Saber climbed up to his feet and dusted himself off. “Still alive and in one piece, happy to report.”
He finally took a moment to actually take in his surroundings. One thing he had learned from his years as a dreamer was that when you were in a strange part of the Dream Sphere, taking in the local vibes was more important than scouting and reconnaissance. The whole dream world was built on dream logic, not actual logic.
“Looks kind of like something out of a storybook, doesn’t it? I’m half expecting to find a tower with a princess trapped at the top…”
"The treacherous castle was last time," Zeke says, absently, as he scans the horizon with a hand shading his eye. In some ways this isn't an improvement... if they can't find a landmark or place to go, they're just going to have to pick blindly.
"Everyone stay close. Maybe it's nothing, but my instincts are telling me to look out. Anyone spot anything distinguishing?"
Sam grimaces at Zeke's reminder, but she doesn't say anything about the castle. She does wrinkle her nose though--the scent of grass is okay, but the cloying scent of roses and the eerie stillness does a lot to set her nerves on edge.
"Not yet," Sam admits. "I'll keep my eyes peeled, though. I don't really hear anything, either..."
That's almost worse, in its way. There aren't really a whole lot of critters in the Dream Sphere, but there's usually a bit of atmosphere, at least.
It's hard to articulate what he means by the light being "different." Even using English wouldn't help him here, because it's some subtle sort of... wrong. The fact that the moon is in a different place only accounts for some of it, because if it was the same light source then it should feel the same. This... doesn't, but he's never dealt with anything like this before so he can't quite say why he's having trouble. Instead, he just mutters "gross" under his breath as he tries to manipulate the light in the area.
[ It takes a surprising amount of effort to exert any control over the light – it usually comes much easier than this, at any rate. And even so, all that happens is a mild fluctuation of the shadows that quickly revert back to their original state. It's subtle but the message is clear.
This place is not yours to control.
It's so quiet and still, though, that it's hard to imagine anyone else would be here to do so. That said... if you squint, it does look as though there might be a structure not too far off in the distance. ]
Saber pointed. “You may have spoken too soon about the castle, Zeke. There’s something over there.”
His powers as a dreamer had always been a bit on the subtler side. A general connection to the energy of the Dream Sphere flowing through everything. Influence that and you could do anything, in an understated sort of way. As he stood here he was already habitually reaching out with his senses and getting a feel for the energy of this place.
“If there’s any kind of knowledge to be gained here, it’ll be there.”
"Or somewhere else in a different direction we can't see." But acknowledging that reality doesn't mean he won't start heading straight for that distant sign, because it IS the only thing he's spotted so far.
"I think," he said, over his shoulder, "let's keep weapons clear but not out. Whatever's going on here, it's at least pretending to be peaceful for the moment. No sense being hostile and provoking it."
"Wary. I think that's the word you want, Chaosbringer." Not that her axe wasn't technically out anyway--it basically clipped on to a sling on her back. But just because it was there didn't mean she was brandishing it.
Sam didn't need to brandish it. And if there wasn't any outward hostility directed towards them yet, there was no good reason to offer violence when it wasn't necessary.
"I kinda feel apprehensive about this whole thing, now." She's just gonna let that out there. Not that Sam really wants to bring everyone else down, but she's hoping that if she voices her unrest and lets it go, it won't be something that festers and makes things worse.
None of them really know what his powers look like, so Connor doesn't mention the fact that he can't use them. It feels like something that would simply cause more unease and Zeke's right anyway: they just need to be wary. It's why his hand drifts to the small of his back as he stands up and follows the others. Just checking that his weapon is there, even though it doesn't do much. They're not supposed to be here, but it's unclear how they're meant to get back.
"At least we have something to report about."
It sounds more like he's trying to convince himself that they'll manage to get back to make said report.
[ Whatever the energy here is it's... off. It's definitely the Dream Sphere, just in case that was in any doubt, but this part of it feels strange and old. The pressure and the unease is almost like the negativity that heralds a Nightmare's manifestation but it's saturated into everything the light is touching with no obvious source.
Thankfully, nothing disturbs them as they make their way over to the little landmark that's drawn their attention. As they come closer, it appears to be some sort of strange structure like a bandstand, elevated some feet above the rest of the domain. Lilies climb the sides and weave through the gaps in the siding and though this place is eerie, something here seems...
Saber's sword was at his belt. It was in easy reach, but until something actually attacked them he was content to leave it there. Being attacked was feeling less and less likely as they got closer to the...whatever it was. Saber felt at ease, but at the same time he felt like being at ease wasn't the right reaction here, and that made him feel ill at ease. The conflict of emotions was starting to give him a headache, so he decided to cut through the uncertainty.
Funny enough, this peace and tranquility just puts him more on edge. Like they're wandering into that poppy field from the Wizard of Oz or whatever. Maybe they'll get so peaceful here they'll fall asleep for ten years or something.
But he's not going to voice that, in case he's wrong and his suspicion makes this whole thing turn against them. Irony is a constant danger in dreams! Instead, he starts mounting the -- well, let's call them stairs for lack of any other word.
