Expedition to Autunno Keep [PLOT] Day 2 - Nightmare (MATURE CONTENT)

Nodding, she would slowly release her, saying in a rather truthful tone, as if she is trying to prove that that she sees her as a friend, "If anyone makes you sad or says you are different in a bad way. Tell me and I will break their legs for you." Though after that she rubs her eyes, nodding once more and heading back to the bedding area.

"I'm just going to see how the others are, see if maybe it was just us that ate the bad food and gave nightmares!" Melissa said, as she began looking to see who else seemed to be awake and potentially might have had a nightmare.

It seemed Ms FAF (Faunus Aren't Fruit) was awake, though from her current angle Melissa couldn't tell what she was doing. Though if she had had a nightmare too, maybe it really was something they all ate, but if not it had probably been coincidence. Maybe that video Aoife and Melissa had been watching.

Approaching Ms FAF, Melissa spoke softly in order to not surprise the girl, "Did you maybe have a nightmare last night, Ms Faunus Aren't Fruit? I think there was something in the food giving people nightmares, me and Aoife both had one!"

Still shaking in place, Viola considers ignoring Melissa completely, but answers anyway. "Ye... yeah, I did. It was not the food though. Now leave me alone."

Instead of moving with Melissa over to Viola, she would instead look over at Leo, seemingly blaming him for the Nightmares as she tries to act her usual self despite her mind being broken still, "Oi. Tin can. You can't go around drugging people with your emissions, if you think for one second I will let you give me nightmares without me saying anything you have another thing coming. And don't try to act like you are asleep, robots don't sleep as that is a human thing to do, possibly faunus and animals too."

Nigrum looked at the Ursa as it walked towards him slowly, saliva dripped from it's mouth. His body shook with each of the Ursa's foot falls, or perhaps he was just shaking himself. His arms lay limp and broken next to him, destroyed by those he had worked for unable to move them both due to the pain it would bring him. He turned his head and looked at the Panther driven through his stomach, the eyes shone a deep red, one not caused by the use of dust. It shone for the hatred the weapon had for him. He gave a small chuckle that resulted in pain, the thought that he was betrayed by all that could betray him, even his own weapon.

The arms on his hairs stood on end for a moment before he felt a cool liquid strike his arm. He turned his head and was face to face with the Ursa. His eyes widened as he looked at the grimm. It was different than before, when he was training with his team. He had been fearless then getting up close and personal with the Ursa, but now his body was shaking with fear. He wanted to punch it. He wanted to roll away from it. He wanted to stab it, to slice off it's head. He wanted to do anything than stare at it knowing his death was coming.

He tried to clench his right first as the Ursa let out a low growl trying to decide where it wanted to start. He kept trying as it looked down his body before looking back at his head and licking it's lips. "come on" he muttered forming a fist and swinging with all his might through the pain to punch the Ursa in the face.

* * *

A dull thud sounded as Nigrum's fist struck the stone floor just a few feet in front of his face. He shot up right throwing off his sleeping bag and holding his hand "$#@&!" He exclaimed. His hand was in pain from the full force punch he had delivered to the floor. His body was cold and wet, he had been sweating. He slid his left hand across his stomach trying to find the hole where the Panther had pierced him. The Panther! He thought and turned his head to look at his weapon, still laying on the floor next to his sleeping bag, the eyes still in their normal Dull yellow color. "a dream" he said said, "no, a nightmare, but it was so real. The pain, the area. It was as though I wasn't actually here."

He looked around the room keeping his right hand by his body, two of the girls, Viola were all up. The beacon staff looked as though she were awake but he couldn't be sure. Nigrum thought of the Ursa in that he had seen, a shiver went through his body as the smell of it's breath filled his nose. He placed his hand on the sleeping bag, soaked. He sighed and got up, it would be no use sleeping on a soaked sleeping bag, and he also didn't want to encounter the Ursa again.

No... Yin tried to yell as he watched in silent horror, NO! Mother! Father! NOOOO! He clutched at his gut as the Deathstalker's bloodied stinger pierced his gut. He spiraled into darkness as the nightmare unraveled around him. An infernal voice spoke to him, and he tried to scream, No! You're wrong! Mutt, Freak, Keeb... STOP!

"NO!" He screamed as his head shot up. He looked around frantically, seeing only a dark room. He was slumped against the wall in the main chamber, and he figured he must've fallen asleep there. He wiped sweat from his brow, trying to shake the horrible dream that had wracked him. It was so....real.... Yin cradled his head in his hands. That...wasn't just a dream... His mind was in turmoil. I...don't... He flinched as a tear dropped from his eye. Mom....Dad.... He clenched his teeth as another tear fell from his face, onto the cold stone floor. Why...

”Huh? Not the food? What do you think it was then? Some sort of evil power emanating from this place?" Melissa giggled at the ridiculous thought,

Isabelle:

Outside of the nightmare, Isabelle showed no sign of waking up.  She lay still in her sleeping bag, save for the occasional twitch.

