Dreaming Wide Awake [Fourth Wall/Open]

[revenancemods]

Who: Everyone! Current characters, fourth wall characters, whoever wants to show up.
What: The portals are closed. Everyone's in Traverse Town, including a whole bunch of new people. This should be interesting.
Where: Traverse Town
When: Throughout the day
Warnings: Depends on the characters. Expect language at least.

You didn't expect to be here. You really didn't. The technicolor buildings are a surprise, as is the little white flying bear telling you you're in the dream world. He gives you a bag full of what looks to be currency, enough shiny things to create a creature of your own (or so he says), and sends you on your way.

Good luck.

Comments

[elementofloyalty]

Rainbow had put several feet between her and the weird thing out of prudence and caution and definitely not fear, but when it didn't attack or anything, she started to creep closer again.

"You're a what now? No offense, but you look sort of like a mixture between a seal, a monkey, and a baby dragon."

[lessabrasive]

Rainbow Dash's reaction is certainly the direct opposite of the last few pony arrivals. That said, Lin would be the last person to disdain caution under such circumstances. The owl had at least backed off, settling instead atop a lamppost to glare at Person and pony.

Lin shrugged, not quite able to picture how she looks like a combination of those three creatures. "And you look like a cross between a ostrich-horse and a blue jay, but I'm not about to hold that against you." Not that either species has multicolored feathers, but Rainbow doesn't need to know that.

"Do you happen to know anyone called Rarity or Pinkie Pie? Or perhaps Celestia or Luna?"

[elementofloyalty]

This line of questioning brought Rainbow up short (and up a couple of feet). "Of course I know Rarity and Pinkie Pie, they're my best friends! And the Princesses are -- they're the Princesses." She had no idea what an ostrich-horse was, so she assumed the weird human thing was just kind of nuts.

[lessabrasive]

Rainbow Dash could keep such assumptions to herself, thank you! "And all four are also present here in the realm of dreams. I'm better acquainted with the two Princesses, but you'll find Rarity at her boutique one district over."

She paused. Lin honestly wasn't sure where Pinkie Pie lived here, exactly. That one was something of a law unto herself.

[elementofloyalty]

"Wait, wait, hold up. The Princesses are here. And Pinkie Pie and Rarity. But not Applejack, Fluttershy, or Twilight?" That just -- that seemed so wrong. Bad enough that some of them had been here without her, but for the six of them to be separated like this? That was just.. wrong!

[lessabrasive]

"People are brought here through sleep. No one knows the criteria for selection, but both your princesses have been here many months. Pinkie Pie and Rarity have been here a shorter span."

Frankly, not having the whole pony gang doesn't bother Lin. She didn't know them - and Rainbow Dash wasn't precisely making the best of impressions. As it was, Tanzanite chittered helpfully at the pegasus - look, he gathered your dream pieces! You should make your spirit now!

[elementofloyalty]

"Huh?" Rainbow looked sidelong at Tanzanite, then down at the pile of figments. "Oh, thanks..." She blinked at them in confusion. The bear thing had given her some speech about how to combine them but she'd been too busy to give its words much thought...

"That's a pretty cool pet you've got there."

[lessabrasive]

The owl ruffled his feathers, before resuming his glare from above at the blue pony as she complimented his spirit-sib. Tanzanite wasn't half as intelligent as him! Some people simply didn't know a good thing when they saw it.

"He's a pricklemane. He's one of the four different spirits you can create by combining all of those pieces together." Lin folded her arms across her chest. "If you end up stuck here longer, you may find additional pieces to create other kinds."

[elementofloyalty]

"Oh! That's what that... bear.. thing was telling me about, wasn't it." She hadn't been paying too much attention, although considering the circumstances, that might be forgivable. "...But I already have a pet!"

[lessabrasive]

Very forgiveable. Lin's patience isn't terribly long, however, though Rainbow has a while yet before getting on her last nerve. "The moogles are oddly generous in that way." One of the few and only ways, in fact.

"Spirits are companions, who will fight with and for you. More than simply a 'pet'."

[elementofloyalty]

"Against Nightmares, right? I'm guessing that's a little more literal than I originally thought, huh." Bad dreams didn't trouble this pony (that she would ever admit).

[lessabrasive]

"Quite a few things are, here." Lin sighed, before nudging her pricklemane with her foot so he'd back away from the pony's pile of stuff and things. "These fellows are called Spirits. The Nightmares tend to dark colours and red eyes. The friendly ones, like Tanzanite here," the pricklemane burbled happily, "are called Dream Eaters."

[elementofloyalty]

"I bet Tank would fight on my side if I taught him how. I bet there isn't much here that could stand a good clonk on the head from a flying tortoise." Despite her mutterings, Rainbow began trying to put the figments together as if they were some sort of jigsaw puzzle. "I hope somepony's taking care of him while I'm stuck here -- waaagh!"

She stumbled back, falling onto her flank, as the figments abruptly came together in a flare of light. When it faded, another Pricklemane stood where the figments had sat moments before.

"Whoa!"

[lessabrasive]

"It would seem you have a pricklemane of your own."

Tanzanite danced in place at once, clearly delighted to see that Rainbow Dash's new friend looked just like him. Lin merely folded her arms across her chest, and tilted her head to one side. "They look alike to start, but their personalities show up very quickly. And you can obtain paints to change their colours as well."

As for Tank: "This is a dream. When you get around to waking up, you'll be back where you last were. No time will have passed for your flying tortoise to miss you."

[elementofloyalty]

"Pricklemane, huh?" Rainbow peered at her Spirit, scrutinizing it closely. "Okay, guy. I'm only gonna accept a pet that's awesome and cool, so you've got a big task ahead of you to please me. Let's see what you've got."

The Pricklemane obligingly bounded several feet away, then planted its tail in the ground. Using that as an anchor, it flung itself to the limits of its reach, then began to spin like a wrecking ball!

"Whoa!"

[lessabrasive]

Tanzanite made an approving sound at the demonstration.

"Is that 'cool' enough?" Lin asked, rolling her eyes while the pony wasn't paying her any heed. The pegasus must be young, for such things to take such an overriding consideration, but given the other spirit's display, she likely got what she was hoping for. "It'll be loyal to you alone, but spirits will help others if told to do so. I believe Rarity also has a pricklemane."

[elementofloyalty]

"Are you kidding? That was awesome!"

Delighted, the pony swooped in to catch the Pricklemane as it slowed its revolutions, then tossed it happily up into the air. "I'm gonna call you Rex, because you're gonna wreck those Nightmares!"