JAWS • DECEMBER 2025 EVENT/TDM

[uruz]

TDM & EVENT: JAWS

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Show Me Those Pretty White Jaws

The dream has been coming in waves for those new to Sleep's touch, as a shoreline that never stays still. As a sky that never remembers to include its stars. Beneath it all, there is a voice. Her voice: silk-sweet, coaxing from just beyond the approaching wave that towers like a moving mountain. She tells you to come home. She promises it won't hurt, even if she never tells you what waits beneath. You see the shape just before the dream ends: a massive black tidal wave, yawning wide and black until it looks like a pair of jaws breaking upon you. You don't have time to resist.

You and your veteran Vessels will awaken in water.

There is no surface. No bottom. No sky. No sound but your own heartbeat and the echoes of water being slashed though, dull and endless in the still, frigid dark. You are suspended, weightless— Some may have difficulty to breathe without inhaling water the first few times, while those aligned with the waves will feel it come like second nature. Once you acclimate yourself, you'll notice that around you drift glowing filaments; thin, pulsing threads that coil like jellyfish tendrils, softly luminescent. They curl and twist through the water, and when you look closer, you realize: they show you things. Memories, maybe. Dreams, maybe. Each one unique to your gaze: a hand reaching for yours in the dark, a goodbye that never finished, a face you haven't seen in years. They are what you think love looks like. What you once needed it to be. And when you touch them, they wrap around you, gently, warmly . . . Hungrily— and begin to pull you down.

To ascend into the next level, you must let go. But not everything that binds you wants to be released. The filaments drifting through the water show you what you think love looks like— what you've built it into. They are gentle at first, beautiful even, but the longer you cling, the more they pull.

There are ways to escape them: You may bind your filament with another's and together speak aloud a shared truth: what you believe love really is. If your hearts align or at the very least come to an agreement, the threads dissolve into light and lift you upward. If your beliefs clash or contradict, the threads knot tighter, and something . . . May take interest in you.

Beneath you, something moves. Huge, silent and almost regal. It glides through the deep like a phantom, almost too large to be real. You feel its presence before you see its flash of pearl white and glowing red eyes, three on each side of its face: a shark.

The shark is here to choose its next meal. It smells grief, fear and seeks out trauma most of all. It is drawn to the most unspoken parts of you, the very parts you thought were buried, roused from the tightened ropes of what you crave in your heart. And when it chooses you, it does not bite immediately. It invites, with its jaws opening like a sanctuary and slow towards you.

Inside is I, whispers Sleep. Allow Me to have you whole, and you will be at peace. Show Me love.

Fight against her, or even with your current partner about what love is, and Sleep will open her maw, spilling tendrils from her throat and begin to stalk you. Best be prepared to fight the possessed Megalodon— She will laugh, amused as you do, like a great cat playing with its food. And if you were to be caught, well. You'll wake in the dream's next level with an undeniable prey drive, whether Token or Offering.

She will do anything to keep you here.

NOTES:

• There is no surface visible at first. Light only comes from the filaments. As characters resist, act, or ascend, a faint stained-glass shimmer begins to pulse upward, hinting at the dream's next layer.
• Sound is muffled— speech emerges as bubbles, but meaning travels regardless. Words feel heavy here. Some phrases may literally change the water (turn to light, birth dream-objects, or ripple with tension). You will do better using The Murmur as a means of communication. Luckily you have your mask on!
• The Shark always circles once it senses trouble within you. Sometimes close, sometimes far, but always felt. If characters listen closely, they can hear the echo of One's voice coming from inside it: pleading with a haunted, at times screaming melody.

TOKEN EFFECTS

• The dream bends subtly around Tokens, especially at the whims of an Aquamancer. Walls of pressure open before them, and filaments shift course as if expecting them. This can make their path easier, unless they start to doubt their purpose.
• Tokens perceive emotional resonance as currents in the water such as subtle flows of energy. These can guide them (or others) toward escape paths, or signal when the shark is near.
• When a Token speaks or acts with strong intent, the dream sometimes translates it into a symbolic structure: A word might become a floating glyph. A gesture might alter the filament's shape. A moment of clarity might reveal a hidden path. Other characters can interact with these dream-objects, but they're fragile, unstable, and prone to distortion by doubt.
• The deeper Tokens go, the more they feel themselves pulling apart and begin to experience dual awareness: one part dreaming, one part watching— some may even see flashes of within the shark's belly, and One's voice much louder. The deeper they go, the more detached they become, and the more they lack the ability to act at all.

OFFERING EFFECTS

• The shark is more fascinated by Offerings. It circles them often, sensing kinship— or potential. The more monstrous the Offering, the more the shark "pauses' near them, almost curious.
• Offerings feel "the pull" more clearly, particularly Merrows and other aquatic-based Offerings—they can sense where the surface might be, and where the shark intends to strike next. They may even see pulses in the water that others miss, similar to Spider Man's "spidey senses".
• An Offering may experience rapid body changes submerged. Fins may appear, bones may shift, teeth may lengthen without warning and so on. This makes their movement easier or harder, depending on how much of themselves they're holding back or how apt their monstrous forms are at swimming.
• Some Offerings may feel drawn to the shark— not in fear, but in understanding. They may see themselves in it, and vice versa— One's song in particular is hypnotic, and for split moments you may understand his pain through his words. This might make you more prone to being consumed, though, so hopefully your partner can help you out of it—?.

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Watching Me With Eyes Of A Predator

The surface you breach is not water— it's glass.

You strike it with the force of falling sky. It fractures beneath you in a bloom of painted light. For one weightless moment, the dream hesitates, sputters. Then the world shatters, and you fall with the cascade.

