Content Warnings:
-Sexual themes
-An implied suicidal reference
-Suicidal ref.
The world was grey and silver. There was a loud ringing, like a siren, blaring for people to hide or run away.
"(((Wake up, 'Mara))),"
Her eyes twitched.
"((wake up, 'Mara)),"
Her eyes opened, yet the world remained fuzzy.
(wake up, 'Mara)!"
Her vision began to clear. There was someone sitting in front of her.
"Wake up 'Mara!" she called out to her with a light tap on the forehead.
Her vision cleared. She was sitting across from the image of Carina Thomas.
She was different. Her skin was grey while her hair, eyes, and clothes were silver.
Despite Amara opening her eyes, the world remained grey and silver. They sat across from each other in an apartment like Amara's: messy, thrown together, papiers spread everywhere, the curtains closed so no one could look inside, and a single flower of cracked glass: a Geranium.
"Wh-where-,"
"Welcome back to this here realm of dreamin'," Carina greeted with a chuckle.
"'Rina…where…I'm-," Amara tried to muster, but she could only look down.
There was a carpet, but when she pressed her feet into it, it did not react. It felt like she was walking upon a glass floor with a carpet pattern.
A hand lifted her chin up, "Do ya feel guilty, 'Mara?"
Carina loomed over her. She pressed her arm against the wall and her head against it. Amara felt her long hair touching her cheek and her leg in between her legs.
"I'm-I'm sorr-,"
"(It don't matter)," Carina whispered into her ear.
Amara shook her head, a few tears forming in her eyes, "I-I let ya down, ya wanted me to listen to what ya had to say an' I...an' I-,"
"What did I say?" Carina urged, sitting on her and wrapping her hands around her, caressing her face.
"I'm sorry, I only-,"
Carina placed a finger on her lip, "I said what I needed to say, ya listened, an' I left. Why does it need to be anymore complicated?"
"I sold-,"
"Fer yer family. I'd understand that, right?" she excused, leaning in closer, her eyes narrowed.
Amara's eyes widened, "What happened to Lyn an' the others?"
"They're trying to hurt ya, 'Mara. Let them be,"
"S-sorry, I need to go," she exclaimed, taking a deep breath.
She dropped down and slipped beneath her. She shot towards the door.
"Where're ya goin' to go?" Carina asked, a warm, confident, and slightly terrifying smile on her face.
Chapter XXVIII
Lynception
AKT VIII
Amongst Giants
"OY BIG BOLTS! THERE AIN'T ROOM FUR YA ABOARD!" Lyn called out!
A MASSIVE claw reached for them. It was big enough to take hold of the island, and it was just one tree in a forest. The island couldn't steer away, there were too many out there.
Lyn latched onto the claw and pulled herself up. She rapidly cut at the claw, making it flinch.
Arturia manned the wheel, "There're too many…creepy claws, if she doesn't jump back on we're leavin' 'er! I ain't riskin' my home!"
"FIRE!" Arnold ordered.
The students and wooden soldiers fired cannons, pushing them back. They didn't just stop at canons though, anyone who could fired muskets.
Armina leapt up and CUT OFF a *single* claw with a white slash, "SCUM!"
"I'll be back in a wee bit!" Lyn responded.
The giant reached another claw for Lyn, slowly reaching for her. She was but a speck on its radar. It scraped across its arm.
Bow looked at it in shock, "Is she-?!"
"OY BIG BOLTS!" Lyn called out to the giant.
It turned its head, almost in disbelief if it could make an expression. Lyn was standing next to the claws, her scarf smirking and her left hand on her hip.
"WORK ON YER AIM!" she stated, placing her fingers on her head.
She CLEAVED through two arms at once! The Island was getting further and further, but she LEAPT all the way over.
There was a massive thumping in the distance. Taking a deep breath, she undid her power up.
The ship made an impromptu turn upwards as a claw reached for it. Lyn wasn't gonna make it.
"Ya IDIOT!" Armina called, sending out her wire.
Lyn sent hers. Their two wires wrapped around each other like the two had grabbed hands.
Armina pulled her close to the island. Lyn hit the back and hopped up like she were recklessly wall climbing.
"Two claws," she remarked, getting on board.
