Once upon a dream... (4th Wall Event/TDM Combo platter)

[missrecalled_mods]

[((OOC note: This fourth wall is open to any character who would be game legal. If a character who posted here reserves or apps in September, these threads can be considered game canon as long as all involved agree. If a character doesn't app, for those in game already... wow that was a weird dream. Wait, what did you dream about again?))]


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For Jordan, still comatose after the magical mishap that had resulted in the first Misrecalled being summoned, it began with a dream. A dream so strong, that it had her stirring fitfully even in her current state; and eventually caused her to release an uncontrolled burst of magic.

For everyone else, unaware of what was coming, it began with falling asleep. Whether or not someone was tired before hand, whether they even could sleep, they simply fell asleep - or a reasonable facsimile - wherever they happened to be. Maybe they remembered falling asleep, maybe they didn't. But either way they suddenly found themselves in... a very strange place.

First all there was that they could see was a vast featureless plain in shining gold and silken draperies. But that was only a glimpse, for just by existing in this space, each dreamer warps it. Changes it. Not all at once, but bits, constantly changing between them and whomever they encounter. Each person brings with them bits of three places... where they had been last, a familiar place from memory, and whatever place they call home. But this is constantly changing and shifting, more so the more dreamers are present in any space. Before long, Bits of different landscapes, different environments, even different weather conditions will cover the landscape like some crazy patchwork quilt. Here a bit of a sunny, idyllic garden, there a section of shadowy, graffiti covered slum. To one side, a chunk of charming cobblestone streets under sunset tinged skies, to the other, a forest of towering trees, some of which seem to be moving. And glimpsed through the gaps between some of the odd terrain sections, some remainder of the poorly defined golden space, hung with colorful draperies could still be seen.

And the ground itself was not immune to the changes. While the ground on which they stood might seem stable enough, if someone walked more than a few paces in any direction, that could change. Solid ground could become shifting sand. Or water. Or a wall might suddenly appear to block their path. Doors might lead to places they definitely shouldn't or open to the edge of a sheer cliff. And if the complete lack of logic to the landscape wasn't enough of an indication that this was some sort of dream, then the unreadable signs would clinch it. Because any signs - or indeed, anything with writing on it that they didn't have on their person when they arrived - was covered with nothing but unreadable gibberish.

And it got even more surreal when a dreamer spotted anyone else in the dreamspace, or even looked at their own reflection - for each person appears in the dream in whatever way they see themselves. So someone with low self confidence might be short, someone with a huge ego might tower. If someone sees themselves as a horrible criminal who needs to repent, they might be in prison togs. If the change is dramatic enough people who know each other well might still fail to recognize each other within the dreaming.

Now normally such a bizarre dream might have been put down to stress, a meal that disagreed with them, or maybe indulging in some sort of illicit substance, but this clearly was no ordinary dream, if for no other reason than that in this dream, they weren't alone. The other people they encounter are not just figments of their imagination, and they too change the shared dream space.

Those already either on the Isle or in the kingdom of Auradon proper would find themselves all thrown together in the bizarre dreamworld. And that would have been strange enough. But more than the current populations of Auradon and the Isle could be found in this place. Maybe the faces where familiar. Maybe they weren't. But they definitely hadn't turned up in the physical world that was home to Ben and Mal. Yet anyway.

Given the extremely variable geography, exploring the area might be dangerous. At least as dangerous as anything in a dream could be. But investigating might help them find a way back to the physical world faster, for those who realize they are dreaming. Or they could just stand around and talk or complain about the latest bit of magical weirdness to happen to them and hope they woke up soon. Or they could go with it and enjoy the weird. It was their dream, after all. They could pretty much do what they liked. Or at least try to. Either way, they seemed stuck there for the present, for better or worse.

Comments

[queen_butterfly]

Mallia blinked at her a few times and then after a second, closed her mouth. She looked back to the little goblins, and then pointed over to that first chicken that'd come wandering back over on its hunt for bugs to eat. "Look, it's a chicken," she told them. "Go see if it wants pets? Pet the chicken?"

Well, it worked. The two, attention now diverted to the bigger bird and encouraged, got up to go do exactly as urged, leaving the other three alone. The chicken, for its part, didn't look to actually mind, so long as it could continue going after the grasshopper it had discovered.

The goblins removed from the situation, she looked back to the two still on the ground near her. "I suppose I ought not be so surprised that you can speak," she said, more to herself than to either of them. If they were listening past the translations that seemed to happen on their own... it was definitely not any sort of Barranian or Elantran language she was speaking. "But the fact that I am says something, I think." She settled down more to sit there, looking them over more carefully. A little more hesitant, "The little beastie wasn't too rough, I hope...?"

Look, just because she'd come in on the one insisting on gentleness didn't mean that clumsiness wasn't also on the table. And with their size differences, sometimes that accounted for a fair bit....

[kaylinneya]

"He's a child," Kaylin said, shrugging her wings awkwardly.

Hope squawked loudly, but Mallia would get what he was saying a long winded request for her to accept their presence, a long offer of what he would restrain about himself to not harm her space, an apology for their presence without permission. And a warning that Kaylin was his and he would not allow her to come to harm. Nothing that she could repeat word for word, but the intents were there and clear. And suggested that he was so much more than the small form he now presented.