Water pours through the crack in the ceiling, carrying you down in ribbons of color and a shattering splash. Stained glass shards drift like petals through the now collapsing roof, and you eventually land not in sand, but upon a cathedral floor, slick with tide. Around you, the water spreads, pooling across the stone and swallowing the walls in a rising hush as it finds escape through the doors.

The cathedral is vast, impossibly so. Its architecture towers, crooked and immaculate, built more from longing than stone. No altar awaits you. No congregation. Only the sensation of having trespassed into something meant to be private. Veteran Vessels may recognize this cathedral as St. Patrick's— before it was drenched in One's blood sacrifice.

High above and surrounding you, the stained-glass mosaics churn with captured light. f you linger beneath one of the window's rays, your appearance may begin to change under the light. You appear as someone else sees you. Be it a hero. A monster. A disappointment. A god. A weakness. A temptation. Even a burden. That version of you clings to your dream-body like a second skin; uncomfortable, intimate, and undeniable. For some, it may be beautiful. For others, unbearable.

If you and another stand beneath the same window, you may each appear as the other secretly imagines. There is no control and no negotiation. Only truth twisted through the lens of want, resentment, fear, or love. And it doesn't go away until you leave the light.

Eventually, the cathedral doors open by dream's will. Beyond them lies a cloister garden: narrow paths, pale trees, and wild flowers that bloom in stillness. At the far end, behind the overgrowth and ruined arches, you see a hollow.

It is a corridor where the dream collapses inward, twisting, warped, half-swallowed in fog and dread. Its stones pulse faintly beneath a shallow film of water. Black tendrils reach from its depths like roots, veins, twitching toward sound, warmth, and movement. You see them dragging matter into the earth, and between them lie bones, contorted and fresh, half-consumed.

And farther still, a body that still breathes. Glimpsed only briefly, A masked man's form is stretched by the hollow's gravity, arms pinned behind the veil. He does not move, or speak. Or perhaps, he cannot. The hollow does not let him go and will not, should you make your attempts. If you step foot in the hollows that have consumed him, you too will be consumed. A three eyed Tod sits at the hollow's edge, a single bushy tail splitting into three, as its body plays with illusion like smoke put to dance over fire. It says, as its head floats up and its maw splits into a grin too cheshire to ignore: Wearing shoes, yet no feet in sight. You'll hear steps pound in the death of night. What is it that you need, to cross this narrow blight?

It disappears and only leaves you the riddle to chew on.

Nothing living can cross the hollow, you'll soon find. Nothing except . . . The Nightmares.

Just outside the garden's boundary, you'll find horses built from wind and shadow, flickering at the edge of your vision. Their bodies are black— not the color, but the absence, swallowing all light. Some of their craniums cound be seen, others have a jutting horn of bone from their foreheads. Where eyes should be, there are six: three stacked on each side of the skull, glowing dimly red like distant embers beneath ice. Their manes flow like torn fabric, like drifting vapor that trails behind them like the smoke from a snuffed candle. Their maws are too damn wide to be herbivorous, yet they seem to enjoy the act of grazing. They wait, unchained and wild in a herd.

This is the only way forward. Only they can pass through the hollow untouched. But how to ride one—? You may chase them. You may plead, command, kneel. You may offer them all your need and all your love, promises that you will provide if they become your steed. But they were not made to answer it. For every Vessel, there is one single Nightmare that will choose them, and thus you will choose each other. They have their own personalities, some more aggressive or shyer than others. The harder you reach, the faster they vanish or harshed they will attack if unready. Try to mount one through force, and you'll regret ever trying. Try to bind one, and it will break you.

But if you are patient, if you figure out its nature and how to please it— your Nightmare may come closer. One may circle you. It may bow its head. Their snort is warm and real against your palm. If successful, it will lower itself to its knees. If you've got the height, they will simply wait, patiently, for you to get on their backs (Or not; there are plenty of sassy mares out there).

If you accept, you might not be taken somewhere safe, but you will be taken somewhere true, away from here. And if you force your want upon them, if you cannot let go— you will be left with something else.

In the distance, across the flooded cathedral floor, you may see One again. Flashes, glimpses. Always chasing a mare he never reaches, or the opposite— the mare chases after him.

NOTES:

• If a character successfully forms a bond with their Nightmare, it will return with them in the form of a waking world steed, officially introduced in the next event. You're free to give it the personality you wish.
• If a character attempts to force a connection with a Nightmare at any point (tries to catch, mount, command, etc.), the mare will bite or kick, which Vessels will suffer as a persistent dream-mark that will carry into the waking world.

TOKEN EFFECTS

• Light clings unnaturally to Tokens in the cathedral, especially near the stained glass. It bends around their bodies like a false halo, casting them in divine or monstrous outlines depending on who watches.
• If a Token casts or channels any magic within the cathedral or near a Nightmare, the spell does not manifest, but instead, a cold mist escapes their mouth, and the Nightmare turns to look. The dream rejects force.
• When a Nightmare looks directly at a Token, their eyes eclipse, pupils vanishing into rings of shadow. In that moment, a fragmented vision floods the Token's mind . . . not from the Nightmare, but from another character nearby. It shows the Token how that character once dreamed of them, what they feared, needed, or hoped they would become.

OFFERING EFFECTS

• The stained glass causes a subtle change in scent and physical appearance turning into a more grotesque version of this— Offerings begin to smell or look like what others most want from them.
• Offerings may always know where the Nightmares are, even when hidden. But the more they try to act on this knowledge, the harder the Nightmares are to reach.
• An Offering's body will react before they realize it, flinching from lies, bristling in moments of emotional pressure, pulling away from contact, and so on. They may startle even at gentle contact, as if something inside them is as reactive as they are.

