azume | Sixth.

NIGHTMARE.

Riley has been largely absent for the past day; he's needed the time, he's said, to try to sort out what should be done about Darkrai and Cresselia. Whether they can be contacted from a safe distance; whether there's something he can do to ensure that there's no risk to the rest of you.

You fall asleep on Friday night.

You don't remember deciding to fall asleep on Friday night; perhaps you were in the middle of doing something. Perhaps you were keeping watch over the rest of the group, perhaps you were talking to someone, perhaps you were unable to drift off and sitting up poring over notes or books by flashlight. Perhaps you were already well asleep by the time it happens. Either way, Friday night begins to slip into what's technically Saturday, and that's when you drop off.

And you are, quite literally, falling.

The sensation is a strong one, somehing that disorients you almost immediately, the sort of thing that happens in dreams only to be accompanied by a hypnic jerk that wakes you up safely in your bed, only that moment of awakening never comes. The landing isn't a hard one, however, wherever you've ended up; it's one you're aware of, but not one that hurts you in any way, there's no physical pain. There's only you, and the ground, and the absolute darkness surrounding you.

You should get up. Get your bearings. The darkness won't last long, but what it reveals to you when it breaks might not be as welcome as you might think it is...

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Alright, everybody, let's just back up here.

[Michael's not including himself in that; he's mostly reaching out to push Aya (and whoever else is closest, but particularly her) a few steps behind him.]

Hey, man. [.......] What the fuck?

Michael.

[He can actually look at you judgmentally now, and by god he's going to.]

I think it's a valid question, Ignis -

[........]

Nice eyes.

I appreciate the compliment, but please do not provoke this one.

Or any of them, but mostly this one.

We've been not provoking it. I don't see a reason to play nice with someone who does this for no reason at all.

And while I agree with your reasoning, we are very much in its territory and I think we both know the others don't need further nightmares at Darkrai's discretion.

Try to be polite, because I can see you to hit you if I must.

[Michael just gestures at this.]

Worry about the others. I'll handle anything it might do to me.

[strong words from the guy who had a breakdown over what happened in the inn! at least he does seem okay after whatever he saw this time.]

[WHY]

...I trust you. So be careful.

[..........]

Of course.

I know you.

[The thought is closer to legitimate telepathy than the odd thought-pushing of the Lake Guardians; there's a "voice" that comes with it, deep and echoing despite the distinct lack of sound, and it isn't terribly pleasant to have in your head.

It's likewise probably not very pleasant when the images arrive at the forefront of your mind - the white-walled city with no one in it, a brief view of moving through it as though looking for people that you can't quite remember.]

[Michael flinches, full-body, and doesn't quite stop himself from reaching out to clutch at the nearest person. Anyone who didn't see him after the hotel has probably never seen him look, if only for a second, quite that afraid.]

I remember that just fine, thanks!

[It does not seem to comprehend why you are so upset at this.]

Why were you there?

[In the hotel.]

I didn't see your name on it!

[wow, defensive]

It was a creepy abandoned building, and I wanted to know what the deal was. Thought it might be full of ghosts, too.

You like the ghosts?

[...Either you like the ghosts or you were there to torment the ghosts.]

They're cool.

[And, like, a lot of feelings stuff about dead people and guilt and responsibility that he is super not getting into with you right now.]

I give them berries, stuff like that.

Good. Someone should.

[Ghosts are friends.]

[GHOSTS ARE FRIENDS NOT FOOD]

Yeah, it's a whole thing. [His anger's sort of burning out without a real fight to have; he'd almost hoped Darkrai would get into it with him, and it's clearly just not.] Couldn't you have learned things from dreams, too? Our...greatest fantasies, or however dreams work?

Cresselia likes those things.

We were also looking for them. Could've just sent them to check us out.

[Although, especially in a moment of threat, he's not so dense that he can't assign meaning to this.]

Do you want to protect them?

I am better at it than she is.

[...wow, dude.]

......fair. Maybe someone who focuses on fantasies would be too optimistic.

[Michael would also say that about his friends, in the right contexts.]

Did you do this to the commanders at some point, too? You talk like you're familiar.

They were the only people left. I was curious.

[It was a shitshow!]

Man, you should've just left them like that.

[Though Cyrus would have come for them, he supposes. Still fun to think about!]

What do they have nightmares about?

[The image of Saturn drifts in idly.]

Things he's done. He fears failure. He fears success more.

[Jupiter.]

Being constrained. Locked up. Not having an impact on the world.

[Mars.]

Being forsaken by people she loves. She doesn't like being alone.

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[ I mean.

...

Zelda kind of steps forward perhaps in defiance of the fact that Michael tells her to step back and then doesn't do it himself but fortunately she wasn't that close anyway? But that statement both makes her start a little, and she shakes off some of her imagery there. As best she can. Thanks man. ]