to notice. The pain was still mind numbing and I am breathing heavily. Tears further blur my vision. It’s so cold...it hurts...I want to go home...I want to wake up. Please let me wake up. I simply cry. The smell of blood permeates the air.
"Hey."
I continue to writhe in pain, crawling into a fetus position. The blood feels gross but it’s at least warm. I feel warm, for at least a moment. My body is still shivering, however and my breathing is erratic.
"...Hey!" ...A female voice. Who...?
The pain seems to suddenly be gone. Remnants of it remain, however, imprinted onto my psyche. But...the actual pain is gone. I am waking up. I must be waking up! Thank God!
"I am talking to you! Hey!" Mom! That must be mom!
"I-" begin to speak, but I choke. The smell of blood seems to still be there, now it almost seemed suffocating. I cough harshly as I try to orientate myself, try to feel for my blanket.
"That is no way to treat your saviour, is it now?" I hear the female voice again, admonishing me. This...definitely wasn't my mom. In addition to the admonishment she seemed amused as well.
I look up and what I see is the visage of a young girl...or woman. She had white hair and red eyes, unbelievably pale skin and rugged clothes. As I make eye contact I feel myself shiver uncontrollably. A lump in my throat. The girl seems to notice.
"Hoho? It seems there is a lost little lamb here." Her tongue goes over her teeth as she examines me. Her look seems to not regard me as a person, it terrifies me. "A lost little lamb that...smells rather intoxicating." She seems to note with some surprise. Her expression changes into something I cannot parse.
My mind was occupied and overwhelmed with terror as I realize that the smell of blood is originating from her. My wounds had long closed somehow. But I felt like if I did any wrong move, or whenever she wanted, the girl before me could just gut me. I begin to shake, trying to speak but it only comes out in whimpers...thank God I went to the toilet before bed.
"Tsk." She seems unamused "You...truly are terrified, aren't you? I suppose that is the effect a most esteemed hunter of the night would have on a lost little lamb like you." She gives a domineering smile. "Though you are in luck. I am a civilized creature, you see. I will not eat your scrumptious little self, lamb."
Her words ring out and I hear them, I understand them, but responding to them seems impossible. My body was not responding to what I wanted it to do. All it told me was to run, but I felt too exhausted. The adrenaline was coming down and I felt myself on the verge of throwing up. This dream...sucks.
Dream.
I blink. I look upon the woman. "Wa...Wa-"
"Hoho, has the little lamb found its tongue? Are you finally going to respond to your venerable saviour?"
It took a few more tries before I was able to get out the words. But eventually; "W-warfarin! You a-are W-warfarin!" my voice chokes up into a whimper as I speak. The girl before me gives a curious smile and an inquisitive tilt of the head "Am I now? Wh-" and steps closer. I shrink back and cover my head, shaking violently. Her presence was unbearable.
"P-please, please...wake up, I w-want to wake up- wake up. H-help-" I begin to try and crawl away after trying to stand, but my run quickly ends with me falling to the ground. I need to get away, away. As far as I can. She is going to kill me. She is going to kill me, kill me, kill me, finally kill me-
I impact a tree and crawl up before it, trying to hide into it. Tears and snot have been drifting down my face for some time now, though not that I can give them much thought. I close my eyes and shake in place, desperately hoping, praying, that I wake up. But every moment of feeling my body, the stiffness, the pain, the fear and cold remind me that I am still asleep. I feel like I am having a panic attack-
A long sigh from the opposite site of me comes. "Are you done yet, I suppose?" The girl, Warfarin, asks in a bored tone. She seems to have sat down on the rock I was sitting on before, and is now idly inspecting her nails. They are bloodied. Before I can wonder why I notice the bodies of the dogs laying between me and her. The smell has become somewhat normal again. I try to steady my breathing.
"Is this better, little lamb?" She says, leaning forward with an amused expression now, one leg slung over the other and her chin resting easily on her bloodied hand. Her eyes still seem to appraise me but now more...as a person. I think.
"It has been some time since I have run into a non-Teekaz. So, I forgot the effect my presence can have on them." She hums, "I mean you no harm, delicious little lamb. Thusly, go on and calm down already. You seem most entertaining."
Easier said than done. I put a genuine effort into doing so. I really did. I breathe a few more times but my thoughts drift away as does my gaze. When can I be free of this? I just want to go home...please...why is this happening...
I look back to Warfarin who seems to now have a slightly agitated expression. Or well, maybe bored is more apt. She was tapping her foot.
"I..." begin quietly. "...t-thank you." I wipe my face, trying to get rid of the tears that have formed.
"The little lamb has manners, it seems! Amazing." She says sardonically. "Yes, yes, you can thank me! Oh, how you will thank me, you do not even know yet." Somehow, her words were giving me shivers but I tried to bear with it.
A moment passes, I just looked at her cluelessly before swallowing. "R-rho..."
She perks up, poised to listen.
If I couldn't wake up, if I couldn't get home or influence this terrible dream than maybe I could play to its logic. I try to force the words out.
"Rhodes Island! P-P-Please bring me to Rhodes Island, W-warfarin! I-I want to b-be save! Please! H-H-HELP ME!" I speak with much more force than I intended. In fact, I am screaming. Addressing her is taking a distressing amount of...something out of me. B-but I said what I wanted!
The girl, the vampire, seems to only be slightly surprised as she tilts her head and gives a light frown. "Rhodes Island? What is that supposed to be. And that name again...you really are the most quizzical little lamb."
"...H-huh?" Is all I manage to "say".
And it was around then that it dawned on me...with the cold bearing down, my body aching and my heart pumping...and with the terrifying presence in front of me...it dawned on me that this was not just a dream.
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