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dreamcrystals2023-06-01 02:08 pm
sagesurvivor) wrote in dreamcrystals2023-06-01 02:08 pm
Entry tags:
omg how do you come up with this stuff?
Sender: Sheik
To: everyone
Subject: passive (prophetic!) dream recording
The dream crystals flicker to life with a projection of verdant green fields as far as the eye can see. The sky stretching over those fields is a clear and brilliant blue, and the sun is warm as the long, untamed grass rustles and sways in the gentle breeze. It's peaceful, idyllic - almost achingly so.
You blink.
It's dark, to the point one could mistake it for being nighttime. Storm clouds roil menacingly overhead; lightning arcs across the sky, and the thunder that results from it shakes the earth itself, a deep, constant rumble that nearly sounds like some buried primordial creature awakening from an ancient slumber. It almost drowns out the rain beating around your ears, and yet, somehow... you can still hear the frantic hoof beats of a galloping horse somewhere in the distance, though no such creature appears.
You blink.
The world shifts, and suddenly the fields are gone, Reverein's central plaza appearing in their stead. The storm remains, however; it descends like a hurricane upon the town, a blustering wind buffeting the buildings that have only just started being repaired from the Story Eater's assault. In the midst of the storm, standing tall despite the wreckage around them... are two figures that may be quite familiar to the dreamwalkers of Reverein. The girl glows like a star fallen to earth, enveloped in a golden aura - one of the few sources of light besides the crackling of lightning above them. The other comes from the sword the boy wields, gleaming silver, bright as the lining of a cloud. Together, they face the storm, resolve etched upon the whole of their beings.
You can't blink.
Your eyes are forced open, held open as if by cold, unseen hands.
(This is what destiny demands of you: to watch, to see, to know--)
The storm surges downward to meet the pair. The boy's sword cleaves the dark clouds wherever he swings it; the girl clasps her hands together as if in prayer, untouched despite the darkness raging against her light. For a moment it appears as though they will emerge triumphant in their battle, but then--
Eyes appear in the storm - yellow and hateful and looking at you.
A hand, gloved in white silk, reaches out towards the boy and girl, desperate, pleading... but the distance is too great to cross, the wind too fierce to hear over.
(--but never to act.)
A deep, haunting laugh echoes through the scene as the boy's sword suddenly loses its luster, dark veins creeping up the blade and then his arm in turn. The girl loses her concentration, the aura surrounding her fading as she rushes to his side-- and that lapse is all the storm needs. The dark clouds crash over her like a wave, denying them that reunion, sweeping her away before she can ever reach the boy. He flings out a blackened hand after her, but he's overtaken by the darkness as well a moment later.
Those yellow eyes, ever focused on you (because all of this is your fault and the storm knows it, will never let you forget it: the sin that birthed a Calamity--), curve in what can only be called an expression of cruel mockery before the clouds billow and surge once more, blanketing Reverein, rending the land asunder and consuming everything.
You don't blink, but your vision goes dark all the same.
---
The crystals do not show the color of Sheik's eyes when he awakes from his nightmare. Alone in his hovel on the outskirts of the city, no one is there to see their blue hue, or the way he stares at his hand when his vision comes into focus, outstretched and grasping at nothing. It is only later, after reinforcing the illusions he cloaks himself with, that one may catch him at the riverside, furiously chucking his own dream crystal into the water.
Does he know it's a fruitless endeavor, that the crystal will reappear among the rest of his meager belongings in no more than a day's time? Yes. Is he feeling petty enough right now to seek that kind of catharsis regardless? ... Also yes.
(The stone-grey tiny tapir at his heels seems morose about this development regardless... but that may also be because it is only a day old and it already has a tummy ache. Good luck, little one...!)
To: everyone
Subject: passive (prophetic!) dream recording
The dream crystals flicker to life with a projection of verdant green fields as far as the eye can see. The sky stretching over those fields is a clear and brilliant blue, and the sun is warm as the long, untamed grass rustles and sways in the gentle breeze. It's peaceful, idyllic - almost achingly so.
You blink.
It's dark, to the point one could mistake it for being nighttime. Storm clouds roil menacingly overhead; lightning arcs across the sky, and the thunder that results from it shakes the earth itself, a deep, constant rumble that nearly sounds like some buried primordial creature awakening from an ancient slumber. It almost drowns out the rain beating around your ears, and yet, somehow... you can still hear the frantic hoof beats of a galloping horse somewhere in the distance, though no such creature appears.
You blink.
