1 👹 Dream Recording

[rudehero]

Sender: Yuri Hyuga
To: Everyone, if they don't mind the minor nightmare energy coming from it.
Subject: Passive Dream-turned-Nightmare Recording
Warnings: Some vague body horror descriptions (I tried to be not too graphic)



A lab is the place the dream picks up in.

A very old lab, in fact. Dimly lit with a large tube filled with liquid in the center, a giant crystal at its base. A very ancient man is chanting what seems to be a spell, following it up with the final words as something takes shape:

"...By the wheels of the Cherubim, take this soul beyond the Gates of Time!"

The form of a woman begins to take shape, Yuri's face reflected in the glass. The more she forms, the more worried his face in the glass.

But something happens, and the crystal beneath shatters, cracking the tube and nearly overloading the machine in the room. The reforming body in the tube begins to break away, disappearing. The face of the woman is still in the tube as the rest of her body disappears, and at the base, a dark liquid bubbles up.

He knows this. He knows he stops it. But this time it doesn't stop and dissipate when he wills it away, or tries to. Instead it invades the tube through the cracks, turning the last bit of the woman's soul into something beginning to become twisted and unlike what she was, the last bit of her voice that would have said sweet words to him becoming distorted and deep, only repeating "It hurts, it hurts."

The nightmare abruptly ends as Yuri is forcibly woken.

Comments

Journal Message, Later

[shithogs]

[Deciding to comment on these dreams she sees is starting to become a regular thing— maybe because she knows firsthand just how fucked up a dream like that can leave someone feeling, especially if it’s based on memory.

The message she leaves for Yuri is less than eloquent, however.]

What the fuck was that dream of yours?

i cackled when i saw this in my inbox, she has such a way with words lmfao

[rudehero]

[...well, at least she cares, even after they beat the shit out of each other in a mistlefoe gumdrop brawl. Though she can't see it, the way she words her question gets a sharp laugh out of him.]

A memory turned nightmare. Didn't happen like that, but I wonder about if it did.

she is a gift

[shithogs]

Shit. How much of it was real?

[She's had plenty of memories turned nightmare, herself. There's often a lot of truth to them.]

[rudehero]

Everything but the end. It was something we shouldn't have tried, but we did anyway.

[Luckily nothing happened to Alice... he would have never forgiven himself if it had.]

[shithogs]

Sometimes you gotta take the risk.

[With how he obviously felt about the woman in the dream... she gets it. If it were Nier, wouldn't she have done the same thing?]

So she didn't turn into a monster?

[rudehero]

No. No monster. I don't know what I would have done if she did.

[There would have been a lot of guilt, and he'd likely be more eager to die than he already had been at that point. Things probably wouldn't have gone great once they got to Takamagahara... but he wouldn't have endangered his companions, either.]

She didn't come back, though. But she was all right. That's all that mattered.

[shithogs]

Sorry you lost her.

[It doesn't really seem like enough to say so, but the sentiment is a simple one. Loss sucks. She knows that well.]

When you say she was all right, you mean... she was at peace?

[rudehero]

Yeah. I miss her like hell but she's at peace, I don't want to take that away from her.

[She didn't want to come back. She did what she wanted, and god she was strong for it. He knows what Alice sacrificed for him.]

She did something for me that I could never repay her for, and she's at peace with that.

[shithogs]

She did, huh.

[That sounds familiar.]

... what's it like? Carrying that around now. Seems like it would be hard for anyone to feel they deserve something like that.

[rudehero]

Hard as hell.

[He won't mince words.]

Buried her with my own two hands, and when all that happened... I felt like shit. But Alice wouldn't want me to feel bad, so I try not to.

[Even if it's hard to live with. Alice wouldn't want him to hate himself for what had happened, she saved him, wanted him to live so he'd damn well try to— and had— til now.]

[shithogs]

With your own two hands.

[Shit. That's heavy.]

Think I know how you feel, though. Had someone give everything up for me. It's hard not to feel like shit when you're here and they're not.

