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

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

Rren watched the two bounce off each other, taking some time to consider the stranger's appearance before focusing on the interaction itself. They did not doubt that he came from her memory. And that either this interaction was memory as well. Or wishful thinking, and they were unsure which it might be. Either way, they liked him a great deal and would love to meet him some day if they had the option.

But for the here and now, they did not release Mallia's hand, giving it a squeeze when she closed her eyes. "I am certain it will work well," they said softly, giving a small half smile.

[queen_butterfly]

She sighed, still smiling a bit as she looked back to Rren. "If he isn't directly spreading the news himself of my return, I'm certain that he's causing quite a spectacle on his way back to the castle. Any of the fae would understand what it means. When something requires that much power to accomplish, and there's historically only been one source for it...." She was definitely amused, though -- not bragging, just not quite rolling her eyes at the implications. What errand, exactly, had her friend gone out on? "...And he'd talked me into it and was off to fetch the ents before I'd even fully thought through that part.

"But the place is ready enough, and I'd filled everything we'd collected again, there at the castle... so if he should arrive back before I do, at least he shouldn't be unable to handle such a gathering on his own. Even if it lasts years. And I know that the others would assist where they were able, and there's plenty to go around." Maybe there was a reason she wasn't so concerned about being in Auradon rather than home after all?

She eyed Rren. "I'd invite you more officially, but I don't know how I left to Auradon, let alone how to bring someone else...." So Rren had an unofficial invitation, then? "I could always put on a show for you of it, if you'd like... but it wouldn't be quite as good as the real thing. I'm not that talented."

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

"Well. If Aqua is correct, time will not have passed when you return. I do not have prior experience with this sort of universe jumping, so I cannot say one way or another. But ah," they paused, working it over in their head. "Your confidence in your friend tells me he can handle the company. He will be fine either way."

They shrugged then. "If I ever found a way to your reality, I would visit even sans invitation," a mischievous light made it into their eyes. "So perhaps one day I will visit with Khell. She is a worth-while person to meet. I assure you."

[queen_butterfly]

"I'm glad to hear it," she said. "And you're both welcome." She barely gestured, and tossed up an illusion: a map of Europe, best as she remembered it, with the detail focused around the western half.

"Here," she said, pointing to a spot, "This is where my home is. Any ents around it will be on guard. You'll have to approach as friends, and focus on that; they can read intention." She smiled, though, plainly not worried so much as just letting them in on how it worked; no sense letting things go wrong, simply by having one's attention on other matters, was there? "And if you've any trouble, find one of the fae. Speak our language; they'll welcome you.

"Though, if the when might be a potential uncertainty...." A little hesitation, but her smile didn't disappear: "Should I not be there, and should my lands be... in trouble... then depending on when, I'll either be out and about, performing feats to try to draw the other fae's attention, and you ought to seek me out...." She gestured to part of the map, a general idea of where she might be pulling off whatever stunts she was talking about, "...Or I'll be trying to retire here." Another spot, a much smaller one, "I found some ents; you'd hear of a haunted grove.

"It would still work to find the other fae, if you're able, I think...." An absent gesture to the image of her friend over there in the doorway from a minute ago, indicating him. "If you can find Sia -- Dandwyn, Zacharie, Marna, Merlin, whatever it is he's going by, he's a winemaker, gardener, healer... he in particular can help you convince me to return. Bring the dark berry wine; he can make it. Even when I can't remember my own name, I'll remember that." She grinned slightly sheepishly, but wasn't hesitating in owning up to it. "Honestly, I'll only need to return home. I've lived so long in my castle, I've left quite an imprint there."

That... was probably the most she'd said about her past troubles so far.

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

Rren took in each bit of information, integrating each map into their memory. "It may never happen, but if it does. I will keep all of this in mind. I would like to see you in your home in actuality, and to meet your friend. So I can only hope it does happen. Though, ah, it would be nicest if our timelines coincided rather than us meeting as strangers."

A pause as they considered. "I do think we would still become friends even so. Khell and I are hardly earth natives in our own reality, much less yours. I. Cannot guarantee Khell would not be hostile in the middle of a forest, but it would be more akin to grumpiness than to any actual ill intent. And she would not harm anything, which I imagine would assist."

[queen_butterfly]

"The ents have had to defend against people working to cut them down because they liked the look of their wood," she said, sighing, smile fading a bit briefly. "The history of the fae where I'm from is... not the happiest one.

