Dream Dive Nightmare

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Dream Dive Nightmare

~Steam City~

SteamCity.jpg

The skies colored grey not with clouds, but exhaust, steam, smog. Tall buildings reach beyond this industrial fog, stretching to the clear sky above. The city is vast, with winding roads, alleys and underground sewers where steam rises. The buildings are made of brick or metal with tall glass windows. The people, Inventors, can be seen riding fashioned bikes or carriages as they go to and fro through Steam City. Robots fill the streets with the duty of keeping it safe and clean.

~Carnival of the Dammed ~

Carnival.jpg

A place where the sun never reaches and the darkness is lit up by bright strobe lights, music and rides. Freaks, tall and short, humanoid and beast, fill the streets sharing their unique talents and wow the crowd. Life fills the air as does laughter and fear. The Carnivale has a way of tempting newcomers, but not in the most welcoming ways. The things that take place here are not for the faint of heart. The Carnivale is truly the heart of Nightmare.

~The Sea~

Sea.jpg

Home to the pirates, these beloved violent waves wash up to a Cliff-side town adorned with Venetian like houses and buildings. Underneath the beautiful bayside and exciting taverns lies a darkness—many residents don't go out after dark as the night is run by pirates, masters of the slave trade. Here is where these ocean dwelling barbarians leave their ship-mistress and find new cargo: unsuspecting residents or visitors.

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~The Sea~

Salt; it was heavy in the air as a blanket over the Sea. The cooing rush of waves, high winds whistling through the flags and poles. The bright blue crack of dawn illuminating the horizon. He breathed it in, felt it hit his skin, whatever was in the air held promise for the new day approaching. The plans for the day were to find new victims for the slave trade, as they'd received a rush of buyers and merchants recently. The first-mate felt alive, felt ready. He could take anything on that day. He heard some of the early birds on the Flying Mirage begin early morning banter and turned on his heel to begin orders until his Captain made her appearance.

The lookout was alarming the crew they were nearing the shores of the town built against the Sea. Raiding the town first thing in the morning always, without fail, led to an interesting evening. It had been a few months since they'd shored up. He was eager to hit the pubs and find new prey.

~Carnival of the Dammed~

Thump. Thud. Thump. Thud. Harsh beats rocked the glass of her watery bed. Deep in the middle of Carnivale, located in the main tent, was her sanctuary. A place where the lights, the laughter and screams, the scent of popcorn and sweets could not reach. Inside the murky tank she would sleep, cozily curled up at the bottom in lukewarm water. It was the various beats of music that woke her from her rest. Her crimson eyes glowed in the gray water as she rose to the surface. The air tasted of mildew. Her fish-like lips opened, sucking in oxygen before she gripped the edge of the tank and hoisted herself up, tentacles smacking against the glass. There was no need for a towel as she rooted her feet to the ground, squid limb writhing against the touch of dirt.

She couldn't recall if she was to accompany Cenota, her dearest friend, to Steam City or not, so to be safe she found her chain-mail bra, corset and Victorian-esque rave skirt. Usually she wore no bottom clothes and only the chainmail top or strength, fluorescent mesh raving top. The she-creature bore perfectly smooth breasts—no nipples or anything that could be offensive to the under aged.
Dressed to venture, if the Ringmaster so wished it, she could easily travel to Steam City. Maybe cause a little madness?

Leaving her tent she smirked at her fellow freaks, her kin. Something was in the air that day.


~Steam City~

Colors, lights, energy, it all rushed past him like his was hitting water hard, plummeting into a deep grave. Images of his life flashed through his mind with a flicker making him tighten in pain. He couldn't scream, couldn't go back, couldn't grip his head; there was no way to calm the pain, no way to escape. Instead of darkness enveloping him, it was a burst of light and that electricity pinched all over. He wanted to cry out, but nothing. Where had his body gone? Why could he not curl in tight and scream? It was like he was being electrocuted and then crushed… Finally he was screaming, writhing and rolling—right onto a wood floor.

The speeding lights had vanished and now all that ran through the boy's mind were horns and the cries of trains. His blurred vision fought to figure out what he was staring at. A metal… ceiling? It reminded him of a warehouse structure but in better taste. He sat up only to endure that zap through his head again. This time he could grab his head and hold it tight. Where was he? Was this… the Dive? He thought he would be creating the world around him?

Something moved at his butt and jumped—not strong enough yet to his feet—but onto his knees. There was nothing there. It happened again and he glanced back, gasping. Something was stuck to his butt. He reached back for it, chasing it. He grabbed the fluff with a pull and yelped—it hurt, it was attached.
 