[queen_butterfly]

"I see, I see," she said, solemnly enough, eyeing Hope. A little pause, and she looked between the two. "I don't suppose either of you would prefer to ride, rather than walk, given the size discrepancies here?" She leaned forward a little more, resting on her elbows, on her knees. Apparently, this was nothing like any sort of very formal meeting, as far as she was concerned. She was relaxed, smiling to them....

"I could show you about my home, if you'd like... or would you prefer refreshments? A spot to rest? I rather get the impression you're not from near here...."

[kaylinneya]

"Don't tell me you understood him," she grumbled.

Hope squawked. There didn't seem to be words this time.

"Food would be good, if I can even eat in this ocean walled form."

[queen_butterfly]

"Well... what would you like? If I'm familiar with it...."

If Kaylin was sensitive to magic within the dream, she'd probably pick up on its use then, as Mallia turned her hand over and opened it, letting out the little black cloth she hadn't just been holding... except it looked almost as though she had? She took it, opened it up, set it down... and as she did, it looked as though it had been closed around an assortment of foods. Fresh berries like the little goblin had offered, a small bread roll that'd been sliced in half to reveal the soft, vaguely steaming pale goodness within... a couple different cookies, some sliced bits of cheeses, some little coin-sized things that had to be tiny pies, with fruits inside, or something vaguely resembling yellow meringue - a whipped quiche? -- and even some smaller bread rolls, turned into bowls for some sort of stew or soup or whatever those were... a miniature feast with far more of a spread than the cloth should've been able to wrap around, to say nothing of fitting in her palm a moment before. There was simply no way.

But, magic or not, it certainly smelled real enough....

[kaylinneya]

The marks on her wings started to glow and she grumbled something that sounded like cursing in tone, though the words didn't match. They sounded random at best. But she did lean closer to the food.

Hope squawked. It sounded amused.

[queen_butterfly]

That reaction got a bit of a frown.

"...Are you all right?"

[kaylinneya]

"I... have a bit of an allergy to magic," she muttered. "Though your sort of magic doesn't usually trigg..."

Hope squawked, sounding half mocking, half smug.

The hawk blinked several times, then looked at Mallia. "Are you sure...?" she sounded so doubtful.

Hope Squawked again, absolutely smug this time.

[queen_butterfly]

"...Pardon?" She looked between the two, confused. What was this about? An allergy to magic? How would that even be possible?

[kaylinneya]

"Which part?" Kaylin asked. She could never tell when people could or could not understand Hope.

[queen_butterfly]

She looked to eye Hope. "...All of it, this time." How very, very odd, how this place worked... or didn't, as the case may have been.

[kaylinneya]

She took a deep breath. "Living building magic usually doesn't bother me. Except portals."

[queen_butterfly]

"'Living building magic'? How would you define that?"

As phrased, she wasn't certain at all.

[kaylinneya]

"Like how living buildings are basically gods in their own domain and can do things like creating food and stuff..." Someone was conveniently forgetting that a year or so ago she'd never met one either. Living with Helen, visiting Tara... made it hard to remember.

[queen_butterfly]

"I... can see how that description could possibly fit," she admitted, tilting her head a little, "But I can assure you, my castle is made of very real stone, all the same. It's just me that has magic, in my home. Well, and the ents. ...And usually also my visitors...."

Hmm, maybe that was a bit of a list, come to think of it?

"But it bothers you here? ...What... other kinds of magic do you suppose there are, that would bother you, if conjuration often doesn't?"

[kaylinneya]

"Well... Portals always do. And most inimical magic. And... wait. The power to conjure food from nothing is part of you and you're not a building..." She switched to a growling language that a human throat probably shouldn't be able to replicate without pain. She had a human throat. But it was worth the pain to speak Leontine most of the time, it had the best swear words. Of course what she actually said was "kittens!" which... was not what she was trying to say.

The look of disgust on her face made that plain. Ugh, Graylin wouldn't stop laughing for a week if she heard this pathetic attempt at Leontine.

"Look, just how the actual happinesses does that happen? Happinesses! OCEAN WALL IT ALL TO HAPPINESS!"

[queen_butterfly]

She simply watched for a moment, confused, as Kaylin carried on.

"....I'm afraid I don't follow...."

[kaylinneya]

"If I could curse this would all be easier," she snarled. Such an odd sound to come out of a bird.

[queen_butterfly]

"I have a sneaking suspicion I'd be just as confused if you were more crass," she said, raising an eyebrow.

[kaylinneya]

"Maybe, but at least I'd feel better," she admitted.

[queen_butterfly]

She couldn't help the giggle at that. "I suppose that's fair enough.

"But... what is it, about me being able to conjure things, that you think bothers you...?"

[kaylinneya]

"Happinesses if I know," she said, shrugging her wings. "None of this makes any ocean walled sense."

[queen_butterfly]

"Hm. ....Well, in the meanwhile, you're welcome to tour my home. Though by the looks of you walking around on the ground... I suppose it wouldn't be too amiss, to offer you to perch on my shoulders?" She glanced to Hope as she spoke as well; it was meant for both of them.

[kaylinneya]

"Unless you can turn me the hapinesses back into an ocean walled human, or whatever the hapinesses I'm supposed to be, I don't see how I have any ocean walled choice!"

Hope snickered.

[queen_butterfly]

"I'm not certain how well that would work here, I'm afraid.... Especially if my magic pains you."

She leaned down more toward them, holding her hands out for them to step up onto.