Between the Dreamworlds: Savers of the Apocalypse Chapter 2 - Blight

[Snowy_One]

"Well, last time it had something to do with bringing these orbs together so, logically, if we do it again something should happen, right?"

[Moblin Major General]

The deity summoned two more orbs and dropped them at the feet of Genji and Rufus. "I must take my leave of you. Do as you did before, and you will be transported to your next destination. Take this time to rest and eat." The deity dissipated and left a table with empty plates and several beds. "The plates will serve you whatever you wish, just imagine a food you would want and it will be there. Once you are filled and rested, present the orbs and you will be transported to the next place.

[Snowy_One]

"Well then." said Thyme as she picked up the plate and started to think about just what she might enjoy. "Let us take this moment to do something we should have done way back when we came here the first time. Just who the heck are we?"

[KentaEzren]

"I dunno but free dinner sounds really good." Genji said.

[Moblin Major General]

Shepard remembered steak and eggs, and they smelled as he remembered them. Upon tasting them, he realized they were just as good as they were before. He remembered 2 good friends, both of which were far and away, but not yet gone. Realizing how tired he was, he lumbered over to a bed, falling asleep. As he slept, his memories came back again, but this time, there were no nightmares, but dreams.

[PeaceRibbon]

Noel looked over at the table felt a little doubtful about it. Still, she sat down and though up something to eat. Hmm... maybe I'll have some of that kagutsuchi pufferfish I ate once... True to the voices' word, the exotic Orient Town special appeared on the plate before. She drooled on sight and took a bite of it. Just as Noel remembered: somewhat painful in the mouth but the spicy flavor behind it was worth it.

She was eager to take another bite, but Thyme's question did not fall on deaf ears. "Who... are we?" She contemplated for a moment. "Well, I can remember some details about my home. Like this dish I'm eating, the structure of our cities, even a few names. But... I can't remember how I fit into it. All I really remember is my occupation: former lieutenant." She let out a sigh. "At least the important stuff is still there. You know, personality and such."

[A Random Player]

"Is this some kind of philosophical question?" Rufus hasn't felt comfortable enough to share his life story, since it may be used against him in the future. "We fought, you went inside my house, I'd expect you to know everything you need to about me."

Looking at the empty plate, Rufus imagined a Roasted Duck with Plum Sauce and sure enough, there it is.

[Acacia Sgt]

The appearance of the table and beds finally snapped Ricardo out of his task.

Looks like this will be the base then, he thought. Could use more than just beds...

Dispelling the suit to let it recharge, he made his way to the table and grabbed a plate.

[Snowy_One]

"Well, I seem to have lucked out." said Thyme as she picked up her plate and held it up, trying to think of what she'd like to eat most, before a nice piece of frosted cake appeared upon the plate. She smiled as she picked it up and took a bite, wiping the crumbs away from her face. "My name is Thyme Mint and I am, well, the Warrior of Light. Some of my memories are fuzzy, of course, but I recall a lot, but that may be because I don't recall a lot either. It's... complicated."

She then took another bite before putting the piece down as she closed her eyes.

"In my world several nations are being threatened to be over-run by the Garlean empire as well as beasts of immense destructive power known as Primals, and I am the primary defense against them. I can recall many things from that world even though the details are a bit hazy in of themselves. For example, I remember fighting each and every primal, every major foe, but beyond a general statement I can't remember why. I remember some of my companions like Floofybirdy, Y'shtola, Ysayle, Biggs, Wedge, and so-forth, but I can only remember fragments about them. Some good memories, some bad, some meaningless. I remember owning a house and that it was no shack, but I can't recall what it looked like or had inside of it."

She took another bite before imagining up a glass of apple juice which also appeared and from which she took a quick drink.

"I... can even recall plenty of painful memories. Things best left to myself. As well as positive memories like when I first won at Triple Triad. I can even still feel the Echo, the blessing of my goddess, in my body and, with it, memories of her. I just can't recall what was said. Fighting imperial soldiers, primals, dragons, everything... my body remembers, but my mind still struggles to put together bits properly, like someone took a book and scattered the pages about and I'm picking them up. However, I know one thing is engrained so deeply into me I could never forget it. I am Thyme. I am the Warrior of Light. I am the servant of the Goddess and her people and I will be the messenger of good to all. Also something... about meeting... some girl from another... dimension... or reality... or something who claimed to be a Samurai, whatever that is. Some masked bard who let me touch upon something... that feels familiar here... and even some vestigial memory of another world somehow connected to our own along with many others though how I cannot say. Maybe it's my constant use of the Aether to travel that's granted me some resistance to this loss of memory."

She then looked to Rufus. "Also, Mr. Sleep ass, I don't know who you are. I have a name. I saw your house. I don't know what was in it, why, anything about you other than the fact that I'd probably pummel you if it didn't seem that the fates had pushed us together for using sleep magic on me, or anything of the sort."

[eclipse]

Fennel decided the question could wait until after she'd eaten. After raking in a particularly lucrative job, she'd tried something at the up-and-coming Ducal Restaurant. Crab Cream Croquette and Chestnut Moon Cake, with Black Tea. Blew the entire reward, but man was it worth it! She looked at everyone's plate while they ate. It ranged from the mundane (seriously, that looks like breakfast) to things that smelled amazingly familiar (that's plum sauce). Between bites of the best meal she'd ever purchased, she mulled over the question.

"Name's Fennel. I remember being a solo adventurer, risking life and limb to keep myself fed. I know my family wasn't happy with my choice of occupation, because the Labyrinth is a place full of monsters and horror stories. But, that's where the money is, and I didn't want to be married off like one of my sisters. I also remember what monsters I encountered, and how to. . .process them, for extra money. What I don't remember is WHY I was running from that mantis. I know I had something to do in the Labyrinth, but I've forgotten the details of that job." And the names of my family. . .