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> Trouble was something Cenota would not tolerate, or at least trouble he didn't plan. His Carnival a place where one could indulge in simple pleasure and be awed by wonders that had never graced their sight before. It was hard to be awed when there was a knife pointing at you, even one that was kept in such pristine condition. It was a sight he would imagine being commonplace somewhere like the Sea, perhaps even the grittier sections of Steam City, not his Carnival.
It was petty from every angle. It was petty that one man needed four of his friends to back him up as he while he harassed a young woman, they were petty for agreeing to do this, it was petty that he had pulled a knife on her and he was vile for doing this in front of a child. Cenota briefly wondered what this man could be using for flimsy justification when he noticed the woman's tail. A reality where your worth was judged by how obscure your appearance appears is a tragic one. The Carnival was a place of purity away from that mindset. It was not tolerated here.
Cenota was debating how to go about resolving the situation when he saw an all too familiar figure approaching from behind him. A few of the more naive snakes gave loud hisses of welcome, despite her being too far away to hear. There was only a moment of debate before he turned, raising his hand and several of his snakes to get her attention.
"Nexus. Please come over here and help me resolve an issue." He called out softly, wondering if she would notice him or if he would have to call again. He did manage to attract the attention of one of the troublemakers, his confidence vanishing as fast as the color from his face. He was quickly informed his friends of Cenota's presence by letting out one of the shrillest, high pitched screams Cenota had ever heard from a man. While his snakes let out hisses of annoyance Cenota smirked slightly, certain that Nexus would notice him now or perhaps more accurately the still screaming man behind him.
 
She stared at the ceiling of her small little home. She rarely did otherwise. She had just woken up from a long nights sleep, and everything was silent, peaceful. Suddenly, the sound of her stomach growling broke the silence. She got up, slowly making her way to the kitchen. As she scanned through the cabinets, she cursed, her tail flicking in agitation. She was extremely low on food, which meant before long, she'd have to go to the marketplace to get more. "Now or never, I suppose... Grabbing her wallet and house keys from the counter, she shoved them in her pocket. She slipped on her boots, and wrapped a scarf around her neck. Grabbing her gun, which was, as always, loaded with three silver bullets, she opened the door and took the first step outside she had taken in weeks. The smell of the sea hit her, and she breathed in deeply. She closed the door, locking it behind her, and set off to the marketplace.
 
How does...it hap...ha-happen? Where does it appear? Ruviet ghosted past the other freaks as her vision grew blurry. The open and ripped fabric of her copper top gave her a flowing appearance as she wandered. Her worn, tanned boots moved silently over the dry soil, her hands clenched tightly at her sides in agitation. She wandered through the tents and around the platforms or props used in the shows. She dropped her head as she went out the back and stumbled over a small rock. Ruviet raised her dulled eyes to the grey clouded sky and sighed. "How come no one can see me?" She began to walk the usual route which zigzagged through the tents. Someone would call out to her occasionally but she ignored them. There was this strange agitation in her being as if something was off about the environment. Her skinned tail twitched beneath the black lace of her skirt.

Ruviet was quickly lost in her thoughts as she wandered until a scream woke her up suddenly and violently. She clenched her fists as the flesh began to pulse. There was an outsider on the grounds! She cursed as she ran forward, not truly thinking before doing so. There was trouble on the grounds and someone in her family had been hurt- that's all she needed to know. She would get there...eventually.
 
Dear God. What the fuck am I doing here? It was dark. It was always dark. He kept hoping that the sun would rise eventually, but it never did. Sanguine stared out at his adopted world from between the bars of a cage. The questions he asked himself almost every day. It had been three years, and yet he still wondered. He was human, for the moment. He wore nothing but a pair of simple trousers, and even those were a bitch to find because of his size. And for the fact that he usually destroyed most things he owned, especially his clothes. There was only one thing that he would save, and it was buried somewhere that no one could find it. He hoped.

He rubbed his chin, the bristles of an unkempt scruff chafing against his hands. Lor didn't normally keep a beard in Reality. Melinda didn't like beards... Of course, in Reality, he didn't care much what anyone liked or didn't like. Especially Melinda. A long hidden shame twisted in his gut. He wanted to forget the fighting, the drinking, all of his mistakes... But they were so numerous that he could never quite remember Melinda as, simply, his Wife. Well, ex-wife, I guess. Sanguine rolled over on his side, throwing an arm over his face, a flimsy attempt to shield his eyes from the blinking lights of the Carnival and the blinking eyes of those who gawked at the man in the cage. It didn't remedy his hangover at all, and he groaned. It was that precise moment that someone began to scream. And scream. The shrill noise burrowed directly into Sanguine's migrane.

