I can feel the madness slowly creeping in...

[cityship]

It is that time again, meatship.

Once again, the King of Nightmares has deigned to spread his touch to all of your dreams.

This time, however, he has decided to give them a much more personal touch, sending his very own children to visit each and every one of you, slowly sowing the seeds of madness within all of you.

Such a kind and loving king he is, isn't he?

[ooc: Alright folks, Nightmare King is ramping things up a bit. These nightmares are a good bit more dangerous now, and he's sending in his minions to make things a little more real. The nightmares will be of a much more serious nature this time, designed to start driving the crew slowly insane. Characters are more likely to run into nightmare minions in the guise of someone or something that will tug at the edges of their sanity. Also, this time, the characters can have joint dreams, as these nightmares are of a more mystical nature this time. Once again, tagging in isn't mandatory, but if you want to, go crazy (literally)!]

[Additional Note: Any injuries won't be carrying over to real life at this point in the plot but don't worry, we'll get there eventually!]

Comments

[browncoatdevil.livejournal.com]

The ground moved and shifted beneath feet as the Alliance birds flew overhead dropping their payloads of bombs behind the lines of the Independent forces that were holding the Valley. It was night on Hera, somewhere the world hopefully peaceful as the war raged on in the more populated areas. Above them the sky was alight with fires burning or bombs going off cutting out the precious view of the stars. Gwen glanced up once as the roar of an Alliance craft swooped down the Valley close enough to spit at strafing the ground with its twin mounted guns. Quietly she cursed to herself as the craft continued on back behind its own lines only stopping to draw a breath as she looked down at the team behind her.

It was the worst situation a group of soldiers could be in. They were pinned down by machine gun fire stuck behind rocks that were barely big enough to crouch down behind. Beside her Gabriel laughed as the bullets ricocheted off the Earth above their heads. "You honestly think this is such a gorram comedy scene, funny man?"

The dark haired, blue-eyed Captain beside of her just shook his head. "Funny? No. Convenient? Maybe. Gives me a chance to have a moment with you, băobèi. I mean. Perfect way to celebrate our engagement eh?" Gwen snorted slightly giving her lover a wry smile as he leaned forward motioning Williams their way. "Give us covering fire. I want to get as many people outta here and back to our company's position while their heads are down. Leap frog it."

Williams nodded before moving back down the line. "Take the first half. I got the second." Looking down at her rifle the red head smiled back towards Gabe, checking to see how many clips she had left and counting how long she could keep them going. Enough to last, for now, if they did this right. When he started to protest she leaned forward pressing her lips to his. "Don't argue. Do it. And move like bùyào mìng de sùdù, zhàngfu." As the sounds of rapid rifle fire kicked in Gabe was up and moving, pulling his half of the small squad back moving toward the next largest group of rocks they could get to.

Gwen turned her head just in time to see Williams go down in a splatter of blood. It only took her a second to watch as the backup stood only to find himself going down as well. Cursing loud and long the Lieutenant rounded with raised rifle spraying covering fire toward the Alliance troops who were coming their way. A feeling of a hand on her shoulder found her Captain back at her side trying to pull her with him. There wasn't time, he yelled in her ear, they had to keep moving. They were the only two left at the line that was going to break.

Lowering her rifle as his hand slipped to hers they ran. She found feel her heart pounding in her chest as he drug her behind him dodging bullets as they nipped at their heels. They were going to make it. They were actually going to make it! Ahead of them their squad willed them faster yelling words of encouragement hoping to light the fire under their feet. Until the sounds of projectiles sinking in to flesh found her falling forward as Gabriel fell. Rolling to a stop she barely found her fingers still touching his, swallowing her pain as she scrambled toward the bleeding man on the ground.

Carefully she scooped him up in her arms, her body shaking from head to toe, as he coughed causing blood to form on his lips. "No.. no no no no no. Gabe. Băobèi- stay with me. Please.. stay with me." He raised his hand pressing bloody fingers to her cheeks leaving traces down dirty skin. "Please.. Gabriel.. please..." She paid no attention to anything else around her- not the explosions, the people shouting, the approaching Alliance soldiers or the bullets close to them. It was more than a nightmare. This was worse.

