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Zaberial's voice was soft, with a definite Russian accent. His breathing was loud, and his eyes seemed to stare Raz down like he was memorizing what the Psychonaut looked like. Carefully, he stepped back and held up his hands in the universal 'I-don't-want-to-fight' gesture. His expression was scared, but his face had a friendly look to it.
"You're related to Lili?" Raz asked in disbelief. Zaberial's eyes were similar to Lili's, sure, but that was where all resemblance ended. Then a light switch flicked itself on in Raz's head. "Hey, your first name is my middle name…"
Zaberial blushed bright green suddenly and blurted out at lightning speed, "I didn't mean to it wasn't my fault I swear I never went into Mom- I mean, Lili's brain and I don't even have any mental powers so don't throw me in jail and I can explain everything and-"
He was cut off because a second creature had suddenly pounced on him. It could've been his twin, except it was a lot bigger, black in color, and had three eyes. With a snarl, it shoved Zaberial over the edge of the catwalks. A loud 'oh SHIT!' could be heard from the semi-human as he fell. Below, there was a sickening thud. The black, orange-eyed creature turned on Raz just in time to be hit with a ton of psi-beams. But instead of turning human, as Zaberial had, it just laughed deep in its throat and charged at him.
Raz's shield just barely kept the thing off of him. His heart was racing as he tried to figure out what had just happened. Then, he realized something that made him stop his shield in shock: Zaberial had called Lili 'Mom'. Unfortunately, before he could further ponder that thought, the black creature had picked him up in one sharp claw and chucked him through the air. Raz let a yelp before landing within the confines of Lili's mind. Except… now the censors were gone. And there were fluffy orange clouds everywhere that were solid enough to land on and stand in. They stood motionless, making them look unnatural.
Standing up in a cloud was just weird. It felt like there was nothing solid under his feet, which caused his body to panic even as his mind registered that everything was okay. Trembling, he noticed a sharp pain in his ribcage and looked down. The black creature's claws had cut three light, smoldering gashes into his side. Raz wished Sasha hadn't made him give up his Dream Fluff. He took a deep breath. Okay, so going back into Gloria's mind without a plan would be suicidal. That meant exploring Lili's mind was the only real option he had left. But where to start. The nightmare holes, the doors, the strange blue kangaroo type thing jumping around- wait, blue kangaroo?
Raz turned invisible and levitated down to where the blue kangaroo was jumping around in circles, screaming out words in Russian. (Raz would've bet money that they were swearwords.) When he tapped it on the shoulder and turned visible, the kangaroo smiled and bowed.
"Ah, you must be the exterminator," she – yes, it was a girl – said, tilting her head a little. "You are late, you know. Master Miss Lili's memories are running amuck. If they are not put back in her chamber– " here she pointed to a bright orange door that was upside down and attached to the ground. " – Then I fear for their survival. The memories are already growing weaker. And the nightmares! I've worked ever since that horrible accident of Master Miss Lili's in Moscow to keep them in check, and after the events in Mirmy, St. Petersburg, and Vutok, I thought I could handle anything, but they just broke loose! There's so many of them I never even knew existed! Oh Lord, how do I even DESCRIBE the way the lab damaged her doorways? They used to be in some kind of order Master Miss Lili understood, but they are all jumbled now! She won't be able to think if this continues!"
"Calm down," Raz told her firmly, placing a hand on her furry shoulder. "I'm her boyfriend and a Psychonaut. I'll help her no matter what. But where should I start?"
He was asking rhetorically, of course. That didn't stop the kangaroo from replying, "Her memories are most valuable to Master Miss Lili. If they are not put back, she may lose them. I've already put seven back, but there are four more running around her Nightmare Village."
Raz raised an eyebrow in shock, "Nightmare Village?" True, Milla had a nightmare room, but a whole settlement of nightmares was inconceivable, horrific. How could anyone manage their nightmares that well if there were so many? It shouldn't have been possible to have that many nightmares in the first place.
"It's through the orange and black door," the kangaroo told him and she turned clear and vanished. "Please, hurry!"
Then he was alone. He rubbed his eyes, then his temples. This could not be happening, he thought with a sigh. Then, trembling a little, he turned and opened the door to Lili's Nightmare Village.
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Dammit, people! You're giving me next to no time to write the chapters before you demand they be published!
-falls over- God, I'm exhausted. Two chapters in twelve hours… you guys better write happy reviews! I'm sorry this chapter is so short. I'm running out of ideas.