"WHAT THE BLOODY FUCK IS THAT GODDAMN NOISE?!" The latch on his cage burst open with the force of his kick. Later, he would remind himself to find a new one, and maybe a good padlock as well. But now he only focused on destroying whatever that noise was coming from. The gawking bystanders scurried off like a pack of mice in Sanguine's wake. He found the bastard easily. There wasn't much time to asses the situation. There was a girl. There were four men. The vein in Sanguine's temple bulged. He had a soft spot for women.

Sanguine fell upon the noisemaker in a rush. He backhanded the man, before following with a swift kick to his diaphragm. He probably wouldn't make noise again. He didn't check to see the damage he had done, because it was that moment that he heard the all too familiar hisses and tiny breaths of a head covered in snakes. Sanguine turned away from the broken man, and glanced with a hint of embarrassment at Cenota. "I... Uh... Oops."
 
~Carnival of the Dammed~

Finding her boss should be no trouble at all—considering he stuck out like a sore thumb—but his short stature played against his distinguished features. She heard Cenota from within the shuffling crowd and moved quickly in a skirt of velvet and tentacles. Panic wasn't a good word for it, but perhaps anxiety; it filled her when she heard more than just her boss beckoning her over the music and laughter. Screaming, and not the fun kind. The material slowed her, feet burdened by the tight swarm of tentacles around them. Cursing, Nexus lifted the skirt and dashed in a blur of limbs. New screams filled her ears. Not many had seen her extra limbs move on land.

However, despite her speed, she wasn't fast enough. It was like watching it in slow-motion, the beast of a man tear from his cage and charge through the crowd like viper through grass. By the time she'd reached them the force the beast had eradicated the problem. It took her only a moment to assess the situation, and Nexus, being a creature free from sympathy or mercy, thought the solution just. Her boss the on the other hand…

"Master Cenota…" She breathed, looking from Sanguine to Cenota, her crimson orbs intrigued. Would he have the beast punished? They had an iron maiden for such occasions, but she wouldn't agree locking Sanguine up. He'd done a good thing. She wanted to give him a giant, juicy steak.
 
Eventually was indeed the word, for by the time she got there it seemed the excitement was over. Ruviet stood staring at the downed men in disbelief then looked around to see if anyone was hurt. They seemed fine. Her eyes scanned the somewhat disheveled man standing before Cenota. She squinted her eyes and tried to force his name into memory. Sewin? Sorine? Sargeant? She shook her head. His face was unmistakable, however, and she knew him to be the beast she often saw when wandering aimlessly around the carnival tents. Sanguine. That was his name. It was fairly unusual to see him outside of his cage when there was no show.

Ruviet looked back to the men lying on the ground and spat. Disgusting! Why did he have to show up when she finally reached them? She clenched her fists but steadied her temper. The Master seemed fine- however one would determine that- so she settled for thanking the beast later.
 
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> Cenota wouldn't admit it but he was still trying to figure what had just happened. One moment he had been waiting patiently for Nexus to while the man screamed, the next there is a blur and the harsh sound of bones cracking. Cenota looked down at the crumpled body before turning his attention towards Sanguine, who was nervously awaiting Cenota's response.
"If you acted like that under any other circumstance I would be sending you back to your cage with a few new scars on your back yet right now I applaud your quick reaction to that potentially dangerous situation, I am certain that this young lady feels the same." Cenota said, nodding his head in her direction.
"Unfortunately we only have one of these criminals here with us now. Ruviet, I want you to go and find the other four. Once they are, oh lets use the word drowsy, take them to that alleyway behind the Meat-tender and let him handle them from there. I have faith in your ability to handle this task swiftly and effectively. If you do your job well enough I may even consider inviting you on my trip to Steam City." Cenota said before dismissing her with a wave of his hand.
"And Nexus, I hope all of this excitement hasn't spoiled your morning. I trust your nightly rest was refreshing, was your tank cleaned? I couldn't remember whether I got someone to do that but by the time I was doubting myself it was far to late to go and check." Cenota said as his voice took on a rarely heard casually friendly tone.
It was only then that he realized he had momentarily forgotten his duties. As he turned to begin his apologies, briefly wondering how many free meals and ride tickets it would take to repair there trip, a voice was already speaking. Surprisingly enough it belonged to the young girl who was peeking out from behind her mother's leg.
"Thank you for helping us mister, you made those guys run away really fast. Course they weren't anywhere near as fast as you when you were running. I heard you yell and then you were right there, giving that guy the taste of the back of your hand. It was amazing, do you do stuff like that a lot?" The girl babbled on, his voice surprisingly chipper as a cheeky smile spread across her face.
 
