Dreamland (round 3)

[foundationmods]

[A strange house of some sort sits in the pitch black nothingness that exists around it. For those just now wandering in, they will be drawn to the building, finding it lit up in a way that it should not be. It's as if the whole area- house, yard, fence, and giant sakura tree- all give off their own light, and the newly-arrived are drawn to it like a moth to the flame.

Inside the boundary of the yard, the familiar faces of those who have passed on already will greet them. Depending on who is asked, they might give an accurate explanation. But even if they don't, one thing is clear: you don't want to leave this place. The area outside feels Dangerous, and it is probably best to stay put.

Fortunately, the house is built in an old style, and there are many rooms to explore. One room on the second floor seems locked, but the rest are open to explore as desired. The standard rooms are easy to find: kitchen, a W.C. and a bathroom, a sitting room of some sort, and a couple bedrooms (with plenty of futons for the dead to use). There are also several tatami mat rooms with nothing in them currently, but it seems like there might be some use for those rooms.

Around the house, perches for birds can be found. No birds are on them currently, though.

Sometimes Watanuki can be found in the house, but most of the time the dead will be left to their own devices. The question is, what will they do here?]

Comments

[foundfate]

[Well, those photos are laying around everywhere. Some are in photo albums already, but many are scattered on the floor.

Some of them are lit on fire. The fire appears to be black, like Nirrti's flames, but it doesn't reek of misfortune like Nirrti's does. It's like a mental projection of Nirrti's flames.

Also only specific photos are on fire, so like. One picture in a pile will be on fire, but the rest around it will not be.]

[byanyother_name]

[That certainly is a thing. Sigh. He's going to check out the burning photos, and maybe test, carefully, if it will burn his fingers.]

[foundfate]

[The fire won't burn him! He won't feel anything at all from it, actually. And it's not burning the whole picture, either. Rather, the only part of the picture that is burning is Yuuko. If left unchecked, the fire will burn up the part of the picture Yuuko is in, stopping as soon as Yuuko is gone from the picture.]

[byanyother_name]

[Small mercies. At least he can handle them safely. Let him try a couple simple avenues first. Can the flames be smothered either physically or with his own energy?]

[foundfate]

[They can be! If Kurama tries, he can smother the fire with his hands. But the fires will eventually start again, making this Sisyphean task seem pointless.

Interestingly enough, the picture in Kurama's hands? It's got Yuuko in it, but Watanuki is also there. He's wearing a black school uniform, just like the one he was wearing during the first week in the mansion, and both of his eyes are blue.

He's also looking directly at Kurama, waiting for Kurama to notice him.]

[byanyother_name]

[Mystic dream quest bullshit. Such is his life, apparently. Kurama shoos at another sparking flame on the picture and looks back.]

Yes, Watanuki-kun? I'm open to input.

[foundfate]

[It's a photo, so no sound is going to come from it. But the Watanuki in the picture mouths four words to Kurama:

'Help him move on.']

[byanyother_name]

[Kurama is quiet for a moment. Then he nods solemnly.]

I'll do my best.

[Will this photo fit any of the albums?]

[foundfate]

[Not in any of the ones you guys had before, no.

There is another album, one that is purple with a butterfly on the cover. But that album is currently in the koi pond. You'll need to fish it out.]

[byanyother_name]

[Of course it's in the koi pond. Fine. Kurama is going to collect the burning photos and head out to the pond to go fishing.]

[chaoscontrol]

[Shadow will

uh

watch.]

Why is it in the pond... won't it be all soggy...?

[byanyother_name]

This is a dream, Shadow. One Watanuki is in control of. If this album is meant for his memories of Yuuko, do you really think he would let it get water damage?

[foundfate]

[Well in this case, Shadow is right. The photo album is soggy and most of the pictures have significant water damage to them.

All of the pictures have Yuuko in them as well, so it might be easy to guess what the common denominator is. But these pictures are blurry and water-stained, so it can be difficult to make out any real details to the images. Colors on the group shots seem to be especially blurry and runny.]

[chaoscontrol]

[Shadow says nothing, but he gives Kurama the most obvious "I told you so" look in the universe]

Shall I go find a hair dryer.

[byanyother_name]

If you tell me you've never been wrong I'll call you a liar. And feel free.

[Though Kurama is glancing through those group shots... do the rough outlines of them match any of the photos he brought with him? Symbolism and all; maybe fire and water need to cancel each other out.]

[foundfate]

[Nope! The photos would fit thematically into the album, but they're all different pictures.

Interestingly enough, as the pictures in the album dry, they will catch on fie again. But if they're put in the water to get wet, the pictures become blurry and difficult to see.]

[byanyother_name]

[Kurama will start fitting the pictures he brought into the album and also looking more closely at those group shots. Do the pictures from the album actually clear up as they dry?]

We may need to dig Watanuki-kun out of his hole soon.

[foundfate]

[Yuuko herself seems to be clear, at least until the fire starts up again. And Watanuki himself appears to be clear. But all other people in the pictures seem...melty? It's like paints running down a canvas. But as the picture dries, it seems to straighten itself out. But then, when the pictures are close to fixed, Yuuko catches on fire again.

It's like something must be given up for the other to be kept safe. ]

[byanyother_name]

I was afraid of that.

[Kurama sighs and picks up the album. Just on the off chance, he's going to go tap the album against the seal on the gate.]

I have no moral high ground, admittedly. I've been willing to risk my friends many times for my mother. But still... there's a difference between risking living for living and risking living to cling to a memory.

Kimihiro! We need to talk. I know you can hear me.

[chaoscontrol]

[Shadow watches the behavior of the album over Kurama's shoulder (thanks, wings), then nods in agreement]

It's time Kimihiro put that part of his past behind him.

[chaoscontrol]

He's preoccupied with her.

[hoshit--

when the hell did Shadow get here]

With Yuuko. With remembering her. He fears that if he forgets her, she'll be 'gone' forever.

[byanyother_name]

If he keeps himself trapped in the past this way, we'll all be gone forever.

[Kurama sighs and rubs at the bridge of his nose.]

[chaoscontrol]

I already tried to tell him that was stupid -- that she had left her legacy to him, and moved on peacefully.

[Shadow shakes his head]

But I guess some habits and feelings are harder to shake than others.

[byanyother_name]

It may simply have not been the right approach. There are many paths forward, and which one suits any given individual...

We're going to have to figure out which one is the correct path for him, though. We have little choice.

[chaoscontrol]

Telling him point blank he was acting stupid worked well before. [Shadow says with a shrug] But this IS a different situation.