A Crisis in Reality, A Clash in Fantasy

Tony and Kathy tore through the living room and made their way to a comatose Donnie, Tatterhood, RJ and Senior Hippie.

As it turned out, the group did not get physically warped into Donnie's memories and into the Dream Plane, rather their souls and minds got linked together by the magic of the remembong.

This was both a good and a bad thing.

The good thing was that since RJ, Tatterhood and Senior Hippie were basically astral projecting into Donnie's memories instead of being physically in there, it meant that if they were to die in his dreams, somehow, they would get sent back to their bodies instead of dying.

The bad thing was that if Donnie died in his dream state, he would die in reality and leave the other three trapped inside, effectively killing them as well.

"He's not breathing! Get me the defibrillator thing quick!" Tony shouted after checking in Donnie's condition. Sensing the urgency of the situation, Kathy switched to human form and bolted to Donnie's bedroom. At the same, Tony began to perform CPR on the comatose veteran.

"Don't you die on me boss, don't you die on me"!

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While Tony and Kathy were making sure Donnie's corporeal form was safe, Senior Hippie, Tatterhood and RJ were busy trying to rescue his spiritual form from the clutches of the Batibat.

The only issue was that between them and her was an army of weird melting wax zombies, all of whom used to be the random people milling about the park, and a literal Nightmare.

"So what's the plan here?", Senior Hippie asked while nervously prepping his guitar, "because there is a lot of them and only three of us".

"Meh"!

"Okay, four. Seriously though, how we gonna get to Donnie"?

"Simple", Tatterhood began, "I'm going to go stab the Batibat in the face while Bellerophon eats that silly hell horse".

"Meh"!

RJ wasn't surprised about Tatterhood's first statement, but that second part threw him for a loop.

"How...how is a goat going to eat a horse"?

A wide smile appeared on Tatterhood's face as she was ready for RJ to ask.

"A goat eating horse? Can't you see Bellerophon is truly a Baku, a yokai from Japan known to devour nightmares and those who cause it"?

With those magic words said, Bellerophon began to transform.

"The goat does the weird transforming thing too?!", Senior Hippie exclaimed in surprise. He knew that Tatterhood could change her clothes and spoon, he didn't know about the goat.

Bellerophon's body began to grow thicker and more muscular, his hooves turning into tiger paws, while his face began to grow a trunk as his horns migrated downward into becoming tusks.

"Boaaa"!

With a mighty roar, Bellerophon had completely transformed from a simple goat to a Baku, a tapir-like monster with the limbs of a tiger and the body of a bear.

The Nightmare visibly shuddered at the sight of the newly transformed Baku.

"Get 'im".

"Boa"!

At Tatterhood's command, Bellerophon the Baku shot off like an arrow and began to chase down the Nightmare.

"Now then, ask me how I'm going to get pass this crowd while wearing tattered clothing and stab the Batibat in the face with a wooden spoon", Tatterhood said to RJ and Senior Hippie, a wide smile on her face.

"How are you gonna get pass this crowd wearing nothing but tattered clothes?", RJ asked, compelled.

"How are you going to stab it in the face with a wooden spoon?", Senior Hippie asked.

"Tattered clothes? Nei, I am wearing the armor of Achilles. As long as I wear this, no one can touch me on the battlefield".

Before their eyes, the tattered clothing morphed into a set of light bronze and leather armor, with unusually designed boots to go with it.

"A wooden spoon you say? Nei, can't you see I'm wielding the Holy Lance of Longinus? The one that once pierced the side of a messiah"?

The wooden spoon in her hands began to lengthen, as the head of the spoon began to morph into a golden spear tip, radiating holy energy.

"Huh".

"I don't know if I should find this sacrilegious or think that makes sense", Senior Hippie commented while making the sign of the cross.

"Now then, I'm going to leave it to you two to deal with all these nasty wax men while I go and rescue Donnie", Tatterhood said as she began to walk forward, towards the encroaching horde of wax zombies.

"Why are you going in by yourself? Aren't you afraid of that horde ganging up on you?", RJ asked.

"Because", Tatterhood looked backed with a confident smile, "I am Tatterhood, the greatest runner in all the land and none of them will be able to catch me as long as you two deal with them".

An unusual feeling came over RJ and Senior Hippie the moment Tatterhood said those words. It was as if a hidden source of strength and power surged from within and invigorated their entire being.

"Why do I feel like I can fight an army now?", Senior Hippie asked as he suddenly felt like he could play the most wicked guitar solo in existence.

"Huh...didn't know you could do that", RJ muttered as he flexed his fingers, "You're full of surprises".

"Yes I am", Tatterhood said with pride, "now would you two mind clearing me a path"?

"Alright then", RJ agreed while rushing forward. Senior Hippie for his part just prepared his guitar and set his fingers on an E5 power chord.

[Rock Barrage!], RJ exclaimed while leaping forward and slamming his fists to the ground.

[Power Chord]!

A flurry of rock missiles followed by a shockwave of sound flew through the air and annihilated an encroaching group of the wax zombies, clearing a path for Tatterhood to rush through.

"Thank you kindly gentlemen. I'll be back with that bitch's head, ASAP".

With a quick bow, Tatterhood proceeded to rush through the cleared pathway and straight towards the Batibat. Unfortunately, this meant leaving RJ and Senior Hippie to a reforming horde of wax zombies.

"So...how many do you think we have to fight?", Senior Hippie asked while preparing his guitar.

"I don't know", RJ commented while coating his limbs in stone and arming his mirror, "How many people attended the 'Summer of Love' back in the day"?

"Puta Madre".