Kate walked along the edge of the big tent, her glasses covering the only part of her face not shadowed by her hood. She disliked all the flashing lights, and she had no idea where she really wanted to be now. She just wandered along, hoping to run into someone, anyone.
 
~Carnival of the Dammed~

She couldn't have chosen a better candidate herself for the finding the remaining criminals. She knew she certainly didn't want to cross Ruviet on a bad day. Sanguine would have worked, too, but the chances of the three men surviving was a mere ten percent with him as their huntsman. It was going to be a shame not witnessing their capture; Ruviet in action was always a pleasure. Nexus turned to her Ringmaster. So they were going to Steam City, and that made putting on the skirt not a waste of time after all. Human clothes really weren't her thing as she preferred allowing her extra limbs to be free and squiggling.

Someone caught her attention, someone who seemed out of place. Carnivale's population was either here for fun or work. The delectable idea that they might have a Newcomer in their midst was all too amusing. Nightmare wasn't for the faint of heart. Nexus could only imagine how this person would react. She didn't know where they came from or how they got there, and didn't care, as long as they were here, they belonged to the insane world of Nightmare.

Looking back to Cenota, she softly shrugged, "It could have been worse. But it seems we have a Newcomer. I say we give her the welcome of a life time." A wicked, wide smile pulled at the corners of her mouth, crimson orbs glistening.
 
Kate felt like someone was near, she just felt it, but she kept her pace the same. She didn't really know if she wanted to approach them. It seemed...Different here. As she thought of the possibility of someone else, she shook her head. She hadn't seen anyone since she'd gotten here, however long that was ago, and she didn't think she'd see anyone now, but she called out anyway. "Hello?"
 
When she reached the market, she looked around for the booth she always went to. It sold bread, fruits, vegetables, and fish. As she chose what food she planned on buying, she happened to glance away at the sea. Are those... Pirates...? ...Wonderful. Sighing, she paid for her food. She walked over to a nearby bench and sat down, surveying the crowd. Typically, she wanted to always stay home, and hated being outside. But, today, she relished the fresh air, the salty sea breeze. Placing her hand on her gun, just in case, he continued people watching.
 
"Oh, her? She hardly seems interesting does she?" Cenota said with as his lips curled up into a sneer. Newcomers always had some level of interest, especially when they would babble off about strange things like fast food chains or places like 'Denmark' or 'Turkey', yet this one was different. The comical sense of disarray they usually showed when faced with their new surroundings, and at times new appearances, was not there. She was acting just like one of the hundred other teens who snuck to the Carnival. Avoiding the crowds, glancing around for fear of running into someone who knew them, nothing he hadn't seen countless times before.
Cenota noted the eagerness on Nexus's face and let out a reluctant sigh. "I suppose if you see something there I will just have to trust your eyes." he said in a mildly joking tone before he began to stride towards the newcomer, his snakes letting out loud hisses of excitement while a few of them pondered what she might taste like. As he drew closer his snakes hissed louder and the girl grew more nervous, she called out to no one in particular. Perhaps she played the role of the lost lamb better than he had originally anticipated.
 
Ruviet's eyes glistened as her previous haze vanished. She darted away in search of her first victim. Lucky for her Sanguine had not gotten to all of the intruders. She moved silently through the tents with cat-like agility. Her eyes were wide and alert, allowing her to catch sight of her first victim despite the distance between them. There was a man hiding behind the animal's tent. She could only see the back of his head but no one in the carnival would be carrying around a knife so conspicuously. She struck quickly, slamming her morphed palm into the back of his head and knocking him unconscious "Master Cenota's direct orders were to take them to the Meat-tender's. If I move quickly then I can go with him to the city." She threw the man over her shoulder and went in search of the other three.
Victim number two was found trying to blend into the crowd. She ignored his pleas for his life to be spared when she pulled him away behind the food cart and slammed the back of her hand into his face. She hoisted him onto her other shoulder then went by the Meat-tender's to drop them off. The next one she found attempted to put up a fight. He held up a dagger in his defense as she walked slowly toward him with one of her massive hands out stretched. "I'm not afraid of you!" he shouted, pointing the dagger at her. Ruviet spat at his feet, startling him, then slammed him into the ground with one hand. She scooped him up and threw him over her shoulder. She took him to the Meat-tender's then set after her last victim.
It had been about five minutes since she left the master's side. "I only have another five minutes at the most." She moved in and out of the tents with a new energy. She found her last victim harassing one of the performers inside her tent. She knew this woman to be inclined to bowing her head instead of fighting back. He had easily overpowered her and had her pinned up against her make-up dresser. Her eyes darted toward Ruviet's and the man looked back- wrong idea. She back handed him and sent him flying outside the tent. The performer thanked her as she wiped the running make-up from her cheeks. Ruviet nodded then went to pick up her prize. She left him outside the Meat-tenders then returned to where the others were waiting. About seven minutes. I hope the Master forgives me.
 
