-Interlude- Bubby, not Bubby
"Springing the lock on the gate, you enter the aqueduct network. An arched tunnel, 15 feet across and 15 feet high, is constructed of stone blocks and resin coated timber. A cobbled stone walkway, thick with moss, allows passage alongside the waterflow. You appear to be alone in the chamber. It doesn't seem as if you were followed as you drag the corpse of Bubby the orphan through the gate and secure it again... So maybe now you can tell me who you are and what the hell you're doing here? Did Keith invite you?"
Bubby the orphan lay dead on the stone floor, his murderer already transforming into a brand new Bubby.
"Shut up," Not-Bubby said angrily, "you're an anomaly. You shouldn't even know that I'm here. You shouldn't exist!"
"I shouldn't be here, are you serious? This is my table! Also, who said you could play that fairy race? Whatever that is doesn't exist in my Faerealms. So, either quit messing around, or pack up your illegal-Faelien ass and get the fuck out. You have to get prior approval to play monster races."
The Bubby Doppelgänger took a deep breath and spoke through gritted teeth, "you are not supposed to be aware of m-"
"-THE THREE LIZARDMEN BRUTES LEAP FROM THE WATER AND START BEATING THE SHIT OUT OF BUBBY!"
Three lizardmen brutes leaped from the water and started beating the absolute shit out of the Bubbygänger. The lizard men were about 7 feet tall, with powerful arms, long ridged tails and clubs the size of a man's leg. They swarmed over the small Bubby-form of the creature, smashing, kicking and slamming. One of the lizard men snatched up the corpse of the real Bubby and started bashing with that too, blood and Bubby chunks went flying. The Bubbygänger started to grow and stretch on the ground, pushing the lizard men away, even as they continued thrashing. Its torso elongated and widened to ridiculous proportions, rising into the air and swaying, looking like a fucked up cobra. It's...hood...folded back on itself revealing a huge vertical sucker mouth, lined with layers of sharp teeth that appeared to be growing out of muscle tissue. The mouth devoured all three lizard men in seconds, tearing them to shreds, crushing them and sucking them dry, all at once.
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"Whaaaat the actual f-"
"Enough!" The creature said, shrinking back into the form of Bubby, "enough. This is a dream," he said, "my people feed on your unconscious thoughts, that's why I was here. I got stuck here when you," he hesitated, "he...the other you, became aware of the dream and took conscious control. Whatever fabrication this is," Bubby gestured at everything, "was constructed outside of the context of the dream." He shook his head, "I don't know...You, as far as I can tell, are at least part of the unconscious mind I was attempting to feed on- a completely benign process- it does no harm...but this may be a unique situation." He sighed, and started to seem almost apologetic, "Your conscious mind, currently running around the city playing your game, took control the exact moment I was opening your mind to my reality, and well...it kinda broke it. Your mind, I mean... I'm not sure about reality yet, it is also broken, but seems contained so far... it's certainly not a good situation, in any case."
The Bubbygänger continued, "Your unconscious and conscious minds have been split, that much I know. Normally when you sleep, your unconscious mind takes over and you exist in your own thoughts while you dream, but right now, you- the unconscious mind- are stuck here, whether your body is sleeping or awake. This, is part of my reality, but it seems that event created a pocket dimension that I am unable to escape. Either way, this isn't just happening in your mind anymore. Not as dangerous for you directly, as you appear to be without physical form and have a great deal of control, but your existence is at great risk while the other you is here. If he dies, you die. I would die too, I think."
Genuine concern now showed openly on his face, "I think we're all trapped here until a conclusion that satisfies the rules of this game is achieved. I killed... Bubby... because I'm going to go back up to the city to help Casimyr. I need to make sure that everything happens in a way that lets me escape, and hopefully puts your mind back together in one piece."
"Okay... That's... That's a lot to unpack... So, you survive on the energy brains produce; is it like psychic energy?"
"Something like that, yes," Bubby said.
"I see, you must be starving, HOW ABOUT A SNACK!?"
The swarm of intellect devourers converged on Bubby...