Sneaking Remnant

I was not sure how I was going to find Pyrrha or the Nightmare in this massive metropolis version of Argus, but I could only try to cover as much ground as I could today. I saw the main entrance guarded by, well, the nearest comparison I could make, Greco-Roman Soldiers with shields and javelins. I decided to try the front door first to see what the reaction would be, and the guards stopped me.

" Halt! Provide your identification papers before entering Argus."

I used one of the dream coins provided by Shion to create false identification papers, and after they were looked over, I was let through.

" Everything checks out. You may proceed."

I entered Dream Agrus and decided to seek out Pyrrha's house first to see how it was represented in this dreamscape to get an idea of how things are here. As I wandered through the streets, I saw my reflection in a window, and what I saw interested me as I did not bother to make a note of my appearance when I first got here. I was wearing a silver Roman chest plate over a black tunic with dark gray pants and armored greaves. What drew my attention the most was the white eye mask over my right eye.

I then noticed the residents in this dream world all wore masks as well, but they covered their entire face instead of like my partial one. Hmm, could this be referencing how Pyrrha views others, that everyone wears masks, and she can't see beyond them? I knew the polite spartan had difficulty communicating with strangers as she had been put on a pedestal for a few years now due to her winning the Mistral Cup three times in a row. Considering I have a partial mask instead of a full one could mean she sees me as a friend instead of a stranger.

I need to poke around some more and see if I can find other people Pyrrha feels familiar with, along with visiting her home in this Dream Argus. Funny enough, there was a directory I ran across as I navigated the city. There were a few points of concern, namely Pyrrha's house being labeled as the home of the champion, Santum Academy, Beacon, and the Coliseum. So this is not simply a bigger version of Argus but a combination of several important points of the polite spartan's life.

This is growing more and more complicated than I thought it would be. Well, what did I expect? This world is a dream created by a Grimm. After sighing, I noted everything in the directory and went back to seeking out Pyrrha's house. Soon I found a fence walling off everything and various masked people trying to take pictures or record through the fence. I overheard some of them saying.

" Oh, my Brothers! Can anyone see the champion?"

" Hey, get in line, buddy! I have been here since this morning to take a picture of the champion!"

" Hey, when do you think the champion's trash will be thrown out? I want to get myself something she used to make into my family heirloom!"

The scary thing is that sort of thing really did happen to Pyrrha during her rise in fame, and she could not understand why anyone would do that sort of thing. Not that I blame her; people are crazy. However, I noticed something odd about the fence; it looked less like something to keep things out and more like something to keep things or someone in. I looked up to see the polite spartan's house atop a tall hill, and that did match reality in the slightest, as it made her home stick out like a sore thumb.

I used Door To Darkness to have me at the back entrance of the house as I rather not get the attention of the fans as it might alert the Nightmare of my presence. I tested the doorknob and found that it was not locked, which was odd considering that I know for a fact one of Pyrrha's super fans did sneak into her house one time to try and set up cameras and listening devices. They, of course, got caught. Still, I helped set up a new security system at her house with biometric locks and other things to ensure her and her mother's peace of mind.

As I entered the house, I found that it was larger than what the outside would suggest. Dreamscapes, go figure. I poked around and found something odd. In Ice Queendom, thorny vines became more prominent the closer to where the Nightmare was hiding, but I have yet to see a single thorn, let alone a whole vine of them. I may have to scout out the entire city if there are no signs of the Nightmare here; as I knew, Pyrrha considered her home, her oasis away from the cameras and fans, so it was a prime spot for the Grimm to hide at.

I looked around the house and saw a massive pillar in the center with a statue of Scarlet, Pyrrha's mother, carved into it, and I then heard a familiar voice.

" Hello, Silva. What brings you to my humble home? Shouldn't you be at school?"

I looked at the source of the voice; the statue of Scarlet and her appearance made sense in an odd way, as the polite spartan did see her mother as an important pillar in her life. I returned the greeting and answered Dream Scarlet's answers.

" Hey, Scarlet. I'm just out for a walk as I am bored out of my mind at school and thought to see you since it's been a while."

BS-ing to the rescue. The statue bought my excuse, thankfully.

" I understand, but you should still attend your classes as you are a student."

" I will head back right now. It was nice seeing you, Scarlet."

Dream Scarlet simply smiled at me as I left. I had my next destination, the Beacon of this dreamscape, but before that, I decided to go see if I could find Pyrrha's room here to see if there was any sort of key to help reach the Nightmare's domain. It took some searching, but I found the polite spartan's bedroom, and after I opened the door, I saw four beds instead of just one. It looks like I may need to bring the rest of Team PERN in if I can't solve everything in one trip. I found a red Rook Relic on one of the stands and took it.

Now, let's see what this dreamscape's Beacon is like.

***

[ Raven Interlude]

It was another night for Raven Branwen and Son Goku, but tonight was different; it was the night of a full moon. The former bandit chief had already explained to the young Saiyan about his transformations and his hand in killing the man who became his grandfather. Raven asked Goku as she saw the moon rise.

" Are you ready, Goku?"

" Yes!"

They were currently training the young Saiyan's great ape transformation as the former bandit chief suggested mastering this power instead of suppressing it to prevent any more unfortunate accidents. Goku spent the day beforehand fasting and meditating to prepare as best he could. Raven placed her hand on him as he mentally readied himself to transform and hopefully retain his sense of self. The young Saiyan looked up and then went stiff as a board before he started to growl like a wild beast.

" Goku!"

The former bandit chief called out to him in order to make sure he did not lose himself as she gripped his shoulder tightly. Goku started to grow and get hairier as he glared at the moon. Raven called out again with urgency.

"Answer me, Goku!"

" I'm. Here."

The young Saiyan growled as he became more and more like a great ape, and the former bandit chief demanded.

" Keep talking to me!"

" I'm. Hungry."

" Endure it for tonight, and you can have your fill of my meal bars in the morning!"

Goku became larger and larger as he asked back.

" Really?"

" Just keep on talking with me for the night!"

Raven replied as she was determined to help her young friend overcome his limits for his own sake. The young Saiyan growled.

" I. Am. So. Angry."

" It's fine to feel anger but do not let it control you, Goku! Remember your grandpa? Control yourself for his sake so what happened to him will not happen again!"

" I. Will. Try."

Raven watched as Goku fully transformed and roared out, and she called out to him.

" Goku, are you still there?!"

" Yes."

" Keep talking to me, Goku."

The young Saiyan growled as he eked out word for word while trying to retain his sanity. The former bandit chief did her best to keep him sane by talking to him throughout the night and was meeting with success, which would surprise Silva to no end when he found out. As the great ape spoke to his mentor, time went by, and morning finally came. The two went to sleep outside as the mental exhaustion of last night was massive, to say the least.

Will Goku reach heights his canon self never did. Find out next time on, Dragon Ball!