As people began waking up, Leonius didn't take notice at first. Just Kirkka rubbing her head. Aoife arising amidst a burst of energy. Melissa rising more or less how he would think was normal. But Aoife immediately buried her head in her knees. Viola's sleeping bag was shaking as she curled up. Melissa mentioned nightmares to Aoife, and they walked off.

He had felt a faint, familiar presence in the night, one that often had accompanied his father, and had been blissfully remembering happier times, but these occurrences were starting to form a pattern even his organic brain couldn't ignore.

He was piecing together what he knew so far when Aoife glared at him, looking up and meeting her gaze as she slung an accusation and reminder of his condition he was in no mood for. "Your mind is as lacking... as your chest... Aoife..." He narrowed his eye at her. "My reactors do not offgas any psychotropic... compounds... nor am I as careless... as you regarding the safety of others..." He slowly rose, looking down at her. Before he could say anything else, Nigrum shouted, followed quickly by Yin. He looked to them, concerned, before Melissa's joking comment provided the final link. "... Something like this... is not chemical..."

That presence from the dagger...

He shoved past Aoife, approaching the red-haired woman. "KIRKKA!! Where is... the dagger!?" He caught Isabelle twitching on his sensors, and shot another look at Viola.

This was bad. This was very bad.

Leonius. Kirkka opens her eyes slowly, Leaning against the wall in a siting position, Kirkka opens her eyes slowly as she looks up toward him. It is no doubt he will be displeased by the news. But there is little choice in the matter. I'll just have to devise a way to obtain the dagger and disable it, hopefully avoiding another such event as before. She doesn't speak for a moment, as its clear she is considering her options. "Remain calm. The dagger is elsewhere, for now. I see you figured it out already."

She stretches her arms upward, before leaning to the side and pushing herself up. Her bag containing the dagger is on the floor next to her feet, while her weapon is still on her back. Upon looking up at Leonius, she shifts her gaze to his armor, observing it. Control. I hope he can maintain control. I am not in a state to fight... that.

"It'll be found. There was little way these events could have been predicted. It will be found, and then I, will decide what is done with it. Clearly the danger is far greater than anticipated. As expected when exploring new things." She calmly smiles afterward, before stretching her back and arms once more, and looking around the room at all the others as they wake up in various states.

Looking rather close to spearing Leo in the back, she would crack her knuckles before walking over to Viola and Melissa, saying rather nicely to them, "Considering appearances, I would assume you had nightmares. Want to discuss them? I am sure Mel over here has already said what ours was, or is about to."

He was about to question her, interrogate her about what she did with the dagger. But then she mentioned that it would be found. She does not have it. "Tch," He glared down at her, his right fist clenching as his voice dropped into a low hiss to keep their conversation quiet. "... You bring this upon my classmates... in your ignorant fumbling... and you expect me to trust... your further judgement on this matter?" He looked back at Isabelle, hissing softly. "This is why... my people do not trust Barbarorum... with Aura weapons!"

He froze as he realized what he said.

... But he did not apologize, merely staring down at her. "... Seeing the others react... this is the first time... my chemically-induced insomnia... is something I do not hate... Be grateful for it... I cannot guarantee you would not awaken... to the Titan of Steel in control... of this armor..." He turned, crossing his arms as he looked at Viola, taking a deep breath seeing her suffer and fighting back his desire to go to her and check on her. He made it easy for himself, and kept his attention on Kirkka. "... What did you dream, Kirkka Scarlet? Everyone who slept... save Melissa... has awoken visibly disturbed... This Dagger... is assaulting their very souls... I suspect yours... did not escape unscathed... Shall you continue to blunder forth... uncognizant or uncaring... of the danger? Or shall you listen... to counsel freely offered?"

Sparing a glance at Melissa, Viola scoffs before replying shakily. "I know for a fact it wasn't the food or drink. For one, I haven't eaten a single thing they provided, and for two, I am immune to all poisons, drugs, and hallucinogens. Now seriously, piss off."

Turning away from Mel, she stuffs her face back in to her pillow, but not before catching two distinct scents... One, vomit... from the bathroom, no doubt. The other, though, was much closer... and much more worrisome.

"Hmph, fine, be rude to people trying to be nice and friendly, then you get to be left with all the other grumpy people who did the same!" Melissa said, turning away somewhat angrily and returning to her mattress to munch on some candy. (And by some, I mean handfuls at once)

"Why do I even bother..." Melissa grumbled as she walked away, "Ever since I've got here, my kindness has been almost constantly brushed off by grumpy people..."

Kirkka's smile fades at Leonius' words briefly. Regardless of your words toward me, interesting that you are so aware of such... weapons. Her eyebrow raises slightly as he pauses, but says nothing once he begins speaking again.