[rudehero]

It's a pretty shitty feeling. Sorry you also went through it. How'd you cope?

sender: lyria

[azuresong]

[ As a new arrival to Song, this is the first time she's truly encountered a visual dream from someone else. It's haunting and uncomfortable, but fast fingers attempt to try to get a hold of Yuri when the image finally fades ]

are you okay????

[rudehero]

[SORRY LYRIA, this is like, the last thing anyone wants to see, let alone what Yuri wants others to see. His nightmares are all similar to this, but hopefully the next ones won't just... be out there.

It takes a little bit for him to actually respond, writing shaky. This one was more real, because it could have happened like that. Could have.]

yeah.

[There's a gap of time before more, a few moments.]

didn't think i'd have these kinds of nightmares here, but i guess it's no different than the real world.

[azuresong]

[ It’s difficult to truly grasp emotions through these devices, so when the first message is received Lyria is a little apprehensive at the response. She knew from her own experiences that nightmares were hard to shake off, so she had thought about sending another text before the second one came in. Oh, thank goodness— ]

i am so sorry… those people in that dream were from your home right?? [ She’l be mindful not to pry too much, but ]

[rudehero]

yeah. alice. we did something we shouldn't have.

[That's.... putting it extremely lightly :')]

but it didn't happen. not like that. she's... fine.

[Well, as fine as someone who is already gone from life can be, but knowing that wasn't her outcome is still a blessing.]

[azuresong]

[ Oh, that was... a little reassuring!? But only a little. ]

im glad she is okay though. i can only imagine how scary that was for you...
b but it was only a dream! and dreams like to play tricks on us sometimes. maybe a happy memory of her will help make you feel better?

[rudehero]

a happy memory, huh? yeah, maybe. i have lots of those.

[She's right though... dreams were usually only dreams, nothing more than a trick of his mind.]

sorry you had to see that. no one shoulda had to.

[azuresong]

thats great! even if theyre not here with us right now, we still have plenty of memories with our friends!!

[ She's really upping the positivity here because she's so worried about him! ]

oh no please dont apologize! it wasnt your fault and im sure you didnt mean for that to happen
i just hope youre not... too sad...

[rudehero]

[Oh no... she's cute. Lyria reminds him of Jeanne, almost.]

yeah. i can see her anytime, it's all right. i'll be all right. thanks.

[Alice had said that, before they were off to the last battle and all... though he's curious if that's still possible here. Hmm.]

well, at least i think i can. i haven't tried since i got here.

[azuresong]

[ It's hard to tell what someone is truly feeling like behind paper, but Lyria will certainly believe them! ... At least, for now.

Believe me, she could keep encouraging you for as long as you needed-

But what he does say does peak her interest. ]

are they in this world? how... can you see them if they are not here?

[rudehero]

not quite. it's... hard to explain, but i can see her if i want.

[Well... maybe. If he was in his own world, he'll still have to try here.]

i'm kinda scared to look though, heh. seems kinda silly to be scared about something like that, isn't it?

[azuresong]

i dont think its silly at all to be scared! i get scared all the time but i know i have people who will look out for me and encourage me, too!

you dont have to do it if it makes you uncomfortable, though.

[rudehero]

you're right. she was looking out for me and she encouraged me a ton.

i really should look. it might make me feel better, too.

[azuresong]

I think it would, too. It might be a little painful but... you always have people looking out for you, I'm sure of it!

[rudehero]

thanks

i'll give it a shot. i'll let you know how it goes. what's your name?

[azuresong]

please do! and if theres anything you need from met let me know.

my name is lyria ♡ [ She'll even doodle the little heart by her name ] its very nice to meet you

[rudehero]

[Oh no she's cute... she definitely reminds him of Jeanne and that just kicks the need and want to make sure she's happy into gear.]

yuri. nice to meet you lyria. i'm gonna try to sleep again and hope nothing bad tries to invade, but... i'll let you know. thanks for talking with me, i feel a little better now.

[azuresong]

no more bad dreams tonight!! i am wishing them all away... whoooosh! [ Another small doodle, this time of a gust of wind, perhaps? Follows by a smiley face. ]

im glad i could help in some way and hope you have a very restful night yuri.
sleep well♡♡♡