bridgescribble | The Nightmare meme

You're having a nightmare, and you aren't alone. Someone is here with you in tonight's strange, dark dreamscape--for better or for worse.

Chased: Bears, tentacly monsters, giant vengeful wasps. You need to escape from it but you can't find a way.
Trapped: Elevator, sinking ship, cave. You're in and you can't get out.
Performance: It's often quoted that people fear public speaking more than they fear death. You don't know the script, you've never seen this Powerpoint, the teleprompter is blurry as hell... forget falling, you're about to die on stage.
Hated: You know those dreams where everyone you know accuses you of something terrible and they all hate you now? Yeah. It's that one tonight.
Disaster! You're on an island and a volcano erupts! You're next to a river and it floods! Never mind how geologically, climatologically, or physically likely it would be in this location in real life, it's happening now.
Haunting past: Your bad memories are just waiting for you to let your guard down, and what's more unguarded than sleep?
Wildcard: There are infinite nightmares in infinite combinations... why not put together your own?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

((Wanted to use my 'Eat'-keyworded icon, but thought better of it. XD))

[When the Malgam finally stands again, there is no more glitched hesitance - while Hopper1 still refuses to fully give in to these feelings, it has been crying, tiring itself out under the strain of not being able to move, or exert control over the Malgam.]

I must confess, my Lord... while he was delicious, something about it was... lacking. What do you recommend next?

[Lacking? An interesting response... But it was only just created. Makes sense it continues to hunger and wishes to feed more.]

How about this?

[Geryon's ring shines, creating homonculi of the rest of Hotaro's allies. Rinne, Spanner, Renge, Sabimaru, Minato too.

They all express either shock, anger, or fear over the malgam depending on each of their temperaments. They again look, sound, and act like their real counterparts but are not them.

Perhaps that is what is lacking? Another experiment to try then, see if these ones don't satisfy the malgam either. And if not, find a way to get the real deal...]

Do you think this will satisfy you?

[A devious glint is visible in the Golden Malgam's partially-obscured eyes.]

I wish to chase them, my Lord. To luxuriate in their fear.

[Even as that fragment that is still Hopper1 panics and despairs further...]

[A glint of his own forms in Geryon's eyes. Now that will be fun to watch.]

To chase them you say...? I can grant you that.

[With a snap of his fingers, the homunculi are granted the ability to move. They begin to run away, since these forms are powerless. Making them completely vulnerable. But the fear is very real.

Giving the malgam the perfect subjects to chase.]

[Them not having powers is a good compromise; enough to maximize the despair, without 'victory' feeling too... simple, in other words. Spanner gets taken down first, in a defeat almost a mirror to how its Dark Malgam self took him down in the real world - only, the locusts don't just stop at knocking him down.

Renge, then Sabimaru (savoring his screams especially); Rinne, and then Minato for last, even when the latter tries repeatedly to defend the younger-looking homunculi.

Locked away, Hopper1 starts to feel itself become numb to it all - even horror and disgust become harder to sustain as the feasting continues. It is simply too tired.

But it knows how wrong this is, still.]

[Geryon watches every single moment with great interest. Even though they aren't the real thing, he still takes much enjoyment out of seeing each of the homunculi that were created in the image of his enemies meet their ends.

He wonders just how whatever little of the chemy inside the malgam feels. He wishes to know how broken it must feel to witness the deaths of several homunculi shaped in the molds of each of it's friends.

If it was ever going to fight back, it would probably be too late for it now. It must be so devastated after being forced to witness all this...

Which is exactly what he is hoping for.]

[The Hopper1 Malgam looks up from its last kill, tilting its head curiously at its master.]

Is there something you wish for, Lord? Something else you will of me?

[Hopper1 itself, meanwhile, still only wishes it could block this out. Or apologize, despite this being a nightmare, it was still wrong to- even to have happen.

It is overwhelmed, and tired.]

[Geryon has been quite satisfied with what he's seen so far. Everything from this experiment has been what he's wanted and more. So much more.

But one more experiment can never hurt.]

I wish to see what your prowess in combat is like, my creation.

[With a twist of his cube one more homunculus is formed. This time it takes the form of SteamHopper. Which is of course to rub more salt in the gaping wounds the chemy inside must be suffering from.

The homunculus is stanced, but won't move until the malgam is ready to fight.]

[Internally, what's left of Hopper1 to protest manages a whine of despair - briefly forgetting itself, it attempts to push against its bonds, only to be pulled down once more.

The Malgam, meanwhile, seems quite interested at the prospect. Sure, this fight naturally couldn't happen... but its performance here could please its master further.

The Hopper1 Malgam draws itself up into a ready stance, holding its locust-horde in reserve for later.]

[Knowing that the malgam is ready to fight from its stance, the homunculus runs forward and prepares to strike.

Meanwhile Geryon watches intently. His eyes focused on the two as the battle is about to begin, and intrigued at whatever the results of this experiment might bring forth.]

[Ultimately, it's not much of a fight - the homunculus is far more likely to pull its punches than the Malgam is, after all, and the latter is also at full strength.

Within, Hopper1 curls in on itself, wondering when any of this will stop.]

[As the fight goes on longer, the homunculus' efforts are but for naught. It's clear who the victor would be. Knowing this, Geryon raises his hand and it stops in it's tracks. He's pleased with what he's seen.]

You've done well my creation.

[But there's one more thing he wishes to do, though with not the malgam itself this time... but the chemy inside.

His eyes glow red, and suddenly he's talking directly to Hopper1 within. Who can hear his voice echoing within clearly.]

Having fun in there? Because I've been having a wonderful time with this little experiment.

[The Malgam takes a step back, tilting its head once more curiously-

And then Hopper1 is addressed directly.]

Hopperper.

[Tired as it is, it can only barely manage to glower at him, subdued and suffused by that red glow. What does he even want?]

Edited 2024-07-28 13:11 (UTC)

[What Geryon wants is just nothing more than a victory lap for him. He's indulged so much in his latest experiment tonight. Savoring and enjoying the fruits of his latest creation, and knowing the spirit of the chemy inside is completely crushed.

Things went much better than he ever could have expected.]

The Nightmare meme

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