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Where The Delicate Stops

As your Nightmare takes you through the misty hollow, you may begin to notice the empty city of Manhattan as veterans remember. There is no warning but the eerie silence that surrounds you like impossible weights. The cathedral once behind you folds inward— wrong, deep and full of pressure. It bursts through the hollow's path, through the city's street, and then— The dream ruptures.

Stone peels backward like paper. Glass liquefies mid-air. The sky above the city pulls itself inside out. Time bends sideways. And from the edges of the dream, something, someone, begins to hunt. Sleep's presence moves like the very shark she chose as a vision of her physical manifestation. She does not speak or rage. But you feel Her, rising like fever beneath the skin of Her world as the hairs at the back of your neck do. She does not want you this deep, and neither does One.

Somewhere within the collapse, you may see them— entwined, shifting, trembling. One's face is turned toward you, screaming something that doesn't reach your ears. Sleep's hands are tangled in his body. She pulls him back with a gentleness that breaks the sky, and he screams, reaching for you with his last breath before consumption. The dream convulses.

The Nightmares bolt with you still on them.

The city rises to meet you from the shadows, but it's not the city you know. Skyscrapers twist at unnatural angles. Streets flood, then dry, then flood again. Tendrils burst from subway grates and gutters, slashing upward like tongues. Streetlights spin like compass needles. Cars levitate, crash, freeze midair. You move through it all at breakneck speed, but the exit keeps shifting— a hole in the world that flickers just beyond reach where you see your body, fast asleep.

Somewhere in the chaos, a few Nightmares are caught. Sleep strikes like lightning— she coils like a viper and tightens like a vice. One touch from Her, and your Nightmare collapses mid-gallop, its body unraveling into smoke and light. No sound. No scream. Just absence. And you fall right off it like a ragdoll.

Others fall beneath impact, too— a wrong turn, a shattered wall, a burst of heat from One's grief. A broken leg. A crash. A wound too deep to ride through. If your steed is lost, you fall. And if no one reaches for you, you stay fallen. Others are near, and their Nightmares still run. All of you have a terrible dread in your bones— if you are caught or left behind, the consequences will be dire. You might not even wake up. So, call out. Cling. Climb. Share. Two Vessels on one mount. Anything to survive and flee as the dreamscape tightens its wrathful grip around you.

Sleep calls inside your spine. You can't make out what She says. One answers, the same blur of garbled words in your marrow. And then, just before the dream can take you, just before you reach an exit— you rise.

Your body lifts from the Nightmare as it paddles the air with desperation, it too rising. You're pulled upward, weightless, as if a thread inside your heart has been yanked by a furious god. You float, twist in the air. Your vision glows white.

We've got you.

And then you wake up— mid-air in the waking world.

Your body slams into your bed, floor, street, soil, wherever it was that you had slept. Reality greets you with terrible impact.

NOTES

• If a character does not find a mount in time, they may be caught in the dream collapse. They still wake— but they wake broken. These characters may wake up bruised, disoriented, or emotionally fragmented, and this can be explored in the next waking world event.

TOKEN EFFECTS

• Any Tether they feel becomes unstable—splintered. For brief moments, they feel it breaking and re-forming again and again, with slight differences each time.
• The more emotionally charged they are, the more the dream pulls toward them; tendrils snap faster, debris veers unnaturally close.
• Their body flickers with signs of their own magic—sigils, symbols, runes— burning just beneath the surface of their skin like constellations. These glow brighter as the dream collapses, as if trying to tear free.

OFFERING EFFECTS

• Where Offerings are grazed or injured, they bleed light, not red. It floats up like mist.
• They hear One's heartbeat, not theirs, and it speeds in panic. It affects their own pulse, the mare under them . . .
• The Nightmare no longer follows the Offering's will—it will respond to their fear instead.

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OOC NOTES

➤ Welcome to Somnia's third TDM, which doubles as the month's gamewide event!
➤ This TDM is considered game canon. You are free to have your character remember as many details as possible when they wake up.
➤ Only new characters are free to experiment with the Vessel options, Token or Offering to your liking; this is a dreamscape, so multiple/different situations for you to really test which option you like most is possible. Current characters must remain as their chosen Vessel type unless you requested a switch, which can be done on the Taken page.
➤ All TDMs take place within a dreamscape, meaning characters can interact with the setting without needing to apply. Come have fun with us!
➤ Veteran players, I ask to please refrain from making post-event threads for the time being! We have some important information to take into account in next month's event when characters are slated to "wake up". At the very least, please wait for the information to be offered on the next plotting post. Thank you everyone for your patience!
➤ Please comment on the TDM's INVITE TL if you are a new player interested in joining the game, but don't yet have an invite. Current players or the mod may reach out to extend an invite. Once you've got one, please don't forget to comment on the Invite page so you may properly link it in your reserve and app.
➤ Questions? Please direct them to the designated questions comment linked below!

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[trashblaze]

[ "This isn't his problem. Never is it his problem. It's yours." Well, guess what? Even without the Nightmare telling him what to do, Caelus will still make it his problem. That's why when the Nightmare attempts to communicate with him, he only smiles at its rather cute attempts, entirely unfazed. This is another Tuesday for the Trailblazer, who is more than accustomed to having entities of all shapes and sizes to seek his assistance, even before finding himself in this strange place. ]

Buddy, are you telling me to follow you?

[ When the Nightmare responds by pulling Caelus, he doesn't question anything further and allows himself to be led somewhere. The Nightmare stops eventually, trying to indicate whatever is behind the boulder. The trailblazer carefully walks over, standing by the large rock and then peeking his upper half in silent curiosity.

What's over here? Oh, it's a man that Caelus has never seen before. He walks closer, lowering his knees until he's the same level as the man curled up on the ground. He's right in front of him now, arms propped on his knees, cheeks resting on his palms as he stares at this guy with a light smile. How long until this guy notices him, he wonders. Well, as tempting as it is to wait, they probably shouldn't linger around here too long.