Her facade returns to her face as she begins to speak. "My dreams are of little concern to you. However, I would gladly hear your..." She spreads her arms, as if motioning to the others. ".. or anyone's council. Knowing what others are thinking is always helpful. Especially when that information is from someone of such... prestige, Leonius Decimi Regulus, Patriarch of House Decimus." The tone of her voice, combined with the light bow that followed and her smirking face leaves a sense of mocking hostility. But it is diminished as she regains her smiles upon completing her short bow, and turns to her things, reaching down to pick them up. "But we should discuss these things at a better time. "She looks toward Melissa and Viola, but not hearing their conversation. "After all.. your classmates may still be in danger, and that appears to be something of value to you. "Her voice is sincere, with no malice or deceit. She appears to be showing concern for the others as well. "Care should be taken during these next days, on everyone's part. Yours, mine, and the others. This is hardly the time to debate past decisions."

Collecting her things, she stands once more, directing her attention to someone behind Leonius. "We should first ensure that everyone is well, then obtain more information from our hosts. Do you agree?" While her question was directed toward Leonius, she didn't look at him, simply looking toward Aoife and the others near her.

Walking over to Viola's bedside, she would crouch down and look at her with a Glare, "You don't have to be such a Shrew. She was only trying to be friendly, what is more than what can be said for me if you continue acting that way towards her. As for yesterday, you said you wanted to talk to me, do you still want to or not?"

Nodding to acknowledge Aoife, Viola keeps her head covered but replies anyway. "I am sorry... Kind of. She should have left when I first told her to go away. As for talking... maybe, but probably not here anymore. The nightmare I just had is replaying through my head over and over. Luckily for me, every day is part of my own nightmare, so I can still act kind of rational. If you could tell Mel I'm truly sorry, I'd appreciate it."

As she's speaking to Aoife, she keeps inhaling that concerning smell, wondering who had caused it.

Rolling her eyes, she would give a rather gentle hit on the back of the head, saying somewhat condescendingly, "Oh boo hoo. Your life sucks, cry me a river. It's called sucking up and continuing without a care for what happens. If you are going to be a liability, then why be on a team? It is a duty to keep those that rely on you alive, anything short of giving everything is cowardice and deserves you to be put down like a dog." With that she would use her other hand to pull her sword out of the sheath slightly, making a small hissing noise.

Sliding her head away from her pillow and out of her sleeping bag, Viola glares at Aoife before responding. "You're a cold bitch, Aoife. How about you try having the image of your family burning etched in to your brain, or a nightmare of the person you once had feelings for tearing someone else you care about limb from limb, constantly playing in your mind. If you even lived an hour inside my head, you would want to kill yourself. And for the record, I never wanted to be on a team, so how I'm meant to act does not matter to me."

Smiling at the reaction, it wouldn't reach her eyes, still looking soullessly down at Viola, her hand automatically letting the sword slide back away, "That's more like you, the wench who thinks she is better than everyone because they apparently put up with so much more than them. Try having burned your family to death, then forced because of a certain ****-faced staple to strip, be laughed at by your friends and made to do their every whim with no single bit of control over your own body. You think that I wouldn't survive an hour in your head? You wouldn't last a minute in mine."

"Seven. Years. I've watched the scene of my family dying over and over in my head for SEVEN YEARS. You had one frelling nightmare. Do I think I'm better than a lot of people? Sure. Do I think I'm better than you? Maybe in one or two areas, but not overall. So unless you're actually interested in getting to know the real me, I would honestly appreciate it if you let me be, Aoife." Is Viola's response, her voice dipping to a whisper at the end.

"If I wasn't willing to hear you out, do you really think I would have stayed talking to you this long? Though you are rather testing my patience now, even with the augments of Melissa trying to get me to be nicer to you and your little pet. Now if we are going to get any further in this conversation than discussing how broken in the head we are, then I suggest we start now." Despite this, she would reach forwards and Grab Viola by the neck, bringing her close up to a few inches from her face, "I would suggest you choose quickly, as I said. My patience is getting close to its limit."

Wriggling out of Aoife's grasp, Viola sighs before responding. "Look, I am sorry for how I acted. Being so far from my own humanity makes acting nice kind of difficult. At any rate, the things I want to discuss are not even remotely public, and can be said at any time. What is important right now is finding the cause of the nightmares. At least four of us had one, though it's very much possible we all did."

Nodding as she gets up, she unsheathes White dragon and immediately swaps the sword for its Spear form, twirling it around as she says, "Very well..." Afterwards, she looks for Melissa, saying loudly to her, "Mel. Going to patrol and practice somewhere safe, no way I am getting back to sleep after that." Afterwards she walks to her bed, grabs the Media player what she had allowed to be used for the night and starting to walk off, still twirling the spear.

As Aoife went off to go patrol and practice (Melissa was guessing she just wanted to be alone, and practising was just something she could do while being alone), Melissa went back up to Ms FAF, a little shyly (Or at least as shy as Melissa could get. Which is to say not very.)

"Umm... Sorry about that... I shouldn't have... Well, I don't know what I did, but I guess I shouldn't have done it, sorry!" Melissa said, not wanting another person to get too mad at her, especially one that seemed to be a potential friend. At least temporarily. Her friendships were always temporary.

Waving off Melissa's apology, Viola smiles slightly before responding. "Don't worry about it, really. I was the one being a bitch. In the future though, at least try to listen to me?"