Amenia heard a yelp, and woke from her slumber. What in the name of all that was good and decent was it? She bolted upright, letting her wings whip outward, and soared upward to find a furry something on the floor. She soared upwards a little more, unable to think about what was going on, or what the thing was. Upon looking closer, she found it was a familiar. She let out a slight sigh, yes, it would help her out some, but at the same time, it would be extra work. It was going to be baggage she didn't need, but a companion. She rolled her eyes and flitted downward, so she stood in front of her familiar, and stared down onto it.
 
She heard the sound of snakes, then saw a shadow. Her hand immediatly went for her knife, but then she remembered it broke. She took a step back. "Who are you?" Her voice quit shaking with fear, but sounded more curious.
 
"Uhhh....." Sanguine stared down at the tiny face babbling at him. The smile she flashed him was like a sucker punch straight to his heart. She reminded him of... "Yeah. Sure. I do that a lot." He rubbed his hands through his beard again, suddenly embarrassed that he was only half dressed in front of a little girl. He crossed his arms over his chest. Brushing his tongue along his teeth to make sure they were still, well, normal, he smiled at the girl's mother, wondering if she had come from the same world as he. He longed to speak of movies, music, anything really. But instead he nodded at Cenota and Nexus and trudged away. The vein in his temple was still throbbing and the corners of his vision were clouded red. He knew Ruviet could handle those other assholes.
 
Ruviet paused as she made her way back to the master. She raised her hands to touch her face as they were now returned back to their original state. They still pulsed warmly against her face. She turned to see Sanguine walking by a few feet away. "Oh..." As annoying as it all was she did say she would thank him later. He had not stopped her fun after all so forgiving him was easy enough. He was kind of like a brother to her. Everyone in the carnival was like her family. Though she had not familiarized herself with them beyond helping with background things and occasional conversation, they were her family. Ruviet ran after Sanguine but stopped herself short. She had to get back to the master first.

She went back along her way even faster now, afraid that he would lave her after all. Upon reaching the spot, where she slid to a smooth stop, she saw a girl frozen by the master's gaze. She did not seem familiar yet not a threat. Ruviet stalked up behind her. "Who are you?"
 
~Carnival of the Dammed~

Seeing Ruviet return and approach the Newcomer from behind Nexus knew the dreadlocked maiden had completed the Master's orders. This made the she-creature of madness smile as she stepped forward, arms spread wide and hands open. The flashing colorful lights appeared all over her body as she exercised her camouflage gimmick. The tentacles coiled and stretched from underneath her velvet dress, the chains wrapped around her waist clanged with a gritty chime. "Welcome—" She stepped forward in one fluid motion, "—to the best show in Nightmare. Any of your wildest fantasies can come true here." Sharp teeth gleamed behind her grinning lips. There was so much to show her, so many frightening, wonderful things. Would she survive it was the question? And then, there was another curiosity, and that new wonder popped in her head and she turned to the Ringmaster, "Master Cenota, who will be in charge while we're gone? Sanguine? Or will he be joining us?" The other possibility was that Cenota would leave no one in charge. It was hard to say. That was another reason she loved to follow him—he was unpredictable, controlled chaos.

~Steam City~

There was a flash of color and movement and suddenly he was staring up at a girl floating in the air just before she landed. So this was what Dream Dive was like? But he had never decided to become a… dog boy? He had never envisioned a place quite like this. How was this supposed to be a dream? Facing each other, he realized the girl was much shorter than him. She had to be around only four feet tall. Who was she? A guide perhaps? And why did he feel this magnetic pull towards her? It was like he was supposed to be standing there with her, but who was she?

"I, uhh…" he fidgeted, leaving his black fluff of a tail alone and raised his hands as if she had him at gun point. One of his pointy ears flicked with a spasm he'd never experienced before. "Who are you?"
 
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