They never know what could happen in Sleep's nightmares… So Caelus quietly leans in, and…! Whispers way too closely— ]

… Hi!

[roedeer]

[ the nightmare is practically thrilled by caelus' willingness to do as told, and only encourages the behavior. the individual the creature has sought after may be stupid, but this new victim listens, and it believes that after a talk that soleum will be accepting this creature as a comrade.

that's how it should be.

the nightmare has time, plenty of time. however long it takes for caelus to change the man's tune.

how creepy!

a shudder rolls down soleum's spine at the whisper, his eyes widen behind his deer-like mask, and his hands shifting from his ears to lean in a direction opposite of the nightmare, but close enough to caelus to place a hand over his mouth. crimson eyes never lift towards the creature, it's scary appearance making soleum nauseous by the second, but the way he presents himself is someone calm enough as though he's blocking out everything around him because he wants no part.

this person near him is human, speaks like one too, and rather than let his fears be exposed, soleum takes it upon himself to create a narrative. ]

Shhh.

[ what can he say now, why would he keep someone quiet? in a setting like this, a "darkness" he assumes, non-player characters tend to dig into their code and force an event for players who don't want to play to take part. he's pretty sure that's what's happening right now.

the horse backs away just a slight, but remains nearby to give them some room to talk. it's body torn in areas as darkness wafts off the body, and it almost looks like it could disappear at anytime if not for it just being like that. ]

Don't let it hear you.

[ once they understand, it's hard to keep secrets from them, or... that's what soleum is going with for now. ]

[trashblaze]

[ Honestly, Caelus can't blame the man for reacting this way. He'd be cautious too, if it's his first time here. But having spent enough time in this place, the trailblazer already knows a thing or two about how things work around here. He's still fairly new, just a few months here, but it's enough to understand to an extent.

For now though, explanations can wait. It's not like any talking will be done either, with this hand to his mouth. Before anything else, the man needs to gain a sense of calm. Maybe he believes the Nightmare poses danger… But Caelus has seen the horrors of this place, how it twists the living into the strangest forms. The Nightmare hasn't been hostile so far and is the one who led him here, so he believes it might be a friend.

Actually, Caelus can use the Murmur to talk. But he doesn't want the man to run away in case he's startled by it. He's already wary enough as it is. So instead of a vocal (or mind) conversation, Caelus opts to use his hands. He waves them several times, trying to indicate that it'll be okay. ]

[roedeer]

[ his eyes fall upon the person as he gestures that all is well, soleum can understand the hand movements because they're slow and deliberate, nothing that would warrant fear. still, that doesn't mean he can be as lax as the other beside him, and while the situation doesn't seem as dire...

soleum only feels better when the creature makes distance.

once he feels freedom to move about, soleum takes advantage of grabbing the other's wrist before smoothing his hand underneath caelus'. staring at the man's palm for a few minutes, he brings his index finger to the center and begins to write. whether the other knows korean or not is something soleum will find out soon enough. ]

Familiar?

[ allowing his hand to remain there in his own, soleum's crimson eyes behind the mask lift up to meet with the other's.

does he know what they do? what they want? from what soleum's seen, he doesn't want to know. those that have ridden them, those who have disappeared, what is the end destination, are those characters still alive. if this is a flag, and this individual came here, perhaps he can give useful information.

any information is useful as far as soleum is concerned! ]

[trashblaze]

[ The boy in the raccoon mask shakes his head, unable to recognize the characters being drawn on his hand. It doesn't seem to be English, though, not that it would've made a difference. He's still a novice at learning the English language and struggles with spelling. Thus, he's unsure what word is written out and can't begin to guess, but he shakes his head to indicate that this method is ineffective.

When they directly meet eyes, Caelus's pair of golden ones is visible past that mask. They're clear and light, indicating traits of honesty. His gaze is unwavering and has a certain pull to it, the kind of determination that can potentially move the world. His lips move up now, smiling to reassure the one in front of him. Even without words, he manages this across with mere expressions.

Now that the man appears curious for answers, Caelus takes this chance to speak through the Murmur now. Speaking through their minds, he does so with a soothing tone. ]

I'm sure you have so many questions right now. It's a lot, being here, so I don't know where to begin. So, let's have you ask me instead.

[ Caelus would begin with the Nightmare, but it'll be easier to explain that once the context is given first. ]

[roedeer]

[ no matter the kindness that glints in his eyes, the determination resting inside of them, soleum still remains wary. a question is all he asks, and even his own writing is unable to bridge that gap, and at this point he figures he should find some way to elaborate they should avoid the nightmare stallions for now.

releasing the boy's hand, the office worker shifts behind the rock as he's ready to get up from where he's sitting. what keeps him in place is the sound of a voice in his head, it's not his, and his crimson eyes stare at the wall in discomfort. one hand comes to his head, fingers running through black locks, and soleum finds that the sensation isn't great at all.

there's only so many people he lets into his head, he's not even happy when braun breaks though, so an uninvited guest is completely different. his eyes break from the rock to the individual beside him, and he should be able to tell soleum didn't take too kindly to the idea of speaking in this manner.

it works for the scenario, it does, but isn't this an invasion of privacy!?

he didn't hear that, did he? ]

First, please announce when you're going to do... this.

[ a pause. ]

Anyway, you said... here?

[ soleum repeats, short and to the point to show that his questions are minimal at best until he gets an idea of what he's against.

they can hear the sound of the creature whinny, it's hooves knocking against the rocks as it watches them from afar. their lips unmoving does frustrate it some, but not enough for it to walk over to see what's taking so long.

however, it'll trust in the victim that it chose. ]

[trashblaze]

[ A small laugh in the Murmur, soft and lasts only a few seconds. Caelus moves his freed hands behind his back, then leans a little, very slightly bending his upper body forward. ]

You didn't want me to speak vocally, and I don't know how to give a heads-up for something like this. I just waited until you seemed calmer.

