The 9th Hour... (Phase 1: Sept-Oct Event)

[central_librarymods]

The cold presence is seeping in through the dark shadows. The darkness is reaching further, brushing the minds of the patrons and opening doors to dimensions that should not be open. Something wants in. But in the Central Library, there are ways to get through without crossing entirely… through your dreams. Among other things.

Pick one of the options below and make a post for other patrons to join you in the events. You may make up your own, but keep it matching the event at hand as the different phases of the event will progressively get worse.

1. Your dreams are getting dangerous, violent even. When you wake up, there are bruises and injuries that shouldn’t be there. What is going on? Why are your dreams becoming a reality little by little? And why is it getting so hard to wake up?


2. Things are shifting in the Library. The shadows are moving and the temperatures are starting to drop. There are cold spots that sometimes get colder and sometimes it feels like if you turn around, you’ll find someone right behind you.


3. The monsters are looking a bit more frantic and daring to come closer to the center of the Library where they normally will not tread. It seems you aren’t the only ones scared of the dark recesses any longer.


4. The Market is now a lovely little faire of the early Renaissance with all sorts of fresh grain, fruits and vegetables! It is a brilliant sight, but it seems the ominous plague masks they don still gives a foreboding feeling of the miasma that killed over two-thirds of the world’s population… Perhaps you shouldn’t wander very far.


5. New areas are now opened up. A blacksmith and workshop for the tinkers has been created. You might want to look or contribute... You might also want to stop in the new bath area. The large pool has a Grecian feel and all of the walls are made of crystalline glass where the stars are always shining with a different universe in constant succession.


6. Wild Card: Make up your own scenario. Just remember that all of the things above are happening. Things are getting foreboding and growing stronger by the day. Sleep will be a luxury you might not have… You may not see what’s coming, not yet. But you know it’s coming.

Comments

Bruce Banner l At the Baths

[wearebothangry]

Bruce relaxed in the hot water with a soft moan. The water felt so good on his aching body. He hadn't been getting much sleep lately and he was hoping the heat would relax him enough he wouldn't dream. He wasn't sure it was going to work. He slowly drifted off leaning his head back on the head rest.

I thought I'd leave conversation or dream up to you

[likeagerbil]

The baths didn't appeal to Steve as much as they would have a few years ago. Water was something he tolerated but immersing himself on purpose wasn't something he felt comfortable with considering the nightmares he'd been having lately. Even if the water was warm, the idea made him shiver.

But that didn't mean he wouldn't spend time at the baths. As long as he wasn't in the water he'd be fine. Anyway, someone needed to act as lifeguard. Occasionally he hummed snippets of songs from when he grew up and things that he'd picked up from the past few years.

Re: I thought I'd leave conversation or dream up to you

[wearebothangry]

Bruce is half asleep when Steve's humming eases into his dark dreams and he starts awake with a gasp and a bitten off word in another language. He looks around wildly for a second before he settles on Steve and calms down slightly. "What were you just humming," he asks carefully.

[likeagerbil]

That was not the reaction that Steve expected from his humming. At least Bruce can't change into the Hulk here since he isn't sure what kind of nightmares his friend might be having lately. But it wasn't something that Steve really would be afraid of even if Bruce could change. He wouldn't hurt Steve but he might need someone to talk him out of tearing apart the baths.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." The question about the humming caused Steve to pause and think threw which songs he'd gone through. "Some Andrews Sisters. Some instrumental stuff that Natasha suggested awhile ago. Probably some Led Zepplin." Yes, he listened to the stuff that Tony played in the workshop; teasing Tony about it was just part of their usual games. "Some of the songs my Ma used to sing to me when I was sick."

[wearebothangry]

Bruce calms down more. "My mother used to sing to me too," he admitted, "just whatever tune popped into her head and was loud enough to cover up other noises." It was a rare moment of openness for Bruce which he would admit happened because of his dream. "I was just dreaming about her actually, her and the Avengers."

[likeagerbil]

Steve had an idea about what 'other noises' might be. Not everyone in his old neighborhood had been as kind as his Ma or Bucky's mother. There had been things going on that had been frightening for a little boy and from what Steve had seen in Bruce's files his friend had lived through them. "She used to sing lullabies and songs that I think were Irish. Sometimes it was things we heard on the neighbor's radio.

"Your mother and the Avengers? I wouldn't think you'd dream about them at the same time."

[wearebothangry]

Bruce smiles sadly. "In my dreams lately I keep seeing my fears. And one I've always had is....what would happen if the Hulk ever got out of control to the point he killed the people I loved. Just like I was helpless when my father murdered my mother."

[likeagerbil]

"That's a normal night for me." Or it had been until recently but nightmares were so common for Steve that he hadn't seriously thought about them. Now, he couldn't help wondering if something else was going on. He'd ask the other patrons later. Bruce was more important than gathering information on what might be happening in the Library.

"Bruce, that's not going to happen. You know that the Librarians won't let you change while you're here." It was one of the best reassurances he could give. "And outside the Library, even when Wanda got into your head, you didn't hurt us."

[wearebothangry]

"But it could," Bruce says, "My anger comes from a dark place Steve and darkness has a way of getting out when you least expect it. I am my father's son after all."

Have a Russian Beauty

[msromanoff]

Natasha had wanted to try the baths and had even found a simple black suit in the marketplace. She paused when she saw Bruce, unsure about whether or not she should disturb him. Squaring her shoulders, she quietly slid into the water, not wanting to wake him, just content to let him sleep. Getting to watch him was a bonus.

[wearebothangry]

Bruce was sleeping lightly and lost in the same dream that Steve had woken him from earlier. He heard his mother singing to him softly and wordlessly as he woke from a Code Green to see his friends and loved ones ripped apart. He was standing in what seemed like oceans of blood as his father, wild and horrible reached out to him. "Look what you've done," the older man cackled, "look what he's done?"

Bruce shook his head in his sleep and mutter "No, no," over and over again. In the dream he reached down and touched the nearest Avenger, which happened to be Natasha. "Tasha," the sleeping Bruce moaned, "Tasha no...I didn't."

[msromanoff]

Natasha was content to watch him sleep, that is until his sleep became troubled. She waded the short distance to where Bruce slept, and she wordlessly took him into her arms, holding him lightly to her body. "Ssssh Love, it's okay. I'm okay," She finished in her native Russian.

"You could never hurt me... you love me, as I love you."

[wearebothangry]

The Russian sinks into Bruce's brain and soothes him slightly, but not enough to ease the darkness of the dream. His mother appears covered in blood and reaching out for him. "Bruce...why did you hurt us...why? What did we do to hurt you." He swallows hard and reaches for her. "I didn't...mom please I didn't mean it. I'm trying to be better....I don't want to hurt anyone." His mother reaches out and slides a bloody hand down his face and jolting Bruce awake. For a second he can't move and then a familiar scent sinks in. "Tasha," he says as he reaches up to wipe blood off his face, "why am I covered in blood?"

[msromanoff]

Natasha wiped at the blood dipping her hand in the water. "I don't know but you scared the shit out of me," She shifted slightly, so she could look at him more fully.

"Are you all right?"

[wearebothangry]

Bruce shifts in the water and blinks trying to center himself. "I was dreaming," he said, "I've never bled during a dream before...I mean there has been blood in them...but this is weird."