[ She stoops down a little so she can reach and touch one of the lilies, gently pinching the petals between her fingers before letting it go. It certainly all feels real enough (or as real as dreams get for Dreamers, that is) but if a change has occurred then what could it be caused by...? ]
Could it be like this because of Kasuga-san's dream?
[ It's only a gentle touch but La Pucelle's sword sends ripples far further out across the water than it really should for such a gentle displacement. The water here in general feels... oddly delicate, somehow, and you can't really put your finger on what about it gives you that sense.
There's no indication of which direction you should go, but when a gentle breeze ruffles the flowers it comes in from the west. That's as good a start as any, right? ]
Every time we do this, we get more questions instead of answers. I'm about ready to develop oracular clairvoyance just to cut some bloody corners.
[Zeke huffs, then decides to go west, because there's a gentle breeze and that seems like some sort of clue. Jean's thoughts aside, he seems inclined to take the lead.]
I'm a bit tougher than I was last time we went out, so don't worry about me.
[ Trot trot trot. At the very least she would like to pull up equal. (Someone may feel guilty about missing the Kasuga-san incident and is overcompensating.) ]
Was the other dream like this, then? Are they affecting each other?
Definitely different. It's been like that every time, so it's not weird for sure.
[Zeke clears his throat, then, a bit awkwardly.]
Look here. Last time I ordered a retreat, so I had to go along with it or I'd lose all trust with people. This time, I'd really prefer not to wake up without giving it my all.
I'd rather not end up getting tossed out if we can help it, but... when it comes to Eliza-chan, I get the feeling we're running out of good choices to make.
[ She gives them both a grim smile. ]
We'll look out for each other. But we're not backing off without a fight.
[Zeke's grin is a little hard itself, all the more unusual for the ever-energetic Dreamer. But then he laughs, and it's like nothing ever happened.]
A bloody relief to not be in charge or anything. Don't get me wrong, I love heading out there with the kids and watching them work, but sometimes it cramps my style just a tad.
An unusually hard gust of wind comes whisking in from the direction you've all been heading, enough to send small waves rippling out across the water. And if you're paying attention, doesn't something about the ripples look... strange?
Like they're bouncing off something you can't see? ]
[Zeke debates who should go check it out for all of a microsecond, before he decides he's best able to go deal with it regardless of what it might be. He takes a couple quick steps forward, sticking out his hand in the general direction of where he guesses a thing he can't see in fact is.]
[ Here's the especially strange thing, now his focus is drawn towards it. Now that he's noticed it, Zeke can tell 100% for sure that something is there. He can definitely see something but even while absolutely looking directly at it... he can't actually see it. His brain just won't register what's there or that something is even there to begin with. It's not invisible, it's unseeable. It's like catching something in your peripheral vision that vanishes once you spin around to look.
Once he puts a hand out and touches it, though... while he still can't quite see it, his brain manages to register that this Thing is in fact a door. Hanging unsupported in mid air and most certainly closed. ]
[This would be a total brain-warp if Chaosbringer hadn't long ago given up on the Dream Sphere making any sort of logical sense even by its own apparent rules. If it seems like it could happen, it probably can and does. The question is, why can't Ai even catch hints of what he can pick up? is it because she's played by the mod? that seems likely]
There's something here. A door, trying to slide right out of the senses. [Keeping one hand on the imperceptible ingress, he lifts his other to slap the midair where it ought to be a couple of times. Hopefully that will help her pick it out.]
[ Accordingly, Ai-Doll's gaze just slides right off the door a few times, unfocused and unseeing... but then something seems to click and she blinks rapidly before pulling in a sharp breath. ]
That's right, it's... mm, I can't quite see it, but...
[ She hurries over to Chaosbringer's side and imitates him, lifting up her hand. It takes her a few times to find it with her hand but when she splays her palm out on the door, she freezes. ]
[ As the two of them push on the door... there's no give. There's no handle, either, which would imply pushing is the right way to go — but nope. Nothing. There's not even the rattle of a lock.
Something does happen as they try and force the door open, though. Now Chaosbringer has his hands on it and can visualize the door properly... he remembers.