"But I'm having difficulty picturing you not being able to make friends among us. And you'd be welcome in my home regardless; one need not already know you, to have love for a friend." She gave Rren's hand a little squeeze more, quiet. "You'd still be you. And that's more than enough."

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

Rren nodded, quiet for a moment. "It seems in any reality, people have a history of cruelty. You already know those in my reality was not always kind to those like me or to other groups. I believe they have learned better, and I can only hope that the people in yours learn also."

They looked around the castle then, not flitting away because they did not want to drop Mallia's hand. "I suppose how we might meet in another reality would only matter if it comes about."

[queen_butterfly]

"I don't suppose the how would matter much regardless. As long as we eventually do, I'm certain it'll work out. Though, it ought to be easier, if it happens later." She gave a little nod back off toward the doorway, indicating that idea she'd tossed up recently for them of Sia. "I'm told by that friend of mine that the humans have learned more about kindness as time goes on, so I suppose that trend is alike, between where we're each from...."

"Easier, then, to lower one's guard," he agreed, quiet, confirming that for them.

Mallia barely paused, glancing back; she seemed to've been only somewhat expecting it, as she'd opened her mouth to say something before he'd spoken up. She didn't seem to even really notice consciously that it was an interruption, as she was just brushing it off without another thought, as she smiled a little and gave Rren a little nod. Having joined in like that was clearly entirely in line with how her friend was. "And be found in the first place, for it.

"Of course, if you should find yourself in my world, much before the now... it might be in your best interests to find one of us, due to your nature, as well. ...And your friend's. But my home would be yours, while it stands." Another little gesture, to the castle... Rren wanted to go explore around some more, maybe?

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

Rren considered all of that quietly, flickering as they did. They finally nodded, agreeing it would be best to find Mallia's people. When outside of this place, they hardly stood out from humans, but Khell certainly would. "However it works, if it ever happens, I appreciate it," they said with a smile, missing the gesture offering to explore.

[queen_butterfly]

She nodded. Well, if Rren didn't want to play around in the castle for the castle's own sake... and agreed that finding the fae would be wise... then that meant it would be all the more reasonable to make it easier to recognize them, didn't it?

"Any of us would welcome another friend," she said. "If my castle isn't standing, find my people anyway."

And with another small gesture, she indicated the grand hall again.

Sia stepped aside to let them through more obviously, though he hadn't exactly been blocking the doorway, big as it was. Past him, the room was no longer unoccupied; the impression of more people was unmistakable. Their shapes, their voices, bits of conversations in the elves' language... It wasn't all clear yet, but they would come into focus as Mallia stepped closer, glancing to make sure Rren was interested in following.

She only had so much attention span, to maintain it all at once, but in a dream, that was easier. In a dream, it didn't require quite as much deliberate effort.

It looked, at a glance, as though they were all elves. A few of them seemed to notice Rren and Mallia, and gave a little smile and a wave or a nod, a few simply holding up their glasses a little to them in what was clearly an equivalent of a wave hello. If Rren were listening, there would be more of the language to pick up -- talk from a parent, about how they'd had to sew their child's dress for the umpteenth time, and the next time he ripped it, they'd make him fix it. A few of them exchanging recipes as they chatted with a little plate of food in one hand. A baby fussing quietly, and their mother taking the tiny one back to feed them. Someone talking about the economy of somewhere, and how they figured it might be well worth it to take some glamour-coins to the neighboring king's treasurers, to exchange for smaller currency to spend in the former place... Someone else barely keeping in their laughter as they told about this one night their sister was trying to be on guard against wolves, and ended up scaring them witless instead....

A few of them stood out, and not just for having been more detailed and solid-seeming, as they were closer, perhaps people from her memories more than her imagination. A very few wore well-tailored leather outfits, despite no one else at all wearing any such thing. In fact, other than those few, leather and bone were basically nowhere to be found, even on their boots and shoes and belts. Those few who wore it seemed to move almost a little differently... something about the way they glanced before so much as turning their head, their ready stances... it seemed almost reminiscent of a predator's mannerisms. And yet, the people around them, that they were spending time with, seemed perfectly relaxed, unthreatened. And, when one was caught eyeing Rren, they gave a hint of a smile and a subtle, respectful little nod in acknowledgement as well. Those, despite sharing the same apparently species-wide features as the rest... they weren't quite like the others. And yet, there was no sense of them not being perfectly welcome here....