[ Caelus could've easily done this earlier without any consideration, but he waited for a better chance for the man's sake. Besides, the experience will come sooner or later. This guy will have to adjust to it, whether he likes it or not. ]

That's right. Here, in Sleep's dream. I've been here before, but I still don't know what to fully expect here. I don't think anyone really can.

[ Sleep's dream is as unpredictable as her nature. Whether in her dreams or in the real world, many things remain unanswered even for those who have been here for a while. This feeling carries through in the Murmur, regardless of whether Caelus hasn't explained. The feeling of looking at something in the distance, but only seeing fog. ]

When you wake up from this place, there are only two possibilities. You either awaken to your usual life… or you'll end up with us in Sleep's Manhattan.

[roedeer]

[ his voice comes patient and steady, unbothered by prior events now with a new subject as the topic. ]

I'll teach you.

[ whether he takes this advice or not can save others from a rude awakening or realization, and it's with two fingers will he tap against his head before pointing to caelus. the second part can be done without, but a small gesture like this could go a long way, especially for someone like soleum.

even now, he doesn't like the idea of someone that can willingly enter, and that the privacy of his mind could leak at any moment. that makes his stomach turn uncomfortably, a sort of control he no longer has if anyone can do this. soleum's eyes lower, his gaze reaching the ground he once looked at, and now he's counting the blades of grass to keep his mind steady.

the pace of his counting slows down, a wave of unknown runs over his body like a cold blanket before it disperses.

he finds that the feeling is too uncanny, and he ignores it. he has to ignore it. the less he shows the better. ]

I see. You won't awake to your regular life.

[ because this person sounds almost at peace with that, he'll return to some place called manhattan owned by a high ranking spellcaster, or maybe they're a supernatural deity, he doesn't have all the answers that he needs. what he knows is that this darkness has the same mechanic as sekwang's high school, a person must sleep to enter... but this sleep dreams and they arrive in a place that the dreamer decides.

soleum can only hope he awakens back where he needs to be. ]

Does anything stay the same aside from the dreamer?

[ he's telling soleum he's inside... someone's dream... that's fine, as long as they aren't as scary as those horses then soleum can handle it. really, he doesn't want to see anything gory. if he had to file this place, it's wide-scale, no one knows what happens next so things change constantly, and that's unreliable. ]

[trashblaze]

Ohh.

[ Amused, Caelus mimics the gesture. It's no longer necessary to do it, but he does it anyway with full enthusiasm. Two fingers up! Taps his head! His energy stands out against the gloomy environment around them, like a little light through a cavern.

Though Caelus does fall a little quiet when he notices the feelings coming from this man. Even without the Murmur's connection, the forlorn expression and gestures hint at it more than enough. He listens to him speak before he does anything else. ]

No. Not everything here is like her Manhattan. But I don't want to overwhelm you with unnecessary information if you don't end up there after all this. For now, it's enough for you to know that my guess is as good as yours, at least for the most part.

[ There are some things that Caelus can say to give this man more of an idea, so he'll get to that now. ]

Do you have powers of any kind? Sleep replaces them in her reality. And some places here might be in her Manhattan as well, though it may not be the same state. The animals…

[ Finally getting to this context, Caelus straightens up as he turns to look at the Nightmare in the distance. ]

All the flora and fauna lost their original forms. You'll encounter creatures such as that one there, but they're not necessarily hostile. Some of the animals still have their natural behavior despite their corrupted appearance.

[roedeer]

[ at least he listens, that's more than soleum can ask for in situations like this. even though his gesture is late and he's already invaded the man's thoughts, soleum doesn't cast him away just yet.

the conversation is fruitful, it gives him an idea of what's here, what isn't here, and maybe he can find out what he did to end up here. manhattan isn't a location he remembers on the wiki, but if this is a "darkness" then it must have been something written in late by those rampant teenagers during the second wave. it would make sense, creating shadow-like horses where their body can hardly hold all their organs... this is a cringe sixteen year old at work!

and sleep is the 16 year old's self-insert if he had to understand the issue here. ]

I only need to know enough to come back at a later date. Unless, you want to stay here.

[ in soleum's attire, he's dressed in what looks like a funeral suit, and a deer-like mask attached to his face. he's a daydreamer, not a bureau worker, so he must keep in mind what team he plays on. when he leaves here, he'll make sure to give the latter a heads up that this place exists.

it's the least he can do.

there is that question about his powers, but soleum dodges it only on premise of the other's well-being. ]

Coming into contact with animals of that nature can lead to contamination, it's best to avoid them unless you're familiar. Animals use their keen intellect and their charms to persuade any victim.

[ and to be entirely honest, it's not even the fact it's an animal that has a normal personality! it's because it looks so damn creepy that soleum can hardly keep his eyes on it, even the brain matter he saw coming out of one that was happily trotting along? he thought all the good he ate was going to come to the surface, even now thinking about it makes him feel slightly sick.

ugh. ]

I'm sure it led you to me, but who says it can be trusted?

[trashblaze]

[ "Come back at a later date?" ]

You sound experienced. Do you find yourself in strange dreams often, too?

[ "Too." Sleep's dreams aren't the first for Caelus and certainly won't be the last. With the nature of his occupation back in his universe, it's inevitable that he encounters the strangest and most dangerous things. This is the same reason why he appears quite collected even in a nightmare like this. It's not that he wants to stay or anything, it's that it's necessary to go through on his ongoing journey. ]

No, I'm not staying. But none of us who've been here for a while know of a way forward yet. Until progress actually happens, we're still stuck within Sleep's influence. We're thankfully managing so far, but it hasn't been easy.