He's seen doors like this before. Every time he's come to try and find Crimson — there's been so many of them scattered around this eerie, distant dream. He just never realized before. He was never allowed to realize.
[Chaosbringer goes very still for a moment. His gloves hide the way his knuckles whiten as his fumbling against the door becomes a solid grip for that moment.]
[He's not surprised, mind. Mostly irritated that he'd never quite figured it out. Why else would they have awakened in a dream before, not knowing how they got to where they were? Of course they had gotten to that field of flowers in some way! Is this the first time he remembered fiddling with a door like this, or did he do so last time too and then forgot it? Or is he remembering now for another reason?]
I'm suddenly not feeling very charitable about this.
[One hand still on the door, he reaches over his shoulder to draw his weapon. Either the Sandglass will prove a key, or raw force will!]
[ Quite understandably, Ai-Doll splutters a bit. ]
Wh— hold on, wait! What's gotten into you all of a sudden?
[ She's not actually stopping him, mainly because... well, she knows Zeke well enough to guess that this is either just melodrama and not to be worried about or he's making a call that some force is required here. Neither of which she necessarily objects to, but she'd like to be brought on board, at least! ]
This place, these doors, are messing with our memory every time we come here. Chances are this isn't even the first time I realized this. So I'm gonna do something that gives me a chance of sticking it in my memory! You want to jump as high as you can, for this one, soon as I come down.
[As proof of his immense and abiding respect for Dreamer Ai-Doll, he actually waits for her to understand and agree before he just leaps into the air himself.]
[Zeke vaults into the air, bringing his sword back over his head to swing it in an arc for the ground.]
ULTIMATE LIGHTNING FURY SLASH MAAAAAAX!
[The sword slams into the water and the ground below, exploding lightning in the shape of 極 (and, as a sidenote, 改). Forked tongues of electricity rush out into the water, crackling like a web as Zeke mixes his own power with the natural conductivity of water. His target isn't the door they found, but the whole area! Let's see how many bloody invisi-doors he can find like this!]
[ It's a tricky little maneuver to pull off without electrocuting them both but against all odds, Ai-Doll times her jump into the air just so that she avoids the electricity coursing out over the water. As is probably expected, it fries most of the flowers still swaying in the water and as the energy spreads out further—
There's definitely more doors. There's a lot of doors. It's impossible to count, both because they vanish so quickly and because of the horrible feeling that descends over both of them.
The sense that something that absolutely should not be looking their way has suddenly taken notice of them. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
beautifuldreamermods) wrote2023-06-15 08:30 pm
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[ Two Strikers and a Saver. La Pucelle, as the support unit, is going to have to do what she can to be defense.
If no one else has a clue where they should go she's going to head in a straight line. Best way around is through! ]
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[ She stoops down a little so she can reach and touch one of the lilies, gently pinching the petals between her fingers before letting it go. It certainly all feels real enough (or as real as dreams get for Dreamers, that is) but if a change has occurred then what could it be caused by...? ]
Could it be like this because of Kasuga-san's dream?
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There's no indication of which direction you should go, but when a gentle breeze ruffles the flowers it comes in from the west. That's as good a start as any, right? ]
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[Zeke huffs, then decides to go west, because there's a gentle breeze and that seems like some sort of clue. Jean's thoughts aside, he seems inclined to take the lead.]
I'm a bit tougher than I was last time we went out, so don't worry about me.
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[ Trot trot trot. At the very least she would like to pull up equal. (Someone may feel guilty about missing the Kasuga-san incident and is overcompensating.) ]
Was the other dream like this, then? Are they affecting each other?
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[ She falls into step beside the other two, her eyes focused and her expression uncharacteristically serious. ]
Here and in that other dream... I feel too awake. You feel it too, right?
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[Zeke clears his throat, then, a bit awkwardly.]
Look here. Last time I ordered a retreat, so I had to go along with it or I'd lose all trust with people. This time, I'd really prefer not to wake up without giving it my all.
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[ La Pucelle nods. ] I am with you.
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I'd rather not end up getting tossed out if we can help it, but... when it comes to Eliza-chan, I get the feeling we're running out of good choices to make.
[ She gives them both a grim smile. ]
We'll look out for each other. But we're not backing off without a fight.