[A Random Player]

"Also, Mr. Sleep ass, I don't know who you are. I have a name. I saw your house. I don't know what was in it, why, anything about you other than the fact that I'd probably pummel you if it didn't seem that the fates had pushed us together for using sleep magic on me, or anything of the sort."

"Is your pride hurt that a lowly Alchemist managed to sedate you, O Thyme Mint Warrior of the Light and servant of the Gods? Can't say I won't enjoy your attempt but very well, I'll entertain you." Rufus imagined a bottle of whiskey and took a sip. "My name is Rufus Cromwell, if you haven't been paying attention, I'm a physician at a small village in Xing. Though I'm not a native. I came from a country beyond the desert called Amestris where I was born and raised. I moved to Xing to study Alkahestry which included the "dreaded" sleep magic.I never went back. I don't particularly see how this helps with whatever that thing asked us to do, but I hope my story has pleased you well milady."

A proud braggart wizard, an overly heroic soldier, a compliant gunner, a confused ninja who doesn't seem too bright and a guy who barely speaks a word beyond his own name, what delightful company,Fennel seems decent enough at least, for now anyway Rufus thought.

[Snowy_One]

"My pride isn't 'hurt' so much as the fact that a creepy guy put a girl to sleep making her, you know, unable to respond! Heck, I'm a girl and I don't use sleep magic on other girls for the exact same reason. I don't use it on guys either but that's more because it's almost never practical and never seems to work on the people you really need it to."

[Moblin Major General]

Shepard stirs from what feels like a full sleep, although the actual amount of time really didn't matter in the vacuum. He sits back at the table. "There are worse things that can happen. I've had to endure being forced into a singularity field before, which makes your whole body numb while you ragdoll. As for the creepy side, I met this one girl who had a father obsessed with cloning the perfect daughter. Turns out she wasn't lying she said he had absolutely nuts. She proceeded to blast him the length of a football field with biotics, which is comparable to entropy magic." Shepard remembers the main reason they were at the table. "Are we going, or are we sitting here for the rest of eternity?" He gets up and presents his orb.

[Snowy_One]

"We've been here, like, ten minutes. Heck, did you even sleep or did you just close your eyes and pretend?"

[A Random Player]

"My pride isn't 'hurt' so much as the fact that a creepy guy put a girl to sleep making her, you know, unable to respond! Heck, I'm a girl and I don't use sleep magic on other girls for the exact same reason. I don't use it on guys either but that's more because it's almost never practical and never seems to work on the people you really need it to."

Taking the last sips from his whiskey, Rufus now visibly drunk, blurted out "Maybe you need to get your mind off the gutter then, or are you just that afraid of someone popping that cherry?" Looking Thyme in the eye and cracking a smile, Rufus continued "Hard to imagine that considering 6 out of 7 people in this room have seen you strip in public."

[Snowy_One]

"That was a wardrobe malfunction! As in, because this place is not my homeland, for some reason despite having my gems and weapons, my clothes didn't come with me! Why, I don't know, but that's how things turned out."

[Moblin Major General]

Shepard grew red in the face. He may or may not have had forays of his own in taboo romance, but Thyme seemed a little young, and Rufus a lot drunk. "Hold your tongue, or your booze. She's a little young for that, and you know it."

[KentaEzren]

Genji ate slowly, thinking about stuff

[Snowy_One]

"What about you Genji? You are new here, so tell us a bit about who you are."

[eclipse]

Fennel buried her face in her hands. These guys are crazier than I am. "If you're that worried about going to sleep, especially in a public place like the middle of a fight, how the hell do you manage in a group setting in your world?" she muttered into her hands. "What the hell have I gotten myself into?"

[A Random Player]

Shepard grew red in the face. He may or may not have had forays of his own in taboo romance, but Thyme seemed a little young, and Rufus a lot drunk. "Hold your tongue, or your booze. She's a little young for that, and you know it."

A more sober, wiser Rufus would've stopped, but Rufus is drunk. And drunk Rufus doesn't back down. "The heroic Shepard to the rescue... You know what Shepard, I'm getting pretty sick of you. What do you say we settle this like men. Come on, bring out those fancy guns."

[Snowy_One]

"Hell it seems. Anyways, we don't use sleep magic when fighting in groups. It's... just not practical. The spells break if you do pretty much anything painful so even if you were willing to use it the spell in the first place the moment some idiot thaumaterge lobs a fireball their way anything positive about the effect is gone. It's only real use is casting it on unsuspecting targets that you can sneak around or want to get in close too without being noticed. There are simply better choices of spells otherwise."

[eclipse]

"Huh, how odd. The groups in my world will use any advantage whatsoever, in order to bring down their target. If it means putting something to sleep, to get a better angle on it, so be it. What matters is finishing the enemy - the clients usually aren't too picky about the methods." An old story came to mind - a particularly weak guild escaped a rough fight by putting their target to sleep and running away before it woke up. Whether that guild existed, or was a legend was hard to say.

[Moblin Major General]

Shepard wanted to see how Rufus fought drunk, but knew that if he actually fought at his best, Rufus would have the crap kicked out of him."You first."

[A Random Player]

Shepard wanted to see how Rufus fought drunk, but knew that if he actually fought at his best, Rufus would have the crap kicked out of him."You first."

"I'll wipe that smug look off your face." Says Rufus as he tries to hastily create a circle...? Rufus then proceeded to put his palm above whatever he just drew and produced a few blue sparks along with...nothing else.