Sixth.

[azumods]

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...

Comments

[azumods]

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

Why were you there?

[In the hotel.]

[eudaimonikos]

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.

[azumods]

You like the ghosts?

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

[eudaimonikos]

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.

[azumods]

Good. Someone should.

[Ghosts are friends.]

[eudaimonikos]

[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?

[azumods]

Cresselia likes those things.

[eudaimonikos]

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?

[azumods]

I am better at it than she is.

[...wow, dude.]

[eudaimonikos]

......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.

[azumods]

They were the only people left. I was curious.

[It was a shitshow!]

[eudaimonikos]

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?

[azumods]

[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.

[discutio]

...

[Sometimes, Ignis hated being right. And now he really hated it, presuming he knew just which of Team Galactic was in question first--that he'd been too correct in thinking Saturn was like him.]

[If there was one thing worse than failure, it was success at a cost one didn't want to pay.]

[When they met again...he was going to have to hold to that promise and fight the Commander with all he had.]

[anythingforyou]

[...

Yeah, god, these are all moods on some level, but she's...really hoping that last one isn't who she thinks it is...

She didn't ask to possibly sympathize here, goddammit.]

[eudaimonikos]

[Michael grimaces at that last one, looking away. That also describes a few things he's dreamed about, so thanks, he hates it.]

Good to know... [michael what are you planning] Isn't that last one sort of about other people, though? Just, she's got shitty taste in them?

[Not that he's trying to stan for Mars here. Just.]

[azumods]

There is a difference. In caring for other people, and fearing you are nothing without them. Using them to further your sense of self. Whether it's about them or you.

[hyruglyphics]

[ . . . Huh.

That's such an interesting distinction. Zelda makes a small face and nods to herself. ]

[eudaimonikos]

...I see.

[He thinks? He thinks...]

[omissions]

[Not having an impact on the world--jesus christ Darkrai how dare you give Ari a single point of empathy for Jupiter of all people out of this trio of disasters]