Similarly, though for the opposite reasons, were a few more that seemed different somehow. It wasn't how they dressed, like how those other few stood out for wearing leather. Perhaps it was their comparative seeming shyness? It was more than a simple reluctance to be social, for they were mingling with the others. It was a subtle state of being on edge, even though they might've seen largely relaxed. Something about their stances, the way one of them inhaled a little before realizing that it was the person beside them simply putting an arm around them, and then happily relaxing into that casually protective sort of embrace. One of them actually had some sort of spiral-twisted thing hanging from their beltstrings, almost lost in their clothing's folds of fabric. It did look to maybe be bone, but what sort of bone was so evenly wound and pointed like that, a thick wand of some kind? Perhaps it was like Sia's staff? ...But it had no gem.... And these few, like those that wore leather, were part of the party, happy here despite their more skittish nature.... In fact, one of them seemed to be shyly flirting with one of those few leather-clad individuals, sharing some wine with them, cheeks quite pink already.

That part of one's nature, then, was not an impediment to inclusion among Mallia's people. There were more similarities than differences, in at least apparent species, besides: with nearly everyone either being an elf, or looking like one, their ears all had similarly small points to them, their eyes all had irises larger than the average. They otherwise seemed fairly humanlike, though with hair colors ranging from snow white, to colors outside the usual human spectrum. Perhaps they were dyed? Or maybe not dye, but it could have been illusion-magic making that one's hair such a cherry red, even including the details like their eyebrows. Or that other's, a gray that was more blue than not. Assuming they weren't using their magic to disguise themselves as human, there were going to be tells as to what they were, physically. But even still, the language was surely going to be the easiest one....

But... only nearly everyone there appeared, superficially, to be an elf, or perhaps wholly one. There were a few that surely stood out for even more blatant differences than mannerisms and general demeanor.

One of the children was getting some sort of cookies from a table of foods off to the side of the party there, a rag doll of nearly their own size hugged up to their side. It was dressed in similar clothes to the child, actually... and as the kid stretched up onto their tiptoes to try reaching something closer to the middle of the table, they took their hand away from the doll. It not only didn't fall, but it actually took a step on its own, turning to better see the table too, and then found something a few dishes down to reach up to take from.

One of the adults had a bird on their shoulder... and this bird was likewise a construct, wings' feathers made of some sort of thin, stiff material that had been painted, its head and neck and torso done in solid segments that overlaid one another just so, a lovely sort of shell for any robot, one that looked to allow it almost a similar range of movement as a biological bird. It moved to keep its balance as its person did, absently, tilting its head and shifting a little bit from one foot to the other, and then turned to nuzzle into their elf's cheek, interrupting the conversation and getting petted for doing so. Whether or not it was fully sapient, it was a lovely example of someone's workmanship indeed, for a body like that.

There would probably be a few more examples, if Rren wanted to explore around... and of course, one of them would be a certain wooden-looking figure standing quietly off to the side, engaged in quiet conversation with one of those more nervous-seeming people and another elf....

Actual poppets, perhaps? Mallia had doubtless told Rren more about the practice among her people, but it was different, to see them there, interacting with the others, and generally just... being. Being treated like anyone else, being so wildly different in materials and craftsmanship, being from what seemed like a time far too early to have been created with any sort of computers' involvement.... It was surely no wonder, then, that Mallia was so quick to accept Rren's explanation of their own nature, and equate it to this in some way? The rag doll was clearly another child, and a good friend or more to their playmate. The tree-looking one was blatantly holding his own in speaking with the ones around him, an equal and treated as such. The bird... well, it was clearly very much treasured, and those nearby that it wasn't sitting on the shoulder of seemed to appreciate it, one of them reaching over as its person turned a little to let them pet it as well.

She wanted Rren to know what her people were like, that they might find them more easily... well, this was absolutely one way to familiarize someone with them.

"I'll do my best," she said quietly, giving them a smile. Time to puppeteer a crowd, or at least the portion of it that Rren turned their attention toward....

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

Rren stopped in the area, stunned at first and then taking everything in, but mostly, the speech. Auradon's magic meant they understood it, but they could tell it wasn't actually a language they knew, so they closed their eyes and focused on listening for a while, trying to hear what was actually said as well. When they opened their eyes they took Mallia's hand. "I... appreciate this, but you don't need to do all of this for me. I have enough to know. And even if I did not, the odds of me ending up there are so slim..."