[ So many terrifying things happened within the few months Caelus has been through. Then, the man shares his thoughts about the Nightmare, and he's got a point. Really, nothing can truly be trusted within Sleep's dreams. Something that seems harmless could be the complete opposite. However, Caelus has a pretty good instinct. He doesn't feel active malice from the Nightmare, as terrifying as it looks. ]

I don't have a guaranteed method to tell if something is trustworthy. But I've always just trusted what feels right to me. And currently, I feel something good might happen if we get to know them first.

[roedeer]

Many precarious situations.

[ he wishes that wasn't the fact!!

as a daydream employee, as a bureau agent, as a simple office worker not from this world or the one from before, kim soleum has always found himself in situations. he's ready many entries of darknesses taking people to different places that's unwilling to let them out, and behind the computer screen that was technically interesting! as a daydream or bureau agent? it's anything but that. ]

With the information given so far, I'll apply it where I feel is necessary. Though, I'll report it properly when I'm gone to ensure rescue for you and everyone else.

[ caelus could read that in any way that he wants, whether soleum believes the man or not, it's not him but the location that encourages him to be wary. it's also so weird, the gore is too much for him, and that means he must remain vigilant. while the visible horror is not up soleum's alley, what is happens to be hearing that there's others stuck here too. that's annoying, it's an issue because he doesn't have enough information to understand how to break them free from it.

if he grabbed his phone would it tell him something of where he is? ]

You said this is their dream, so Sleep is... sleeping... [ strange to say, but soleum keeps going. ] Has anyone from your group figured out how to wake them from this side?

[ to tell someone to stop interacting with the setting leads to two issues: 1) the dreamer can continue to dream and 2) they may be punished for it. acknowledging the setting of the dream like the nightmares which soleum will not turn to look at, and keep his eyes on caelus, the employee wonders if that helps the dreamer... a sort of enrichment?

that nightmare from awhile ago has brought another one with it, now there's two waiting around. the first one is prancing around one that's laying on all fours, head resting on the ground to conserve energy.

soleum notices this out the corner of his eye, but says nothing of it. ]

[trashblaze]

So, this is your actual job. That sounds similar to someone I know.

[ How did that go again? "Technically, it's supernatural phenomena we handle, rescuing civilians and such. We'll deal with situations like this now and again…" Though, because Caelus is trying to recall these words, they easily slip through the connection of the Murmur. That line is also repeated within the man's head, with Choi's face and voice. ]

Sleep wakes up on her own. That's when you'll wake up as well, and find out if you'll end up in her Manhattan or return home.

[ In other words, their time in this dream is limited. Ah, but the Nightmare has a friend now! That makes Caelus smile, so he turns his head to observe them as he continues to converse. ]

I was pulled into her world not long ago. About two months now. But I'm fairly new compared to others, who have been here much longer.

[roedeer]

Helping someone isn't out of the way, so I wouldn't call it a job.

[ it's called being a person!

act like an honest passerby willing to help, the most he does is take part of these subspaces and look into a few things. if he didn't find caelus, then there would be no reason to send a distress call. besides, he doesn't want to give himself an important role here, he wishes to be forgettable.

there's a snap, something inserted like it belongs to him, a familiar voice and explanation, and to be paired with a face he knows so well. it washes over him like waves lapping against the beach's edge, crawling up the poles of the wooden bridge that overlooks the sea. the same as his nausea as it creeps up and up, a pang of guilt instills itself next and his memory doesn't correlate this at all. how do you know, what do you know, what about him?

he recoils by taking a step back, his tired, crimson gaze watches where caelus' go, he notes the smile, and he doesn't dare look towards the nightmare. all because caelus did, he'll see that the nightmare has now trotted off again, and this time it's to bring two more stallions. four in total. ]

I see. It's not unfamiliar for people to be pulled into a Darkness, but the longer you remain the more contaminated you'll be. If you've been here two months, the creatures may feel attuned to you, but I am an outsider.

[ even with that said, he doesn't think he wants the man to go near them. he doesn't know where anyone else went, and if it's dangerous and soleum sends him out... ugh, he feels a little sick.

what if it writes him out the story? he can't allow for that.

but something remains, that unsettling feeling going through him. ]

Did you forget? What happened to telling me when you put voices in my head?

[ he acts like a sensitive man that can only deal with so much, and it's true, but he'll complain just to see where this takes him. ]

[trashblaze]

They're multiplying!

[ At first, Caelus continues to watch the Nightmares interact. The way the shadow horses start moving around in herds, beginning to either groom one another or start grazing together, they're kind of cute when they act so peacefully.

Though that attention on the Nightmares quickly ends when Caelus senses the torrent of unease in the Murmur. Nausea, guilt, panic…? All of a sudden? He looks genuinely surprised when he's accused of something, so he whips his head back to the man with a concerned expression. ]

H— huh? Ah, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to… I was thinking about hyung, because what you said reminded me of him. It must've ran through the Murmur when I did.

