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

You said whoever....Re: Leia Organa | Star Wars (CRAU Wake + Voidtrekers) | OTA

[utauhoshina]

The blond girl in the pigtails would be the first she might meet. Under her feet - daylit sidewalk. Over her head, dark clouded night. And around her on all sides but the left - Where Leia came to her from - tight close in walls. Her wrists glittered with broken shackles, bits of chains around her feet, broken and inert. On her back were two wings. The feathery white wing was high and tight to her back, the small black bat wing was broken and listed, pressed against the wall behind her. There was on either of her shoulders what looked like an angel and a devil the size of her hands. The girl's eyes were closed as she sang a deep and haunting melody. The sing seemed to flow along around her, illuminating her in a soft glow of whiteish gold light.

[motherofresistance]

Leia waited respectfully until the girl finished her song, then applauded politely. "You have a beautiful voice," she commented by way of announcing her presence, smiling warmly.

[utauhoshina]

She tried to turn, but her angel wing caught on the wall. She struggled, but it became clear that as long as she had the wing she couldn't turn to look at Leia.

Which irritated her enough to be snappish.

"Of course I do. I know that! You know anything useful, like how to get me out of here?"

[motherofresistance]

Leia didn't have one immediately, but stepped forward to inspect the girl's situation a bit more closely. "Let's see if I can get a better look and this box," she said, trying to determine if the girl was actually bound to the walls in any way or if there were any forcefields involved.

[utauhoshina]

"You could just get rid of the good nonsense," the little devil creature said, snickering. "Then you can free yourself."

"NO! Utau is a good girl!" the little angel insisted.

"Yeah? So good... she's trapped by it. What fun," the devil taunted.

Utau was pretending to ignore them as she started to beat at and kick at the wall, trying to free herself.

[motherofresistance]

"Don't do that," Leia said as she began striking the walls. "You could hurt yourself." This might be a dream but that didn't man that injuries incurred there wouldn't be painful. "And you're making it more difficult for me to see what might holding you."

"And you two," she added, directing her attention to the little angle and devil creatures, "stop arguing and help. See if there's anything behind her that might be holding her in place, or any kind of device that might be generating a forcefield that I can't see from this angle."

[utauhoshina]

"The space is too small," the devil said. "She just needs to ditch the angel wi... wait. You can see us?!"

Utau tried again to try and see Leia, shock on her face. But she couldn't twist enough. And it really was just that the space was too small. And it seemed to only be getting smaller.

[motherofresistance]

"You're rather difficult to miss when you're shouting like that," she said. "And while I take it that that's not typical, we can discuss that later. What's important is getting your friend out of there safely."

Turning her attention back to the girl, Leia continued. "Utau, wasn't it? I have an idea of how to help you, but I'm going to need you to be calm, however difficult I know that must be. May I take your hand?" She extended her hand so that it was within easy reach of the girl's left one.

[utauhoshina]

"Will I get to keep it after?" she snapped. She was huddling behind her darker persona to keep herself from breaking down.

[motherofresistance]

Leia was taking that as a 'yes' and took the girl's hand, holding it with a steady grip, but not one so strong that she couldn't pull it away if she wished. "Of course," she said gently. "Now all three of you, close your eyes. Breath deeply and listen to my voice."

She projected calm towards the frightened young woman, keeping her voice steady, soothing, almost rhythmic. "This space is a dream, and in dreams, your focus determines your reality. Right now, you're focusing on your fear. I want you to breathe deeply and try to picture that fear gradually flowing out of you with each breath, like water being poured out of a cup."

[utauhoshina]

"I'm not afraid, I'm never afraid," but she mumbled it rather than snapping on it, as the calm spread through her. Both the broken demon wing and the full angel wing vanished, which left enough room for Leia to pull her out.

[motherofresistance]

"Good, good," Leia said. "Now just follow me." Still holding Utau's hand, she backed up slowly, trusting that the girl's feet would naturally carry her along after her and out of the box.

[utauhoshina]

She shuffled sideways after her. "I'm just doing this because it is easier, not because I needed help. I would have figured it out on my own."

The devil snickered at her, making it clear even her own shoulder beings didn't buy it.

[motherofresistance]

Leia clearly didn't buy it either, but saw no harm in humoring the girl. "Of course," she said. "Many hands make light work, as they say." Once the young woman was well clear of the box Leia stopped and released her hand. "There. You can open your eyes now."

[utauhoshina]

"Yeah, that's not so much been my experience," she said, brushing herself down. Then she sighed. "But thank you," she added, the words sounding grudging.

[motherofresistance]

"Well it does help if those hands are reasonably well coordinated," Leia said. "Though that doesn't make for quite as memorable of a saying. And you're quite welcome."

"Anyway, now that you're out of there, we should probably introduce ourselves. My name is Leia Organa." She gave a polite nod of greeting. "How about you three?"

[utauhoshina]

"I'm Ut... three?" her eyes narrowed and she stepped back, the area behind her shifting to dark halls and corridors of an office building that lacked windows. "Who sent you?" she hissed, shifting into a defensive stance. A stance that specifically implied weapon - a two handed weapon at that - though she didn't seem to have one.

[motherofresistance]

See this face, Utau? This is the face of someone who doesn't feel the least bit threatened by your attempt to look imposing. "That's something I'd very much like to know myself," Leia said. "If I had to hazard a guess, the same being or force that brought us all to this dreamspace, though I don't know who or what that is. I can assure you though, I don't mean you or your little friends any harm."

[utauhoshina]

"You can see us?" the little angel one asked in a voice that probably was supposed to sound sweet. But there was just a hint of something just slightly on the painful edge instead.

"Huh, no kiddin?" The devil one asked. Her voice was less painful to hear but far less kind. "This old biddy?"

"That's very rude, Il!" The angel scolded.

"Yep!" The devil one said, sounding proud.

Utau mostly looked like she had a headache. "Look, if Easter sent you, you can tell them to take a long walk. Ideally off a cliff. I said I quit and I meant it!"