[youngsoldat.livejournal.com]

He started out alone again. This time in rocky, wooded territory - it vaguely reminded him of descriptions he'd heard of Italy or seen once or twice in France. But it was too dry, too rocky to be the Russian steppe. North Africa? Away in the distance he could hear gunfire, see explosions. Always just out of reach or beyond sight. Still, he moved towards the sound of the guns, half-crouched, moving at a steady pace. He would have to find someone, wouldn't he?

He wasn't that surprised to find himself back in his uniform, carrying his rifle and field equipment, grenades stuck into his belt and boots. He moved forward at a crouch, ducking once or twice as something large swooped by over head. This couldn't be real. Where was he? What was this? He tugged his steel helmet a bit lower, moving forward through the fire and steel of the battlefield.

Spent bullets pocked the ground around him and ahead, he could see figures. Some dead, some dying. Others scurrying back and forth. And just there, two figures, one bent over the other. A wounded comrade? He could tell - this was his side. He belly-crawled forward under machine-gun fire, trying to make out their faces in the dim light.

"Achtung!" He hissed, before blinking, startled. A woman? The man she was desperately clinging to was hit badly and unless someone got to him very soon, he would probably be dead, "Medic!"

He reached out to tug on her sleeve (a strange uniform - brown coat over civilian clothing - partisans?), "You cannot stay here! You'll be dead in a minute if you do!"

He popped up, squeezing off a round into the darkness. As he fell back to his belly, he worked the bolt with a distinct 'click-clack as he chambered another round.

[browncoatdevil.livejournal.com]

There were no medics. There were no supplies. The Browncoats had run out of what little they had earlier in the week after the first few days battle. It was day six or seven in what the Alliance had said would have been hours as they 'waltzed through Serenity Valley.' Surely they were eating their words just as the Browncoats were eating their shoes. Gwen watched as the man shook violently a few times not able to form words as blood bubbled up from between his lips. She let out a cry, loud and long, as that mischievous light that had always been in his eyes faded away as if someone were ripping her heart out.

Seconds that felt like hours passed before she felt the tug at her sleeve. Words she didn't know fell on her ears like the sounds of everything else around her. When Gwen looked up at the youth she didn't even pause to question the odd uniform that he wore. Be dead in a minute? It would be better wouldn't it? "I ca-can't just leave him here..." came her choked reply. Reaching up she smoothed the dead man's hair back that was mud caked and dirty from his face. "It wasn't supposed t' be like this. He wasn't supposed t'... You stupid, stupid liú kŏushuĭ de biăozi hé hóuzi de bèn érzi, Gabe. Stupid.. stupid man.."

[youngsoldat.livejournal.com]

If Erwin knew that, he might have made a blithe comment about Stalingrad. As it was, he simply popped up, fired off another round, trying to keep the advancing figures from closing in on his position. He ducked again, turning back to look at Gwen and her dead companion. He clenched his teeth together and shook his head as he watched the man die. Another one gone. He'd seen far too many go like that.

He scrambled over and shook her by shoulder, "Come on! He's dead! Beyond help or suffering. Either way, we can't take him with us and it wouldn't help him anyway...! Come on, do you think he would want you to die here?"

He didn't question the strange language, just gave her shoulder another tug, "There will be time to mourn later, for now fight to live!"

[browncoatdevil.livejournal.com]

Men in black armor with purple belly armor were within eye range the woman gently shifted the man back to the ground. Reaching up she carefully uncliped one of the tags from about his neck shoving it in to a pocket on her belt making sure the clasp was tight before leaning over to kiss his cold lips one final time. But something wasn't right here. Hadn't she done this before?

Gwen looked back up at Erwin feeling the tried blood pull at her skin as she talked. "Zài-jiàn, ài rén." Reaching for her rifle, Gwen moved to where she was poised on the balls of her feet pointing toward the direction they had been heading. "We.. We need to go that way. Lines are falling faster than we can do anythin' 'bout.."

Something wasy way off with this. But what she couldn't put her finger on it.

[youngsoldat.livejournal.com]

Erwin popped off another round. Two shots left in the chamber. He turned, watched her retrieve the dead man's tags and nodded wearily. This felt far too familiar, even with the strange uniforms and armor. He nodded, listening to her instructions. He pointed, "Go back ten yards, I'll cover you! LEt me know when you're ready, then you cover me."

He nodded and slipped a grenade from his belt, preparing to pull the priming cord, "Ready when you are!"