lifeaftr | Exploration Event: Neverwere

EXPLORATION EVENT: NEVERWERE

Who: Everyone!
What: Your wildest dreams come true!
When: May 15th to May 18th
Where: Ziziphus, those still on Ensō...and Mu
Warnings: Mark as needed!

Then Know That My Life Was Just a Killer Dream
You can find most of the information you need in the OOC info post! In the meantime, feel free to use this log as a catch-all for your dream worlds, as well as detailing your efforts to free one another. Whether they're on Ziziphus or Ensō at the time of the dreams' capture, your character is free to access as many dreams as you like, as the interlocking mental landscape allows for that sort of crossing over apropos of nothing. And time, of course, is very fluid in dreams - many days, months, and years can transpire in a matter of mere minutes.

Will you fight your way free from Ziziphus's vines or Mu's thrall, or are you content to die in your sleep?

Remember to let us know if your character dies during this event!

Event Timeline

[ ♆ ] May 15th: The vines make their move, ensnaring characters in ideal fantasy worlds
[ ♆ ] May 17th: The Storyteller will make contact with those they can, as well as issue information and a potential solution
[ ♆ ] May 18th: Those that have not freed themselves from the vines or from Mu will suffer a death

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Together is a word she can easily find strength in during the worst of times, but coming from Seto's mouth, it's more powerful. Because he understands how hard it is to be alone, knows that we can be brave together is the one of the few ways she can find courage at all.

And even with that surge in her heart, she buries her face in his chest and wraps her arms around his body. She doesn't want to deal with this anymore. This isn't reality-she knows that. But it's close enough to the one she knows from the steady flow of memories that's coming back to her that she doesn't want to see it disappear.

It was always going to vanish and she grips the back of his shirt because she knows reality isn't grounded in this fake island or the one she's going back to-

Reality is having it all vanish before her eyes and she knows it's coming in the future and she can't stand to see smiling faces leave her vision or watch her new home vanish in the blink of an eye.

Even when they're back, she doesn't open her eyes. She's awake, but exhaustion coupled with a selfish desire to just not look is enough to keep her from doing it. The only problem is she can't feel Seto against her anymore and that's terrifying.]

Seto?

[Seto sees her, sees that her eyes are still shut and is worried but Ren speaks and it's okay. But he pinches his cheek, just incase.]

I'm--ow! [A cry that's more of annoyance because he trips on a vine in his hurry to get to Ren's side.] I'm coming! Just stay where you are, okay?

[Seto doesn't have any magic or sharp weapons like the Drifter has. His iron pipe is about it...aside from his memories, but Seto doesn't want to think about that anymore.

He's going to focus and get down there and get those vines off of Ren. As it was with the Drifter, Seto is stubborn when it comes to helping his friends and more so with Ren. But first things first, when he gets close enough he's going to grab Ren's hand.

Just because this is real.]

[His voice shakes her out of whatever fear induced stupor she was in and her eyes crack open when his hand cups hers. It almost-

They're back in reality, because Ren can remember in vivid detail how warm his hand was when he pulled her out of that machine. When he held on as tight as he could, to comfort her while she was shaking off the blindness that experiment caused. Comforting her through it, even though she told herself, over and over, that she didn't need it. She was used to it. He should go after Shin, he should leave and-

He didn't go.

And he's not leaving now.

The vines slide off her easily now, relinquishing their hold now that he's woken her from that spell, and she slowly pushes herself up to meet him, hand clenching his as tight as she can.]

You found me.

[When Ren opens her eyes, she's greeted by Seto's dirty and tear-streaked face but his smile as well. He's always able to smile for her.]

I always will Ren. I promise.

[It may not mean much in a long run. Ren has only so long and Seto knows now that people could disappear from the islands. Even he could die. Someone couldn't have been able to pull him out of his own dream land and he died there. This island gave them a safe place to be but it was also very scary sometimes.

But he's going to focus and help Ren up.]

Can you walk? I can carry you too.

It's okay. I can-I can walk.

[There's a great deal of relief in hearing his words. He'll always be there-she knows that. She held to that fact for months and months, because despite what everyone around her implied, she knew he'd be here. He's like that. He would always find her and she doesn't have to worry about his journey taking him through god created dreams or across humid, dense jungles.

She clasps his hand-his arm-and tries to pull herself up with his help. That exertion is exhausting, even if all she has to concentrate on is the way her legs are shaking under her weight. Horrible. Her eyelids are heavy and all she wants to do is go back to sleep.

She just wants to sleep.

And she recognizes the symptom, knows what that means, but she still has time if she can force her eyes open like this. She leans against him, for a moment, before trying to stand on her own again. It's fine. She's good. Don't worry about her-she's got this.]

Are you okay? Did you get hurt?

[His legs almost buckle under the additional weight but he stays up firmly. Seto was more emotionally exhausted then physically right now - the vines weren't interested in one kid running for his friend when they were dealing with those who wielded magic, weapons and fire. But at the same time he had been going at a mad dash - Seto walked to Tokyo Tower but this felt much longer because he knew

...he knew that if Ren went too long without her medication, she'd be in trouble. And he won't let that happen.]

I'm okay! But Ren, it's okay if you can't walk. I'll carry you.

[He could get her out faster, but Seto also knows not to push. He just wanted to make sure Ren understood she could lean on him.]

[Except it's not okay. The dream is still fresh in her mind, clashing with the reality she knows she's in and here-

Here is where she has to pretend nothing's wrong, again. She has to look in his eyes and act like the only part of that dream that wasn't the same was the physical world around them.

She remembers being carried by him-how she woke up and he was ignoring her. How she had to choke him to get down and why none of that mattered because he focused on everything to save her, when all she wanted was him to speak to her.

She can't take that, right now. The thought of him ignoring her, when all she wants to hear is calming sound of his voice, is enough to keep her on her feet.]

It's okay. I'm just very tired. I'll be okay. We can...We can go home now.

[The thing is...Seto knows why she's refusing to be carried. He knows that he scared her by not listening, by not talking to her. By being scared of Ren's eventual death when not focusing on the fact that she was alive right now.

But right now they both are. And so--]

It's okay Ren. I'll put you down if you ask.

[This time he'll listen to her. He swears.]

But it's also okay if you don't want to. We can go home by walking too.

[The gentle way he's talking to her-it's different than last time. She thought the scene would play out the same as it had originally. That only the scenery would change. Instead of traveling through abandoned buildings, it would be in a forest. Instead of waking up to find herself on his back, she would be awake to avoid that happening again.

It's gentle, is all. Kind, in the way he always is, but not what she expected for the situation. It would be easier to take him up on the offer and she hesitates, listening to the pounding heart in her chest, because she knows walking will slow him down, the way she is now.]

You promise?

[And more importantly-]

If you get tired, we can stop and I'll hide you.

Exploration Event: Neverwere

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