"Take this seriously, scum," Armina growled. "We only have so much time 'fore-,"
A silver light flashed throughout the realm. Everyone looked around in surprise and terror. Even the giants paused.
"It's happenin'…," Armina exclaimed.
"Don't worry Guardian, we still got time," Lyn assert patting her on the shoulder.
"Handle the wheel fer me!" Arturia ordered Arnold.
"Y-yes ma'am,"
Arturia rushed over to them and grabbed Armina's hands and flipping her hair, "Dontcha worry, we're gonna get Amara back. Arturia's Aborably Agile Army of Aces will get the job done,"
"This is why I just called it 'the Resistance'," Armina sighed and chuckled.
"Consider callin' it the Quint-A Team fur short. Has more pizazz," Lyn remarked with a snap of her fingers.
"(ooh, I should write-) timin' outsider!" Arturia called out, covering Armina's ears.
Armina grabbed her wrists, shook her head with a smile, then scowled at Lyn, "Least someone is takin' this seriously,"
Lyn walked over to Arnold, "Oy Devarced, d'ya think if I jump off from 'ere I'll die?"
"The name's 'Arnold' invader,"
"So the legends 're true," she exclaimed, sitting on the edge.
"Dontcha think y'all would be faster if ya jus' opened yerself a portal?" He questioned, his eye twitching.
"Hmm….guess," she commented, lighting a cigarette.
"NO!"
"I'll give ya a new nickname,"
"What a waste of time,"
"Bingo," she exclaimed, letting out smoke.
"That doesn't answer-,"
"Want a different nickname?"
"Uhh….yeah. I don't really like-,"
"I get it. Been strapped to a rough one meself," Lyn shrugged.
"Yer called 'Reaper'. That ain't a bad nickname,"
"It is fur me," she responded, letting out some smoke.
"NO SMOKIN' ON MY HOME!" Arturia called out.
"Gimme some time ahn I'll have a new nickname fur ya," she slouched, tossing the cig.
"'Re ya tryin' to empathize with 'r annoy me?" Arnold slouched.
"Guess,"
"Throw yer own funeral,"
Lyn chuckled, "now we're talkin' laddy,"
Arnold groaned, looking left and right, "Frick me…,"
They shook hands. In the distance was a grey light travelling down like a tower into the thick, green fog. They couldn't quite make out where they were going, but they had a good idea.
One of the giants ROAAARED! The silver travelled up its body. It started to shine just a bit. The other giants soon followed.
One of them lunged towards the ship. Armina leapt white and WHITE- she bounced off.
Lyn jumped forwards, giving a second power cut. She bounced off, but the claw flinched.
They pair landed. They looked at each other and nodded.
"Seven seconds,"
"EVERYONE WIRE DOWN!" Arturia ordered.
Arnold and Arturia switched out. The cannons quickly got ready as Lyn and Armina jumped up to the crow's nest, their weapons ready.
Six.
The enemy claws all lunged at them. The pair powered up and rapidly shot and cut to push the claws away.
Five.
The soldiers/students joined in, firing away to push the claws back. At the same time, Arnold reached the core at the centre of the island. It was a furnace.
Four.
One of the claws made it through. Arturia quick turned, avoiding a fatal strike. The claw only took one of the masts. Arnold began tossing as much wood as possible, sweat pouring down his face.
Three.
A giant shot a silver beam from its face. It would've wiped the ship out if it weren't for Lyn shooting it in the head. Arnold pulled a lever. It was stuck.
Two.
A claw grabbed onto the ship. It squeezed, causing cracks to form. Armina and Lyn quickly sent it back. Arnold pulled HAAARRRD on the wood.
One.
They were about to be crushed by a swarm of giant claws. Arnold KICKED the wall, pulling the lever, but breaking it in the process. Flames from within the island intensified.
Zero.
The entire ship was blanketed in flames. The claws flinched as they got close.
With a MASSIVE spin, Arturia forced the ship into a barrel roll!
It SSSPUN, dodging a claw. Lyn and Armina undid their power ups, slumping down and holding onto the crow's nest. All of the canons and muskets fired out, causing the giants to flinch.
They SHOT through the arms like a shooting star, darting all around to avoid getting hit. They SSCRAAPED against one of the giant's arms. Remnants of the island broke off.
