[mingle] what's the dream and what's the reality?

[lovetheme]

Lately the castle's nights have been very clear and almost warm, even up so high among the clouds as they are. But regardless of the weather, they are generally peaceful nights, and few things seem to stir during them...apart from the castle's inhabitants, be it with late-night roving or with sleep. The dreams, by extension, are at least undisturbed...if maybe not always pleasant. That sort of thing tends to vary by the person, of course.

But now--and for several nights, consecutively--the castle residents may find their dreams starting to take on stranger shapes: memories they've never had, friends that don't usually arrive, strangers they've never seen. These odd impressions might cling and continue to confuse even upon waking, vivid as they were; was it really just a dream, or maybe something more...? Does that newcomer in your dream remember you there too, in the daytime?

Either way, there seems to be an strange energy in the air during these nights. And it's bringing dreams together.

((ooc: And here's the catch-all post for the dream-sharing event! Feel free to top-level with your character's dreams here, or thread around in others! The event should only last about a week, but backtagging is eternal c: The ooc planning post can be found here!))

Comments

[andthebat]

Well, she's not wrong.

"Not going anywhere," he says. "But I have to look for my parents. You haven't seen them, have you? They look like me, except taller-" he raises one hand, palm flat and facing downwards, to indicate tallness, "-and well, my mother's a girl and has longer hair. And my dad has a mustache."

He lowers his hand and clasps it tightly to his other one, forming an anxious knot of fingers.

[dr_awesome]

"You guess? Aw, c'mon! It's really exciting! I know a bunch of the constellations and everything!"

Grandpa's taught him a lot. He even knows how to adjust the telescope all by himself!

[dr_awesome]

"Ah..." Neil looks sheepish. "This is embarrassing, but uh... I ran into a wall the other day. Hit my head pretty hard."

It's a ridiculous excuse. No one should believe that, and it doesn't really look like Eva does either. But Neil knows how this goes. She asks a few questions, eventually lets him go, and doesn't bother to find out the truth.

Eva's hand slowly lowers, and she looks from Neil, to Grune.

"...There's no point in even trying, with him. He'll never tell me, will he?"

Neil freezes up.

[lostinmyway]

Grune immediately shakes her head. "Oh, no. It's very important to keep trying. Neil is just scared, that's all."

She looks to him. Isn't that right?

[lostlegacy]

"What're those?"

She has another bite of the delicious, tasteless hot dog.

[lostinmyway]

She shakes her head. "No, I haven't seen them...I don't think."

A moment's pause while she considers this. Then she shakes her head again, looks down at her friend, and smiles. "Why don't we look for them together?"

[lostinmyway]

"I'll look after him," Grune says steadily. "He can have a home with me."

She steps forward. "But you need to wake him up first."

[lostinmyway]

She listens as he speaks, and she thinks about what he says. Then she asks, "Is that what you want to do, dear?"

[lostlegacy]

To make sure she's got it, Sophie points at each kitten in turn. "Marie, Burly, and Too-Loose."

Yep. She's got it.

[lightofthestars]

"That, I do not know. I do not think anyone does."

It makes little sense indeed to her.

[notsogrimreaper]

"Judging from the frown on your face, it doesn't seem like you believe that."

His voice is soft. He doesn't want to accuse her, but he's good at reading people.

[systematicsupport]

"That's what I was created for."

He seems genuinely confused by the question.

"I have to keep the Anti-Temporal Interference Unit safe. I'll defend him from the anomaly. I'll die for him."

Despite his words, he's smiling.

[systematicsupport]

"You can not remove him from this facility. Stop with this nonsense, or I will call security."

[systematicsupport]

S-4 shudders in the restraints, tries to move away from Frisk, and then, as he realizes they weren't trying to attack him, forward, but the restraints don't let him move either way.

The scientist lets out a 'tsk' sound.

"Having a tantrum again? Do I need to call security to escort you out?"

[systematicsupport]

The scientist in the drawing finally stops, staring up at Sophie. It does let go of Sans-Serif... with one hand, and that hand is now reaching out towards Sophie, the paper rippling and starting to tear.

[dustless]

"No. --Yes. Both of us. We're going. We're going Home," they inform the scientist, voice acidic.

Toriel will know what to do with S-4.

[lostlegacy]

Sophie shrieks and grabs the nearest crayon. With it clenched in her fist the way another child might grip a knife, she starts scribbling in dark blue all over the scientist.

[lostinmyway]

Her pink lips press together for a moment. Then she turns her back to kneel down next to S-4 again.

"Don't worry," she whispers to him. "I won't hurt you."

She stands and places friend-or-foe marking on him. A moment later, ice spikes crash from the ground a dozen feet into the air. The chair and restraints shatter beyond repairing, but S-4 is completely unharmed.

Grune catches him before he hits the ground and scoops him into her arms. Then she stands and turns to face the scientists once again.

[lightofthestars]

"Though I do not sleep as mortals do, I still take rest when I can," she says. "It stills my mind and refreshes my soul. I do not think I would be happy without it."

She does not ask if he stays truly well without sleep, but...she wonders.

[systematicsupport]

S-4 looks from Sophie to the ruined picture in shock.

"...Why did you do that?"

[systematicsupport]

S-4 doesn't make a sound as he falls from the air, nor when he's caught. He just hands limply like a ragdoll, eyesockets empty.

The scientist lets out a displeased sound, and then looks at the skeleton in Grune's arms with a twisted smile.

"S-4. Apprehend this woman."

Immediately, S-4 starts moving, pushing himself out of Grune's arms and summoning a bone that he then holds in one hand, while reaching out for Grune's wrist with the other.

[systematicsupport]

"You will not be going anywhere. Not with him. He must stay in the facility. We have been over this."

The scientist then notices S-4 struggling, and finally decides to do something about it.

"Enough foolishness. Apatia."

His struggles immediately still, and his shoulders slump.

[dustless]

"We are. We are. We are! WE ARE!"

And now they can move, so suddenly they lurch and nearly smash into S-4, but then they're scrabbling at the restraints heedless of everything else.

"We're going Home and you can't stop me! I know the Queen'll be mad if you try to!"

[lostinmyway]

That makes Grune frown a little more.

"But...S-4...what do you want to do?"

He gave an answer, but--it wasn't to the question she was asking.

[lostinmyway]

She lets him take hold of her. She even holds out her wrist for him.

All she says is, "You don't have to do this, dear. Not if you don't want to."