[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

[systematicsupport]

"Yes, he is. While Sans-Serif is preoccupied with his temporal interference training, we're supposed to handle S-4's behavior modifications. He's not going back to his pod. All he'll do is whine about his fellow experiment's absence."

That seems to grab S-4's attention.

"Where is my brother? What's he doing? Can't I go see him? I-I'll be good this time, I promise..."

[dustless]

Scrape. Scrape. Scrape.

"Yeah. You're always good, S-4." This is a fact, as much as the sky being blue is a fact. "He doesn't need...mods. He's doing well right now. We both know that," they say lowly.

Scrape. Scrape. Scrape. Closer. Closer, ever closer, they feel sick at the sight of the straps for some reason but despite (or because of) that, they refuse to stop.

(For some reason they think of SAVE points, and their head starts ringing.)

[systematicsupport]

"I w-want to be good. I don't want to cause you trouble. I just want to see my brother, I..."

For a split second, the scenery changes, the interior of the room filled with cold wind and snowflakes gently drifting down.

"...I don't want to die."

And then in another instant, the room has returned back to normal, and the scientist holding the clipboard is grabbing Frisk's wrist, voice low and commanding.

"Give. Him. The codeword. I will not ask again."

[dustless]

"You won't die. You're not allowed to die. I won't let you die."

The split-second of icy air bites into their lungs, and they swing their fist out hard. The clipboard hits the floor and shatters. So do the tiles, fracturing and rising in little waves.

But they still can't move.

[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?"

[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.

[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!"

[systematicsupport]

The restraints don't budge, and the scientist just laughs coldly.

"Because the Queen clearly knows the truth of what we are trying to accomplish. She has no idea either of you are down here. And she never will."

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a needle.

[dustless]

Frisk doesn't give up, doesn't look up, even though they can tell the needle's in his hand.

Their SOUL is flaring. Run away or fight.

"You wish," they say.

[systematicsupport]

The scientist doesn't bother to answer. He just moves a bit closer, and then suddenly reaches with one hand to grab hold of Frisk's arm.

S-4 seems to snap out of it just long enough to cry out.

"Run!"

One of the restraints snaps, but the other remains sturdy as ever.

[dustless]

"Not leaving you here," they snap, jerking their head.

Frisk's struggling is only to redouble their efforts in attacking the restraints.

[systematicsupport]

"You have to! Please, you have to..."

The scientist starts tugging on Frisk's arm to drag them closer.

[dustless]

They
will
not.

Frisk's pulled back a few steps, a sharp pain blooming in the crook of their elbow, but they only jerk away hard and start attacking the restraints with their teeth.

[systematicsupport]

The other restraint starts fraying, but S-4 lets out a frightened gasp as there's a sudden sting of pain in the arm the scientist has grabbed. Immediately after that, the room starts tilting and swaying.

When Frisk awakes, they'll be in a completely different room, and now they are the ones chained to the wall they lean against.

[dustless]

They start to struggle immediately. Despite that, their arms are already soaked with red as if they've been struggling for hours already.

"Let go let go let go let GO!" Frisk screams, throat raw and cracking on the inside.

[systematicsupport]

"Struggling won't do you any good," the scientist responds, his voice now crackling with static as he speaks over an intercom.

S-4 stands in front of Frisk, trying not to cry.

[dustless]

What else is there to do?

(An air of dread hangs over the room.)

"Let us go! Let go!" They've never been so furious. Their teeth feel gleaming and sharp in their mouth.

[systematicsupport]

Their teeth are sharp, enough for S-4 to step back with a wince.

"See? What did I tell you? Another hostile human, just like the rest of them. You must destroy it, S-4."

S-4's hands shake, and he keeps stepping backwards.

"I don't.. I'm scared..."

[dustless]

Disturbingly, they freeze, blinking.

That's what the scientist wants? That's normal.

(Seems the dread isn't theirs.)

"...it's okay," Frisk says quietly. "You don't need to be scared."