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[Zeke's grin is a little hard itself, all the more unusual for the ever-energetic Dreamer. But then he laughs, and it's like nothing ever happened.]
A bloody relief to not be in charge or anything. Don't get me wrong, I love heading out there with the kids and watching them work, but sometimes it cramps my style just a tad.
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this gasp comes with a hand over her mouth ]
If you ever need me to lead, I can! My angel says I have the qualities of a commander...
[ la pucelle honey i love that you always want to help people
but maybe focus on the person you're here to help ]
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An unusually hard gust of wind comes whisking in from the direction you've all been heading, enough to send small waves rippling out across the water. And if you're paying attention, doesn't something about the ripples look... strange?
Like they're bouncing off something you can't see? ]
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[Zeke debates who should go check it out for all of a microsecond, before he decides he's best able to go deal with it regardless of what it might be. He takes a couple quick steps forward, sticking out his hand in the general direction of where he guesses a thing he can't see in fact is.]
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Once he puts a hand out and touches it, though... while he still can't quite see it, his brain manages to register that this Thing is in fact a door. Hanging unsupported in mid air and most certainly closed. ]
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[ Ai-Doll's uncertain voice pipes up from behind him. Going by the confusion in her voice... ]
Uh... what exactly are you doing?
[ ... she can't see whatever it is he's 'seeing'. ]
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is it because she's played by the mod? that seems likely]There's something here. A door, trying to slide right out of the senses. [Keeping one hand on the imperceptible ingress, he lifts his other to slap the midair where it ought to be a couple of times. Hopefully that will help her pick it out.]
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That's right, it's... mm, I can't quite see it, but...
[ She hurries over to Chaosbringer's side and imitates him, lifting up her hand. It takes her a few times to find it with her hand but when she splays her palm out on the door, she freezes. ]
It is here... but where does it go?
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Dreamer Ai-Doll! You know there's but one way to find out!
[There's got to be a knob or handle or something on this thing! All he has to do is find it! And push! Then pull! Or possibly lift!]
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Something does happen as they try and force the door open, though. Now Chaosbringer has his hands on it and can visualize the door properly... he remembers.
He's seen doors like this before. Every time he's come to try and find Crimson — there's been so many of them scattered around this eerie, distant dream. He just never realized before. He was never allowed to realize.
Where on Earth could they lead? ]
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[He's not surprised, mind. Mostly irritated that he'd never quite figured it out. Why else would they have awakened in a dream before, not knowing how they got to where they were? Of course they had gotten to that field of flowers in some way! Is this the first time he remembered fiddling with a door like this, or did he do so last time too and then forgot it? Or is he remembering now for another reason?]
I'm suddenly not feeling very charitable about this.
[One hand still on the door, he reaches over his shoulder to draw his weapon. Either the Sandglass will prove a key, or raw force will!]
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Wh— hold on, wait! What's gotten into you all of a sudden?
[ She's not actually stopping him, mainly because... well, she knows Zeke well enough to guess that this is either just melodrama and not to be worried about or he's making a call that some force is required here. Neither of which she necessarily objects to, but she'd like to be brought on board, at least! ]
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[As proof of his immense and abiding respect for Dreamer Ai-Doll, he actually waits for her to understand and agree before he just leaps into the air himself.]
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[ ... or so she says, but she's preparing to leap even as she protests. When has something not being a good idea ever actually stopped Chaosbringer? ]
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[Zeke vaults into the air, bringing his sword back over his head to swing it in an arc for the ground.]
ULTIMATE LIGHTNING FURY SLASH MAAAAAAX!
[The sword slams into the water and the ground below, exploding lightning in the shape of 極 (and, as a sidenote, 改). Forked tongues of electricity rush out into the water, crackling like a web as Zeke mixes his own power with the natural conductivity of water. His target isn't the door they found, but the whole area! Let's see how many bloody invisi-doors he can find like this!]
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There's definitely more doors. There's a lot of doors. It's impossible to count, both because they vanish so quickly and because of the horrible feeling that descends over both of them.
The sense that something that absolutely should not be looking their way has suddenly taken notice of them. ]
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EXCURSION END