[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

[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?"

[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.

[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?"

[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.

[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?"

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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!

[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?"

[lostinmyway]

"Oh, yes, I'm just fine," she assures him. She's a little wet, but that's okay. More importantly: "Do you have any storybooks?"

[dustless]

"All kinds of books here." He peers at the window. "Were you talking to a customer? Nobody can hear you through the window. It doesn't open."

[lostinmyway]

She shakes her head. "No, I was talking to my new friend."

She points at the child in the window.

[dustless]

The child shrinks back.

The man stares. "Ma'am...I...don't think your reflection is--are you sure you're alright? Do you have somewhere you're supposed to be?"

[lostinmyway]

"I'm just fine." She frowns at the man. "You shouldn't ignore them. You'll hurt their feelings."

[dustless]

Grune is right; they look devastated, curling on on themselves. The man just looks more and more bewildered, looking between her and the window.

"All I see is you," he says uncomfortably. He points one long finger around the area above the child's head. "There's your hair. And lower's your eyes, and there's that choker. See?" He smiles crookedly, nervously.

[lostinmyway]

Grune sighs. She supposes it's not his fault he doesn't know how to look properly.

"Thank you. Where are your storybooks?"

She glances back to smile at her friend. She'll be right back.

[dustless]

"...There's a door three shelves back. All the kids' books are in there." Hastily, he steps around her and crosses the street, giving an impression of looking nervously back despite lacking the eyes to do so.

The child is gone.

[lostinmyway]

She barely hears his answer.

"Oh? Hello?"

Where did her friend go?

She starts looking around, standing up on her toes and crouching down low.

[dustless]

There's only the echoing noise of the city, though it all sounds oddly far away, even with the rain falling and the cars growling and the people chattering all around her.

Audible through the door, the bookstore's shelves creak.

[lostinmyway]

It's a sound she might not catch normally, but right now, it seems very loud indeed.

"Hello?" she calls again.

Did her friend go inside?

[dustless]

The bookstore's door is hanging open, the bell chiming over and over again.

Lights inside flicker out one by one, though the patrons keep to their browsing without a care.

[lostinmyway]

"Oh!" Grune's expression lights up. "There you are!"

Now it's time to find a storybook to share.