The world shifts, and suddenly the fields are gone, Reverein's central plaza appearing in their stead. The storm remains, however; it descends like a hurricane upon the town, a blustering wind buffeting the buildings that have only just started being repaired from the Story Eater's assault. In the midst of the storm, standing tall despite the wreckage around them... are two figures that may be quite familiar to the dreamwalkers of Reverein. The girl glows like a star fallen to earth, enveloped in a golden aura - one of the few sources of light besides the crackling of lightning above them. The other comes from the sword the boy wields, gleaming silver, bright as the lining of a cloud. Together, they face the storm, resolve etched upon the whole of their beings.
You can't blink.
Your eyes are forced open, held open as if by cold, unseen hands.
(This is what destiny demands of you: to watch, to see, to know--)
The storm surges downward to meet the pair. The boy's sword cleaves the dark clouds wherever he swings it; the girl clasps her hands together as if in prayer, untouched despite the darkness raging against her light. For a moment it appears as though they will emerge triumphant in their battle, but then--
Eyes appear in the storm - yellow and hateful and looking at you.
A hand, gloved in white silk, reaches out towards the boy and girl, desperate, pleading... but the distance is too great to cross, the wind too fierce to hear over.
(--but never to act.)
A deep, haunting laugh echoes through the scene as the boy's sword suddenly loses its luster, dark veins creeping up the blade and then his arm in turn. The girl loses her concentration, the aura surrounding her fading as she rushes to his side-- and that lapse is all the storm needs. The dark clouds crash over her like a wave, denying them that reunion, sweeping her away before she can ever reach the boy. He flings out a blackened hand after her, but he's overtaken by the darkness as well a moment later.
Those yellow eyes, ever focused on you (because all of this is your fault and the storm knows it, will never let you forget it: the sin that birthed a Calamity--), curve in what can only be called an expression of cruel mockery before the clouds billow and surge once more, blanketing Reverein, rending the land asunder and consuming everything.
You don't blink, but your vision goes dark all the same.
---
The crystals do not show the color of Sheik's eyes when he awakes from his nightmare. Alone in his hovel on the outskirts of the city, no one is there to see their blue hue, or the way he stares at his hand when his vision comes into focus, outstretched and grasping at nothing. It is only later, after reinforcing the illusions he cloaks himself with, that one may catch him at the riverside, furiously chucking his own dream crystal into the water.
Does he know it's a fruitless endeavor, that the crystal will reappear among the rest of his meager belongings in no more than a day's time? Yes. Is he feeling petty enough right now to seek that kind of catharsis regardless? ... Also yes.
(The stone-grey tiny tapir at his heels seems morose about this development regardless... but that may also be because it is only a day old and it already has a tummy ache. Good luck, little one...!)
Sender: Zelda
But there's a distinct other-ness to the dream that Zelda can't shake. The eyes she's looking through don't feel like her own, nor does the gloved hand that reaches out in vain. The guilt she feels, though very familiar, does not seem to be hers.
But it was definitely a dream about her, that much Zelda can be sure of. Herself and Link, facing Calamity Ganon. The princess frowns where she sits in the darkness of her bedroom. The Story Eater has been defeated, his monstrous creations disappeared, but Zelda does not feel any more at ease. Her own nightmares have not abated. Malice sticks stubbornly to a few corners of Reverein, refusing to be scrubbed clean. The need to wake and return to Hyrule clings with equal stubbornness in the princess's mind.
Then, if this wasn't her dream, whose was it? Link's? Zelda fetches her own dream crystal from where it sits on her nightstand. The residual nightmare energy that taints it is enough to tell Zelda its source.
Sheik? Zelda's brows furrow. It's bad enough that the princess's nightmares are effecting Link; now they appear to be effecting Sheik too. She sighs. This is likely the first time one of his dreams has been broadcast through the dream crystals too. Having a dream shared always feels like an invasive breech of privacy, but to share a nightmare feels even worse. Poor Sheik.
Were it not the middle of the night (and also that she knew were Sheik lives), Zelda would have paid him a visit to let him know what has happened. But since wandering around in the middle of the night looking for the elusive ninja doesn't feel like a good idea, the princess will have to settle for the journals. ]
Dear Sheik,
[ Because Zelda always tends to write in the journal like she's writing a letter. ]
I regret to inform you that it seems one of your dreams has been shared through the dream crystals. I am compelled to apologize for intruding upon your privacy, though it was not by my choice.