They loved seeing all this, getting a window into Mallia's life, her friends, her people. but they didn't know how much strain it was on her.

A pause.

"Oh! I could show you some of where I am from. If you would like?"

[queen_butterfly]

When Rren took her hand back, she accepted, looking back to them.

"If you'd rather?" She turned more toward Rren, still smiling, ready to take their lead. She was offering the ballroom full of guests, of course, but it could wait! She wanted to see what Rren would do, honestly. She could cast illusions even while awake, to do a lesser version of this later on, in the real world, if Rren wanted. But here... here, surely Rren had equal capability to hers?

This would be a treat, she was sure.

Behind them, the crowd began to fade, though the sense of them lingered, the sounds of the conversations still carrying....

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

Rren tried to focus, flickering from physical form to code, annoyance rippling its way through the light of the latter. But nothing around them changed. "Well ah, I guess I am not that good at manipulating this place. Sorry. I was so sure I would be able to." It was not at all like manifesting a hologram of something they wanted to show.

[queen_butterfly]

"...Perhaps it has to do with this being my home. Let's see if you have more influence outside it...?"

She tilted her head back toward the hallway, indicating the courtyard in that direction. "Shall we?"

Down the hallway, out the courtyard, through the side, and out past the forest beyond the garden, right?

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

"It is certainly worth a try." Rren followed Mallia out. They were a bit more solid while following her, not so much in that they actually felt more solid here, but because keeping pace with someone without necessarily looking around involved much less flitting about. They were still curious about what they passed, but that wasn't the full focus.

Would they be able to share with Mallia as she had shared with them? They certainly hoped so, but they wouldn't know for sure until they were out of her home.

[queen_butterfly]

She smiled a bit more as they went; she might have been bringing the two of them outside, but she was happy to take that little trip at whatever pace Rren wanted. There was plenty to see, and she'd have been lying if she tried to claim she didn't want to share it. It was rather the point of her home being as it was, after all.

The evening air was pleasantly cool, the scent of roses faintly everywhere in the courtyard and its bit of garden... and she led out through it, to the forest just beyond.

"These," she said quietly, gesturing to the trees, "are ents."

As they approached, it became more obvious that their little movements weren't simply a matter of the breeze stirring a couple leaves here or there; the ones they were approaching were starting to move of their own accord, pulling their roots up closer to themselves. They shifted, beginning to rearrange themselves, forming a bit more of a path for them, pulling branches aside and everything. Those were the trees she'd mentioned approaching carefully, on account of them having a more empathic nature... which probably explained them parting now, in the dreamscape; she would expect them to be able to figure out that she wanted to leave, so this was how they'd behave for her.

"Were they real... I'd say that this might serve as an introduction enough, honestly."

[cheep_soongbird_knockoff]

Rren paused to take in the trees. These were not the sort of life forms they typically encountered, but that also was not that strange. They grinned back to Mallia. "It is nice to see the people and beings you've talked about."

[queen_butterfly]

"Hence the gathering," she said, her mouth hinting more amused a smile despite herself as she glanced back, indicating the hall of illusory people they'd left behind. "But it can wait. If you'd like, even in Auradon, I could 'introduce' you to them... but perhaps not so effectively all at once, especially without a proper power source to draw from. My home -- the real one, I mean -- is at the intersection of several ley lines, so that wouldn't be an issue there... but is it just me, or do you find juggling several things at once easier here as well? It feels to me as though this place wants to assist in maintaining what I try to do...."

Off through the forest she led them, the trees smallish close to her castle, but quickly growing in size as they went, showing their age in both individual height and girth, and in how many of them had grown together into one organism; it was not a mere handful that looked as though they had started out as several individual trees that were collaborating to form something bigger, something that looked distinctly older, their bark having smoothed together into a single surface despite their form suggesting multiple trunks leaning against one another, and roots following suit. Those were taller, as well, though size aside, they seemed not to be any different from the smaller ones. They still had the little black polished eyes on their trunks. Several had fruits, including those black spherical berries Mallia was so fond of, hanging from their branches, and even lowered them quite obviously, in a silent offer to the two as they drew nearer. The forest wasn't just alive, it was demonstrably aware... and friendly.

Absently, she reached up to one of the lowered branches, hand out... and a few of the big berries dropped right into her hand, prompting more of a smile from her. She gave the tree a nod in thanks, and put one in her mouth, offering the others to Rren.