"... It's a stage." Connor can't keep the confusion out of his voice as he says it, because... why would it be elevated? "I hope one of you can sing."
It's kind of an idle comment as he steps in from of Sam to let her take the rear. Because a stage is meant for one thing, and suddenly Connor is most afraid of what performing in this place means. He's never cared what the crowd is like when he performs, but that's because he's normally performing in queer spaces. Performing for a space an being found wanting, though... well.
[ Despite the uh, precarious climb the stairs provide, the ascent itself is uneventful. That sense of peace radiating out from the structure only intensifies as you climb and you realize as you actually set foot in the thing that... oh. It's actually a pretty nice view up here. This high up, you can see in all directions and get a good feel for the fact that this dream you've stumbled into almost seems to go on forever.
You have a few seconds of peace before two things happen almost at once.
The first is a fluctuation of the feelings that have been surrounding you. There's an abrupt halt to that sense of peace followed by a simmering undercurrent of unmistakable hostility. This place is not for you.
The second is the sound of approaching footsteps, coming up the stairs and curling around the tower just out of view. ]
Saber spun around at the sound of footsteps, suddenly feeling like h3 was about to be caught with his hand in the metaphorical cookie jar.
He put his hand on the sword hanging from his belt, but still didn’t draw it. The feeling that they were the ones in the wrong here was almost overwhelming.
If there'd been a sign saying 'please do not enter the gazebo' they wouldn't be up here to start with. As usual, everything breaks down to terrible communication. Oppressive feelings of 'this hole was NOT made for you' do not count as a proper meeting of the minds!
Zeke steps smoothly in front of the others, standing closest to the stair case with his hands resolutely empty and by his side, and a patient expression on his face. This is his idea and he's the one who can take a hit without needing to throw up shields or something, so if someone's gotta take remonstrance to the face it's going to be him. But he's still hopeful that this can be peaceful.
"Oh, now we get some actual information." Sam can't help but be a little annoyed--she is absolutely the type to not go where she isn't invited. A 'no trespassing' sign would have sufficed, really.
Zeke is in front, but Sam steps up behind him--if nothing else, her powers can probably give him a boost. She's not outright hostile--guarded is probably the correct word, here.
Connor's first instinct is to look over the railing to try and locate a shadow to come out of. The only shadow large enough is the shadow of the tower itself and he can't see it from this angle, so instead he pulls the shadows he's been keeping around himself closer and tries to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. It feels like a bad time to have powers that rely on him manipulating the dreamscape, since they're not supposed to be here.
... Probably should have said something about that once he realized. Well. Hindsight is 50/50 and he'll make a note for the future.
[ There's nothing to see over the railing. In fact, the shadows are strange – the sort of odd optical illusion you might see on a zero shadow day where things seems to be lit from immediately above, as if the moon is emitting a light bright enough to illuminate everything.
Who or whatever is approaching turns the last bend in the stairway up to the gazebo. ]
[ And Dreamer Crimson steps up into the gazebo. You all have approximately half a second to process this information before Crimson, quite understandably, leaps back in fright and shock, catching herself on the railing before she tumbles back down the stairs. ]
Some of the tension left his stance, but Saber still hesitated. What do you even SAY in a moment like this? He knew enough about RAY to make an educated guess, at least, so he went with a classic line.
Yeah, she's not sure that this isn't a doppelganger either. Sam can't believe it'd be this simple. Especially after what had happened before...
But she's not about to haul her axe off her back and start threatening. Instead, she plants her hands on her hips, tilts her head to one side, and gives Dreamer Crimson an upnod.
Connor's grown up hearing stories about RAY. He remembers his mom having to go into work on short notice when Dreamer Crimson disappeared, because it was kind of a big deal, but it was when he was relatively young so most of it felt like a fairytale. So yes. He was told they were looking for Dreamer Crimson, but also he didn't expect it to actually happen. This is the most stressful thing to ever happen to him, which is why he just drops into a crouch, drawing the blanket of shadows over his head and simply murmuring "what the fuck" to himself over and over.
This is so far out of his pay grade. His job is being a teen heartthrob, not solving the deep mysteries of the Dream Sphere.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
beautifuldreamermods) wrote2023-06-15 08:30 pm
no subject
He finally took a moment to actually take in his surroundings. One thing he had learned from his years as a dreamer was that when you were in a strange part of the Dream Sphere, taking in the local vibes was more important than scouting and reconnaissance. The whole dream world was built on dream logic, not actual logic.
“Looks kind of like something out of a storybook, doesn’t it? I’m half expecting to find a tower with a princess trapped at the top…”
no subject
"Everyone stay close. Maybe it's nothing, but my instincts are telling me to look out. Anyone spot anything distinguishing?"
no subject
"Not yet," Sam admits. "I'll keep my eyes peeled, though. I don't really hear anything, either..."
That's almost worse, in its way. There aren't really a whole lot of critters in the Dream Sphere, but there's usually a bit of atmosphere, at least.
no subject
It's hard to articulate what he means by the light being "different." Even using English wouldn't help him here, because it's some subtle sort of... wrong. The fact that the moon is in a different place only accounts for some of it, because if it was the same light source then it should feel the same. This... doesn't, but he's never dealt with anything like this before so he can't quite say why he's having trouble. Instead, he just mutters "gross" under his breath as he tries to manipulate the light in the area.
no subject
This place is not yours to control.