Out of the utmost respect, I shall not share the contents of your dream beyond this message, but [ And there's a little ink spot of hesitation ] should you like to speak on the matter, I would lend you my ear.
Kindly,
Zelda
no subject
The first is that, generally, he doesn't bother much with the journals. Such correspondence is still fairly foreign to him, and Reverein is not so large that he can't just go out and find whoever he needs to speak to if it's truly necessary.
The second is because when he does eventually see who the message is from and what it's about, he spends the next ten minutes cursing profusely.
None of which, of course, Zelda gets to be privy to. When Sheik finally writes back, his handwriting is rough in the way of someone who is out of practice, but he's careful not to allow his pen to bleed or his hand to smudge the ink across the page.]
princess,
your kindness continues to prove to be boundless. i appreciate your discretion, though i feel i must apologize as well. such dark visions must have been disturbing to witness. i wish i could promise that it will not happen again, but i believe i understand enough about this realm now to know that would not be a promise i am capable of keeping.
regardless, you need not concern yourself for my sake, your highness. perhaps it will not bring you joy to hear this, but nightmares of that sort are not something i am unaccustomed to. especially after the recent battle, i find no surprise that my sleep is disturbed in such a way.
[This is a lie, though one that he deeply hopes to become truth. His mind simply processing his anxiety would be so much better than the potential alternative...]
again, i am sorry for any distress i might have caused, and thank you for your offer.
- sheik
p.s. the egg i received in the fairy forest hatched this morning as well. perhaps you would like to see the creature that emerged from it?
[Frankly, the last thing he wants to do is talk about his dream, but maybe it will put her mind at ease to see him being Totally Fine more than words on a page. He has to try, at least, to make up for showing her something so dreadful.]
no subject
And then frowns as she reads it. "I feel I must apologize." "I wish I could promise that it will not happen again." "You need not concern yourself for my sake." He's really trying to downplay this whole thing?
Not that Zelda is guiltless of such a thing.Zelda isn't accepting any of his excuses, no matter how well meaning they might be. But rather than prod him for honesty through the journals, which Sheik could easily ignore, the princess opts for a different approach. ]In my experience, such shared dreams are few and far between for most of us. For as invasive as it is, hopefully you will be spared frequent recurrences, as I typically am. You can ever count on my discretion.
[ None of this is a lie, per say, but it's not what she actually wants to say to Sheik. ]
I know it is a little early, but I often rise around this time to go about my day. [ Also not a (complete) lie; she used to spend time with Satan at the earliest or latest hours of the day, when the sunlight didn't bother him. ] I would quite like to meet this creature! As you are also awake, would you be amenable to meet me now?
no subject
And yet--] i would meet with you at any time, princess.
[What else is he supposed to do?]
i am by the riverside, near the outskirts of town. i'd prefer to be away from large numbers of people, as i am sure you'd understand.
[Even if most (sane) people are asleep right now. Better to not chance it while his mind is spinning like this. A more detailed location comes a moment later, and should Zelda follow it she will find one (1) Sheikah ninja laying back in the grass by the riverbank and staring into the sky, a small... something curled up on his chest underneath his laced-together fingers. Of course, unless she's making an effort to sneak up on him, his eyes will cut to her when he hears her approach, and while he does lift himself up a bit to greet her, he seems more hesitant to do so than he might otherwise.
He has a baby, Zelda, what if he breaks it--]
no subject
I know the area. I shall meet you within the hour.
[ She'll even spare you the company of Link, who often accompanies the princess wherever she goes. Isn't that considerate? (Said knight will get an equally considerate note on the kitchen table reading, "Gone to visit Sheik. Will return before midday.")
Within thirty minutes, Zelda follows the kindly provided map to Sheik's location. She certainly isn't trying to sneak up on him, so he will easily spot her as she approaches. She's surprised when he doesn't immediately leap to his feet, but quickly sees the reason. That is the tiniest and cutest creature the princess has ever seen! ]
Good morning.
[ Instead of waiting for Sheik to stand, Zelda drops into a crouch beside him, her eyes on the baby tapir. ]
This is the hatchling?
no subject
Its first meal was quite a big one, and its tummy grumbles with its difficulty in digesting it. Sheik, meanwhile, nods.]
Had I known when and what it would hatch into, I would have sought your aid in preparing for it. [She seems like she'd be better at this sort of thing than he is. Or maybe he's just feeling a certain way right now about knowing things ahead of time. Either way.] Would you like to hold it? It does not seem to bite or kick much as far as I've been able to tell.