[ Apologetic, Caelus right away bows his head. Accidental or not, the source of that unease is clearly this man. Caelus feels horrible now, but it's so hard to keep his thoughts to himself considering the nature of the Murmur… ]

The only way to sever yourself from the Murmur is to remove your mask, but I don't recommend doing it here. The mask protects us in spaces like this. In Manhattan though, it's safe to remove it there…

[ If the man wants to try anyway, then Caelus won't stop him. Experiencing it first-hand will help him understand, after all. Removing the mask will immediately give him a severely bad sensation, and that discomfort will keep worsening unless he puts the mask back on. ]

[roedeer]

[ the horses multiplying mean very little to soleum, he doesn't look though, that only means the horrors are growing even more. the question is why would they do that, come closer and do that where they can see. it's not normal from what they were doing before. he doesn't care, not when he feels like that nausea may lead him to throw up. he hears caelus, but he doesn't hear him, it all goes through one ear, registers and out the other.

he doesn't think he can focus on the flood of information before he lifts one finger asking for a second.

rather than stay there and remove his mask, soleum splits from caelus in a very normal, and patient manner until he's on the other side of the rock that he had been hiding behind. convenient, especially if it splits caelus from having visibility on him. balling his fist up, soleum takes a deep breath as he punches himself in his stomach as hard as he can, and it causes him to cough, then clear his throat.

how does he know that person? there's no way, unless something happened during his time in the basement, but wouldn't that person have mentioned that... no, maybe there was too much going on for him too. what bothers him is...

one punch isn't enough, goes for a second hit where he leans forward and shakes his head.

it's fine. bringing his hands to his face, the employee turns around coming from behind the rock back to where caelus stood. ]

I advise against removing your mask.

[ that is something soleum has always known, it's never good to remove it and, he might as well add onto that: ]

Do not say your name in a Darkness, anomalies and supernatural entities can take advantage of you and those you know.

[ with a sigh, calm and composed though that nausea has subsided from moments ago to something more... distant. ]

I'm curious. You weren't familiar with the hangul I drew on your hand, but you know "hyung"?

[ some suspicion considering he knows that, and that does cause a bit of discrepancy in what soleum thought he knew of this person. has he been lying? ]

[trashblaze]

[ Well, Caelus did say he doesn't recommend it. How does he know? Guess who removed his mask in the past? Having learned his lesson directly, he will no longer remove it unless there is a good reason to do so. So, he doesn't say anything else about the mask part. ]

I've said my name several times before in Sleep's dream. Since she's already aware of us and is responsible for taking us here, she already knows our names.

[ The man's statement makes sense, though, maybe there'll be a future instance where not saying their names would be the best option. But within Sleep's dreams like this one, Caelus believes it's already futile when she knows too many things about every one of them.

There's another silence on Caelus's part as he watches the man hide behind the boulder again. His concern once again rises, causing him to stay wordless for a while. He still feels guilty for accidentally hurting this person. He only speaks again when directly asked. ]

Ha… haa—ny…? Haanyul?

[ When Caelus attempts to say the word, the pronunciation is off. ]

Isn't hyung a Korean word? I learned it from hyung, he said that he wanted me to call him that.

[roedeer]

[ it makes sense why he knows the word then, someone taught him, his hyung taught him. as soleum rolls that in his mind trying to make sense of it, he focuses on what has already been said. ]

It's only for extra caution, perhaps you should invest in a nickname. Something that you like, and can avoid saying it starting now.

[ that's carelessness to him, but those contaminated, which this person might be, will no longer be bothered by the oddities of this world. it might already be too late for him, but... soleum closes his eyes, the constant whinnying of the horses in the back is driving him nuts. nothing is making sense!!

anyway, maybe he can assist in preventing this person from making anymore mistakes with his name.

...as for what he said before. ]

Hangul.

[ he repeats slower this time. ]

It's the alphabet... just forget about it.

[ soleum crosses his arms thinking of how to approach this because his hyung is apparently...

...

it's just not right. ]

You must be close with him, that's good. Then he should have prepared you on what to do when you enter Darknesses.

[trashblaze]

[ A nickname? Well, that one's easy. He already has one that's pretty well-known in Manhattan and his own universe. ]

Hehe. People do know me as the "Galactic Baseballer."

[ This man is so nice, Caelus thinks. He's teaching him a new word and constantly offering advice on how to stay safe. However, the traibllazer believes there's more to this person than he's letting on. He has such a professional aura. He has a look in his eyes that indicates experience. It's hard for Caelus to believe there isn't more to him. ]

Ha… Han… g—ul!

[ He said it way too slowly, but at least it seems he picked it up! He smiles. How was that!? But hang on a second. This person just implied something super important. ]

What? Told me about Darknesses…?

[ This man… knows Choi? How would he know what Choi would teach or not? Why does he seem confident that being close to Choi is a good thing? Actually, this man knows Korean, too, doesn't he!? Excitedly, Caelus zooms closer to him, and then asks as he perks up— ]

Sir, do you know my hyung!? [ 🌸 ]

[roedeer]

[ what soleum knows is that the nickname is pretty long, inconvenient for quick and in a hurry name calling when it counts. he can see it: down in a dangerous ghost story swarming with dangers and traps, soleum with a phone in hand with the layout of said location, and calling out as far as galacti-- before the boy is penetrated by a wave of swords. ]

Star. Alright.

[ and soleum will take it upon himself to adjust it to the left to keep things short and sweet.

his pronunciation of the word is spoken like baby steps, soleum doesn't correct him or praise, rather he allows him to take it at his own pace. as caelus saddles up next to soleum, the employee grabs at the boy's wrist again, and this time he starts to trace lines into his palm very, very slowly.

" 별 "

what other reason does he have to come as close like this if not to learn, it seems to be right up his alley. once soleum lifts his hand, he can hear the other continue his curiosity, and for a brief moment... the man in the deer-like mask closes his eyes to think over what was previously said.

does he know his hyung? yes, he knows him too well, he's read his page a thousand times, he knows all his in-character decisions, he can point out all his faults that weren't written in text. slowly he lifts his head, leaning back some to avoid the antlers of his mask knocking into him. ]

I know what was said: "technically, it's supernatural phenomena..." A Darkness. In my line of work, there are many who are familiar with the concept.

