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

lovetheme posting in

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!))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

lostinmyway

Grune says hello back to the people who pass--it's the polite thing to do--but her attention is focused on the child in the reflection. She thinks they look familiar...or do they?

She kneels down on the pavement and tries again. "My name is Grune. What's your name?"

From:

dustless

Slowly, inch my inch, their head turns to regard her. Who is she talking to? There aren't any other kids here, or even pigeons she'd need to kneel to address.

Their lips part in surprise. Is...is she talking to them?

A hand reaches to press against the glass, and their face crumples. No, no, she can't be. Nobody ever talks to them. They don't exist, you know.

From:

lostinmyway

"It's all right," she says gently.

She lays the palm of her hand flat on the glass.

"I'm here."

From:

dustless

They press their face against the glass, too. They're confused, they're crying, they're fraying at the seams.

More and more faceless people surge through the streets. It's rush hour. Food is burning, people are making haste, and they'll start running into Grune before long. They'll apologize hollowly for it every time, but that doesn't stop the rest.

The child scratches madly at the window.

From:

lostinmyway

Grune says sorry to everyone who runs into her, but no matter how battered she gets, still she stays where she is. In fact, she places her other hand on the glass as well.

"It's all right, dear," she says again. "I won't leave you. I promise."

From:

dustless

They don't know if that's good. They don't want to be left alone, but they don't want her to get hurt.

She shouldn't get hurt for a stupid reflection.

The child shakes their head, hits the glass more. Even if it breaks, they won't get out, but maybe she'll get going.

From:

lostinmyway

Oh, my. That looks painful.

"Be careful, dear. You might hurt yourself."

Carefully, she moves closer to the glass, until she's almost pressed up against it. Maybe now it will be easier for everyone to go around her.

From:

dustless

That's a little better. She'll still get the edges of her clothes stomped on.

There's a tiny crack in the glass before she does it. They lean their face against it. If Grune looks closely, she'll see yes, they're just in the glass itself, and the fracture is a hole straight through them.

Leave, they try to say. Their mouth moves, but they can't make any sound.

From:

lostinmyway

Grune leans forward to peer through the glass. Her eyes widen a little when she realises her new friend isn't behind the glass, but inside it.

...Well, that's a little difficult. But it's all right.

Instead of leaving, Grune makes herself comfortable. "This city is a very busy place, isn't it? Do you live here?"

From:

dustless

They sink down until they're sitting, too. They try to talk again and fail, and nod miserably instead. They lift one of their hands to point down a street with lights that flicker the most.

There are people behind the kid, too, passing through the restaurant to pick tables, if Grune focuses past them at all. None of them seem to notice her yet.

From:

lostinmyway

She looks down the street, then back at the child. Not through them, even if there's a lot going on further inside; for Grune, there's only her new friend.

"Oh, I see. Did you come here to get a little snack?"

From:

dustless

The child looks lost, shrugging exaggeratedly. They don't remember where they were going, they just didn't want to be home. There wasn't a reason to be. There wasn't a reason to be anywhere, in fact.

A few fat raindrops start falling from the sky.

From:

lostinmyway

"Hmm.... All right."

One particularly large drop splashes on top of Grune's head. She blinks and looks up at the sky, then back down at her new friend.

"Oh, my. It's raining. Is it raining in there where you are, too?"

From:

dustless

They look even more confused. They tap on the glass and shake their head, then point at the sky and nod. How do they explain? They're right here, but the water isn't enough to splash onto the window yet. They'd probably get wet if that happened.

From:

lostinmyway

"Oh, I see." She nods, then says, "I love the smell of the air when it first starts raining. It's so nice. Don't you think so?"

From:

dustless

...Is it? The kid taps their nose. They never paid attention.

The water stars falling harder, and they stand up, pointing at a nearby bookstore. There's a big ledge above the windows, and they're starting to feel reasonably confident that Grune won't wander off and leave them, just like she said.

From:

lostinmyway

Grune looks to where her friend is pointing, then back at them.

"Can you go over there, too?" she asks. She isn't going anywhere until she's sure.

From:

dustless

They nod and point at her insistently. Go, go!

And whenever she does, she'll see them reflected in that should've shown her--the other windows, the warped image on the side of the slow cars, the slowly-growing rain puddles on the sidewalk--everything.

From:

lostinmyway

Grune beams. "Okay!"

She stands up and off she runs! ...Or jogs, because she's Grune and only rarely does she run at all.

From:

dustless

That's fine. They can keep up with her better that way, anyway.

When she gets there, the child seems to be standing on the windowsill, pressing their forehead against the glass. There are less people to knock into Grune in front of the bookstore, too, though a few shadowy people inside turn from the bookshelves to look at her quizzically.

From:

lostinmyway

Grune doesn't notice anyone but her new friend. As she comes to a stop, she tucks away her wet fringe and smiles. "There we go!"

But then she looks up, into the bookshop. Oh!

"Can you come inside?"

She has an idea!

From:

dustless

They shrug, point at her, and turn around. At worst, they can at least be looking inside through the glass.

Meanwhile, the door opens with the chime of an old-fashioned bell. A shadowy figure in a hat sticks his head out. "Ma'am? Are you alright?"