Arturia shuddered, but pressed on.
Giants shot beams their way. With a spin, they darted through them getting giants to even hit each other. They were almost out, but still a ways off.
"ARNOLD!" Arturia called out.
Arnold rushed out the core. He held on for dear life as the ship continued to spin!
"I can't turn this darn thing off!"
"What!" they all exclaimed.
"We're gonna have to land!" Armina called out, looking her in the eyes.
"R-right!" Arturia exclaimed, lowering the island as it started to deteriorate.
Beams and claws shot downward, reaching for them. They were slowing down.
Lyn glanced at Armina and nodded. Armina groaned.
They wrapped their wired around each other. Armina flashed white and THREW LYN UPWARDS!
With both wires, Lyn SHOT up a giant's arm. She slowed down, so she placed her fingers on her head.
She LEAPT upwards, grabbing onto the giant with both arms. The beams and claws were getting close!
She wrrrapped around the giant's head with the TWO WIRES! She gave it MASSIVE KICK AND PULL!
The giant's beam was redirected! It missed the ship and instead came CUT through the other giants!
---
"We're clear!" Arturia exclaimed, going downwards.
"But Lyn!" Bow exclaimed.
Looking up they saw her. She pulled herself up atop the giant's head and DOVE! She spun around, doing tricks like she were highdiving at a pool. She spun, she rrrapidly cut at he giant's face, causing it to flinched and go back.
She looked at the island and gave a two finger salute before diving into the darkness.
---
Lyn crashed down onto the ground. She smirked as the giant crashed down behind her.
"Heck yes,"
Dusting herself off, she got ready to head out when she glanced at the giant carcass. She cut off bits of its armour and mask. From them, she made makeshift gauntlets and boots with little openings for her fingers.
She made a zenkutsu-dachi stance and PUNCHED the air. The grey fog was pushed out far and the ground itself cracked.
"Now we're talkin'," she remarked.
...…
The island laid down on a hill in the fog. It was completely charred. Arturia wandered around the island, looking at it with a sombre expression.
"Hey," Armina called out. "It'll regenerate,"
"But what if we don't come back fer it? What if the nightmare stays strong ferever an' we miss it?" she asked, hovering her hand over the burnt walls.
Armina grabbed her hand, "I'll bring yer home back, just ask,"
Arturia blushed and smile, "ma hero,"
---
Arnold dropped to the ground, kissing it excitedly! Bow looked around.
They were on a hill surrounded by fog. The hill had grey grass, a bench, and a statue. The statue was 365.76 centimetres tall if it stood straight, not counting the stand it was on. It had a head like the Drescher masks, but it wasn't a mask, it was a full head. It was long and thin, like the giants, with long, sharp claws, and talons for feet.
It was a wolf ready to punce. It was hunched down, glaring at whoever looked up at it, and canine teeth laid bare. Unlike a wolf though, its claw weren't on the ground, but to the side.
All the students and soldiers walked around it with unease. Arnold eventually got up off the ground and sat in the bench, completely unfazed by the statue.
"D'ya think she'll-,"
"She'll be f-,"
"I'M FINE!" Lyn called out.
"See," Arnold shrugged.
Everyone turned towards the fog. Lyn walked out, her ruler broken.
"Scum, yer alive!" Armina called out, getting off the ship and reaching out her hand to help Arturia down.
"eh, I've endured worse," Lyn shrugged, arms spread.
"What now?" Bow asked.
Lyn's regenerating ruler pointed towards the faint, silver light in the distance, "Armour up, we're going fur high stakes,"
She pointed towards Arnold, "Jukeboxer, can ya bring music?"
"Uh…in theory," he shrugged, sitting up.
"Good," Lyn smirked, "I work better with music," {reference to the Netflix Devil May Cry}.
"Aintcha an assassin?" He questioned.
"Guess," she responded, treading forwards.
The army got ready, their rulers, muskets, canons, swords, etc. Everything was ready as they marched into the fog, while Arnold carried a small-ish jukebox on his back.
---
The shell to the Nightmare Realm shattered. Taipan entered.
The giants all lunged at her. She dodged their claws and lunged back.
To Be Continued...…