[ as long as he leaves out seeing the face and making no moves to mention the voice, he can say that this "hyung" is a mysterious and helpful benefactor to the other. his suspicions remain only because the moment he came into this world, he was with that person and a batch of others, but... they've all been split. there could be a time-space issue at work, that's pretty common, but they've entered erased city before, why would it change?

soleum withdraws his hands from the curious raccoon's. ]

[trashblaze]

[ Sorry for this baseball-obsessed raccoon… Actually, giving Caelus a new nickname is so on-brand. While everyone knows the "Galactic Baseballer" thing, not many actually put it to practical use. They all come up with their own instead.

It seems more interesting letters are being taught to Caelus, but he's struggling to entirely pick them up. He's already struggling with English as it is, so this is just as difficult for him. But he genuinely does want to learn, so once he realizes what the man is doing, he attempts to memorize it the best he can. Impossible to remember it all in one shot, but he can note a thing or two.

Once the tracing motion is done, Caelus renews a radiant expression, indicating his gratitude. He reaches his two hands up, moving to hold onto the man's own pair for an appreciative gesture, effectively reconnecting their hands before they parted entirely. Maybe it's no wonder Caelus and Choi get along. They're both overly friendly. ]

Whether you know him or not, I hope you can go and talk to him sometime. I'm sure that he'd love that!

[ Choi must really miss home, so knowing more people from Korea might help alleviate some of those lonely feelings. ]

By the way, what should I call you?

[roedeer]

I'll have to respectfully decline.

[ as the boy's hand envelops his own, soleum can feel his heart race in a way where he feels awkward, unsure. it doesn't last long as he realizes why he's doing this, and with a shake of his head, the employee withdraws them again. instead, he lightly taps the back of caelus' hand in a "there, there" gesture. ]

I'll be returning to where I stay after all this, I highly doubt I'll be moving forward with you. What I will do is make sure you all are saved.

[ he doesn't think this person really knows choi, this must be a trick of the darkness, and if it is... it really is trying to get to him. he'll find him somehow, as soon as he wakes up from this darkness, then they'll all be back together with the initial plan. ]

I am Roe Deer. It's a pleasure to meet you, Star.

[ it's not the strongest smile, but it's one he manages to make a good impression with. there's even a nod of his head to go along with it in hopes he comes off... just a little friendly, but forgettable. he's done nothing special to be a constant in the other boy's mind, and with that, soleum is satisfied.

or should be until he can hear the sound of hooves trotting closer to the two now. during their conversation, the stallions must have been at work, because if they check then they'll see a swarm of 30 or more around them in a circle as though this was planned. they whinny, stomp their feet, and even some scratch their hooves against the ground in their directions.

soleum doesn't dare look, instead, he stares right at caelus though there are horses behind him too from this angle. ]

They're right behind me, aren't they?

[trashblaze]

Roe Deer?

[ Ah, must be an alias. Remembering what was mentioned earlier, Caelus recalls how "Roe Deer" said to avoid saying their real names in places like this. So, he nods in understanding as he maintains his bright expression. ]

Nice to meet you, too!

[ Caelus's smile does falter a little though, because "Roe Deer" declined. But his reasons are understandable, so he doesn't try to convince him to reconsider. He actually doubts anyone can stand up to Sleep right now, but it doesn't hurt to have some faith. He'll have to hope for the best that the attempt is successful. Every try is worth doing at least once. ]

Hey, can I call you Deer hyung?

[ Unfortunately for "Roe Deer," he has encountered a Nameless from the Astral Express. To these people, every encounter is special. No person will be left behind. So, despite how small the conversation may be, Caelus is already putting everything into his heart to seek understanding and connection. That's what fuels his genuine aura.

Also… the Nightmares really did multiply in a blink. Caelus has to laugh. The complete opposite of "Roe Deer's" reaction. ]

Wow! The whole family's here!

[roedeer]

[ he knew it, this wasn't good at all, he shouldn't have allowed the conversation to get as far as it did. taking a step back, soleum shakes his head, the gesture should be familiar, and his mouth parts to crush caelus' hopes and dreams.

soleum isn't going to be here to hold up to that title anyway, and because of that harsh truth, he believes caelus should forget him.

he is not someone to be wanted. ]

No.

[ and it should end there, even if the other is showing respect to him, but the connection... it doesn't suit soleum at all. he could explain it in detail until the sound of trotting comes from the side, those nightmares dashing in their direction from one set, then a second set, and at the speed that they're going it doesn't seem like they're going to stop.

this is an issue.

as they come forward, soleum takes a step towards caelus, and his hands find his arm to push him in a direction that isn't behind or forward. ]

We have to move.

[ and in the direction that soleum is encouraging is where smaller nightmares are which must be the kids hanging around near their parents. a double edged sword direction, but if these creatures are thinking of trampling them out of fun or irritation, soleum is pretty sure they wouldn't put their children in danger. ]

[trashblaze]

Deer hyung!

[ That actually wasn't a question. It's a heads-up. The nickname is born, flowing almost naturally despite being the first time being formally used. The way Caelus says it with such energy and sincerity indicates his unending determination to reach out. To him, this awkward hyung already is someone special.

There would've been more of a chance that Caelus would listen if "Roe Deer" were much older. Respecting his elders and all that. But because they appear to be close in age, he doesn't feel the need to be that stiff around him. They're already friends, even if this person doesn't want to think about it. No matter how long it may take for an acknowledgment to come, the trailblazer's determination will only blaze onward.

Or sideward, in this case. He's still emitting that friendly energy even as he's taken aside, toward the direction of the younger Nightmares. ]

Deer hyung, look! Baby shadow horses!

[ Caelus actually has a certain trait that allows him to easily communicate with non-human creatures (granted, this ability only works in dreams such as this one), but since there hasn't been a decent chance, it remains a mystery to the man… But maybe when they reach the baby Nightmares, he might finally get a better chance to reveal it. ]