judicialassistant: ([fa] messy)
Susato Mikotoba 🌸 御琴羽 寿沙都 ([personal profile] judicialassistant) wrote in [community profile] dreamcrystals2023-01-09 08:01 pm

[02] three lies, one truth

Sender: Susato Mikotoba
To: Everyone
Subject: Passive dream recording
Warning: Descriptions of death (specifically: falling/burning, stabbing, freezing, drowning) and the crippling fear that comes with that.



When Susato is first seen, she is nigh unrecognizable. There's only a glimpse of her. Her hair is frazzled, long well past her shoulders, and the white dress she wears, accented by pinks, does not match the grim darkness of the cage she is in. Seconds later, there's a loud metallic clang as the cage is shut.

There's movement like a shaky camera, and you... no, Susato is looking into the eyes of one man who looks almost surprised to see her. As if he hadn't been the one to put her there.

"Mr Vigil?"

The voice is small and cracks like glass over the flames below.

Before he can respond, there's the sound of a lever and a deafening scream as a feeling of terrifying weightlessness takes over your body.

You're falling, and you don't know when you'll stop.

* * * * *

Out of the frying pan and into the fire.

When the dream spits you out, you can taste a mixture of blood and dirt as you blink your eyes open. They sting like you've been crying, and when you bring your filthy hands up to look at them, you can see the pink of your kimono sleeves. The loops in your air feel looser and messier than usual as you can feel the terrifying glare of a man before you, bleeding and in chains, and yet no less threatening.

All around you are corpses. You just barely manage to struggle to your feet when he moves to strike you down with alarming quickness, his blade and scythe at his call. Something hard and sharp pierces your stomach as his voice booms:

"You will not tarnish... my brother's memory...!"

You were so close. You can see some of the broken chains you worked so hard at; he was almost free.

But it's too late.

A laughter seems to be coming from the noble in the portrait behind the Reaper, and an eerie red glow bleeds out from the canvas as your consciousness fades.

* * * * *

The laughter transforms into something else, another voice. It is almost pleasant; and the scene is entirely different now. A gorgeous ballroom surrounds you with an air of celebration, you are humbled, taking the man before you in a dance. Here is the face that everyone says you can trust, and yet you can hear suspicious whispers coming from the walls.

Something is wrong.

You feel cold in a way that is inexplicable. Your very core is frozen, and it feels like you will never get warm. suddenly it's a struggle just to move with the music; but eventually you stop listening to that, too.

"Don't struggle." The king pulls you close in what is most certainly a threatening manner. Beneath your gloves, your fingers have already become ice. "Your death is inevitable now. Accept it with grace, and don't scream."

But even if you wanted to, you can't.

Pathetic gurgles escape your throat as ice travels up your chest and your neck. A piece of your white hair falls across your face, but when you go to brush it away, your hands won't move. Nothing will.

There is stillness. For a moment, you have hope, because you can still move your terrified, wide eyes, but soon that too is gone.

* * * * *

In that moment, you're not able to look at anything else.

Your neck is craned upwards and suddenly, the dream has shifted one final time. You're staring at the surface of the freezing cold water from below, unable to breathe, but the Gods above have mercy on you, and it doesn't last long. A glaring white starts to creep into the corners of your vision, filling everything in haze, and the dream ends as suddenly as it began.

* * * * *


[ Back in the comparative comforts of her home, Susato awakes with a start. She gasps for breath like she's just been held underwater, sitting up and gripping at her blankets. For all she knows, they are her lifeline. She is shaking, the faded memories of dreamscapes past rushing back to her, and she feels her arm knock something off the bed she's on.

......All she can do is breathe. ]



(( ooc: tl;dr, just a fun throwback to the fun deaths i've been able to put her through this past year. <3 please assume delayed responses where appropriate/etc. ))
flamekthunder: all official art/sprites (ϟ 001)

[personal profile] flamekthunder 2023-02-02 04:19 am (UTC)(link)
[HE'LL LEARN ABOUT IT EVENTUALLY.]

...Hm. However, it sounds as if you two haven't had a proper talk about it. Or have you?
flamekthunder: (ϟ 084)

[personal profile] flamekthunder 2023-02-05 12:28 am (UTC)(link)
It may be easier now that enough time has passed. But I'm sure it will be all right.
flamekthunder: (ϟ 003)

[personal profile] flamekthunder 2023-02-08 04:43 am (UTC)(link)
[There's a small look of confusion because where in the world did pillows come from?? But then Rhonwhen barks happily and he immediately understands with a grin.]

Yes, we were all impressed. Did you make them?
flamekthunder: (ϟ 146)

[personal profile] flamekthunder 2023-02-09 05:27 am (UTC)(link)
[Ahh... He nods in understanding at her clarification, but then his brows raise slightly.]

I'm not surprised, you seem to like such crafts. What have you been up to?
flamekthunder: (ϟ 003)

[personal profile] flamekthunder 2023-02-13 11:46 pm (UTC)(link)
A cat... You seem to have the skill for it, so I'm sure it'll turn out fine.
flamekthunder: (ϟ 157)

[personal profile] flamekthunder 2023-02-14 08:33 pm (UTC)(link)
I suppose so.

[As Rhonwhen continues to curl up at Susato's feet and doze off, Eustace looks over at her.]

...Is there anything else on your mind?

[She seems to be in better spirits so he doesn't want to bring her down. But he also wants to be sure there's nothing else he can do to help with. He knows she won't tell him everything—he doesn't have that kind of privilege. But if there is something he just wants to let her know he'll listen.]
flamekthunder: (ϟ 084)

[personal profile] flamekthunder 2023-02-15 09:24 pm (UTC)(link)
[...Ah. A slow nod of understanding.]

I've had that issue before. You're so used to doing a certain routine that once it's broken, you're not sure what to do.

I think you trying new things is already enough of a start. Whatever makes you happy.
flamekthunder: (ϟ 033)

[personal profile] flamekthunder 2023-02-19 06:03 am (UTC)(link)
It's a difficult process. You might not even realize it even after you find it. But I wish you luck—I think you've at least discovered a few things that will lead you there.