It's so quiet and still, though, that it's hard to imagine anyone else would be here to do so. That said... if you squint, it does look as though there might be a structure not too far off in the distance. ]
no subject
His powers as a dreamer had always been a bit on the subtler side. A general connection to the energy of the Dream Sphere flowing through everything. Influence that and you could do anything, in an understated sort of way. As he stood here he was already habitually reaching out with his senses and getting a feel for the energy of this place.
“If there’s any kind of knowledge to be gained here, it’ll be there.”
no subject
"I think," he said, over his shoulder, "let's keep weapons clear but not out. Whatever's going on here, it's at least pretending to be peaceful for the moment. No sense being hostile and provoking it."
no subject
Sam didn't need to brandish it. And if there wasn't any outward hostility directed towards them yet, there was no good reason to offer violence when it wasn't necessary.
"I kinda feel apprehensive about this whole thing, now." She's just gonna let that out there. Not that Sam really wants to bring everyone else down, but she's hoping that if she voices her unrest and lets it go, it won't be something that festers and makes things worse.
no subject
"At least we have something to report about."
It sounds more like he's trying to convince himself that they'll manage to get back to make said report.
no subject
Thankfully, nothing disturbs them as they make their way over to the little landmark that's drawn their attention. As they come closer, it appears to be some sort of strange structure like a bandstand, elevated some feet above the rest of the domain. Lilies climb the sides and weave through the gaps in the siding and though this place is eerie, something here seems...
Safe. At peace. ]
no subject
Saber's sword was at his belt. It was in easy reach, but until something actually attacked them he was content to leave it there. Being attacked was feeling less and less likely as they got closer to the...whatever it was. Saber felt at ease, but at the same time he felt like being at ease wasn't the right reaction here, and that made him feel ill at ease. The conflict of emotions was starting to give him a headache, so he decided to cut through the uncertainty.
"Shall we see if anyone is home?"
no subject
But he's not going to voice that, in case he's wrong and his suspicion makes this whole thing turn against them. Irony is a constant danger in dreams! Instead, he starts mounting the -- well, let's call them stairs for lack of any other word.
"Anyone's guess what this will be."
no subject
It's a gazebo, Sam. And you know what that is.
"I think I'm still gonna take the rear, so...ladies not first, I guess."
Not that Zeke's a lady, either, but. Sam's attempting silliness to lighten the oppressiveness. She's not sure everyone feels it, but she does.
She just wants to make everyone feel a little better...
no subject
It's kind of an idle comment as he steps in from of Sam to let her take the rear. Because a stage is meant for one thing, and suddenly Connor is most afraid of what performing in this place means. He's never cared what the crowd is like when he performs, but that's because he's normally performing in queer spaces. Performing for a space an being found wanting, though... well.
Maybe that's how Dreamer Crimson disappeared.
no subject
You have a few seconds of peace before two things happen almost at once.
The first is a fluctuation of the feelings that have been surrounding you. There's an abrupt halt to that sense of peace followed by a simmering undercurrent of unmistakable hostility. This place is not for you.
The second is the sound of approaching footsteps, coming up the stairs and curling around the tower just out of view. ]
no subject
He put his hand on the sword hanging from his belt, but still didn’t draw it. The feeling that they were the ones in the wrong here was almost overwhelming.
“I have a bad feeling about this…”
no subject
Zeke steps smoothly in front of the others, standing closest to the stair case with his hands resolutely empty and by his side, and a patient expression on his face. This is his idea and he's the one who can take a hit without needing to throw up shields or something, so if someone's gotta take remonstrance to the face it's going to be him. But he's still hopeful that this can be peaceful.
no subject
Zeke is in front, but Sam steps up behind him--if nothing else, her powers can probably give him a boost. She's not outright hostile--guarded is probably the correct word, here.
no subject
... Probably should have said something about that once he realized. Well. Hindsight is 50/50 and he'll make a note for the future.
1/2
Who or whatever is approaching turns the last bend in the stairway up to the gazebo. ]
no subject
What–?! How on– where did you–?!
no subject
Some of the tension left his stance, but Saber still hesitated. What do you even SAY in a moment like this? He knew enough about RAY to make an educated guess, at least, so he went with a classic line.
“Dreamer Crimson, I presume?”
no subject
It can't really be this easy, can it?
No way! This has to be a fake! A doppelganger or something! Except... would a doppelganger really have that reaction to seeing them? This is --
Well. Only one thing for it.
Zeke lifts a hand in friendly greeting.
"Hey."
no subject
Yeah, she's not sure that this isn't a doppelganger either. Sam can't believe it'd be this simple. Especially after what had happened before...
But she's not about to haul her axe off her back and start threatening. Instead, she plants her hands on her hips, tilts her head to one side, and gives Dreamer Crimson an upnod.
"What's up?"
no subject
This is so far out of his pay grade. His job is being a teen heartthrob, not solving the deep mysteries of the Dream Sphere.
1/2
EXCURSION END