applesaucedream | Encampment Under the Sea [Open to All]

Encampment Under the Sea [Open to All]

photo encampmentunderthesea_zps98ceddce.jpg

Since the dreamers of Manhattan had such a lovely time at the last vaguely-nautical-themed party, the Rift has decided to step things up a notch. Tonight, the dreamers will find themselves in what appears to be a city very much like the one they inhabit in the waking world, full of towering skyscrapers, neon signs, and heavy traffic. But there is one rather crucial difference: this city is located deep underwater, and the aforementioned traffic is mostly whales and fish, with the occasional submersible thrown into the mix.

The walls and windows are heavily reinforced to withstand the pressure of the water outside, and the people who dwell in these buildings seem to be doing rather well for themselves, for the most part. Buildings are connected by enclosed walkways, so barring any horrible accidents, the dreamers should have no problem getting around without getting too wet.

Much like the city they inhabit in the waking world, some areas are more obviously affluent than others, and the dreamers are as likely to stumble upon an upscale club as an underwater pub. But while the chances of a full structural breakdown are slim, there are definitely some areas that are on the leaky side, and a general sense of claustrophobia pervades the city wherever you might find yourself.

Explore. Or, if you're feeling particularly ambitious, attempt to escape. Either way, take care - it's hard to say what might be lurking in the darkness just beyond the city lights.

[ooc: Y'all know the drill. All characters are welcome, whether they are in the game or not. Characters can remember or forget the events of the dreaming at the player's discretion. And the party never stops - backtag into infinity!]

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Bee smiles and signs a quick thank you at Hana's slow, clear signs. Her expression immediately shifts to a serious one as she tries to figure out how to answer that.

"Um..." she murmurs, trying to remember how to say anything useful. Oh! Dream, that's right, dream was always one of her favorite signs.

Not wholly certain how to sign plural pronouns, she points to Hana and then to herself, and then makes the sign for dream, pulling her finger slowly from her head with a little wiggling motion. Then makes a vague gesture to encompass their surroundings. Not very helpful. Such a bad habit, making gestures instead of signs. What's 'together'? Hesitantly, she brings her fists together and rocks them gently back and forth between Hana and herself. She's pretty sure that's right. Dream together.

I'm dreaming? Hana repeats, looking around and at the strangers in the distance. Yes, that would make perfect sense. She's never done much with lucid dreaming on her own, but she does know some witches who swear by it. She just hopes she did this on purpose.

That does explain a lot.

Bee nods, and is encouraged that Hana's apparently taking this in stride. She's not sure what else she can say to explain, though. She furrows her brow, thinking carefully.

She raises her hand and spells R-I-F-T, head tilted and eyebrows raised to indicate a question. You, R-I-F-T? New York? 'New York' is easy enough to remember, at least. Strange the random things that have stuck with her.

After some of the strangeness Hana's encountered in her home at Siren Cove, stocked with witches and sirens, Hana isn't sure this is even among the strangest of things she's seen. Certainly, it's up there, but it's no Nerium Grimhilde.

I was in Maine a second ago... She spells out the name of the state, for the sake of clarity.

Bee nods, wincing a little. She's heard tell of this, that sometimes people come into the Dreaming before coming through the Rift - as though the Rift were testing them out, or something. Not very nice of it, she has to say. Though she'd be hard-pressed to find an example of it being nice ever, at all.

She's starting to stretch the limits of her sign ability, though. She thinks for a while, then makes a vague shrugging sort of motion with both her hands raised, which she thinks is "Maybe..."

Maybe you wake up in New York. She makes the sign indicating the future tense. Maybe R-I-F-T... she can't remember "take," so she spells it out - you.

It is absolutely impossible to explain the ramification of this in her limited sign. She sighs in frustration and signs Sorry, then Don't know how to say.

I hope not, Hana admits. She's just taken care of her rent for the month; it seems a waste of money to be kidnapped to another city right after she's gone and done that.

Do you have paper? Or a cell phone?

Bee can understand that well enough. She didn't have much trouble with her transition but she knows that's rare. That much upheaval difficult on just about everyone.

It takes her a moment to understand what she's being asked, and her hands go to the pockets in her dress automatically before she shakes her head no, feeling apologetic even though the dream environment's limitations are hardly within her control.

Maybe I can find paper, she suggests, looking this way and that. She'd passed several rooms on her way through here, some looked like offices. You want to come look?

Hana nods, amenable to the idea. She can't say she's too keen to go exploring but at least she'd have a potential friend on her side. It's definitely a lot better than staying here all on her own.

I can read lips, a little, she adds. But sign is best. Or texting.

Bee nods, turning to walk back the way she came, putting a hand delicately at Hana's arm. Tricky, walking with someone while keeping at an angle to see them talk.

Some of these rooms are flooded, and in most of them, the lights are flickering noticeably. Bee's lips tighten into a frown as she guides Hana through, trying to appear braver than she is.

Soon, she signs, hoping it's reassuring. She points toward a room down the corridor, where she remembers seeing an office desk. She glances back at Hana and offers a faint smile. Don't be scared.

The more they move, the more oppressive and ominous this city feels. It's like trying to live in a world composed entirely of aquarium tunnels where even the biggest space is still sealed off. Hana doesn't know how she'd be able to stand this place without her powers; even now she's put the bulk of her concentration on exuding a sense of calm and fearlessness.

It's hard not to be.

I know. Bee hesitates, then moves to take Hana's hand, gingerly, sort of asking if it's all right. She does this without thinking, usually, but it's a little different when the hands are the speaking tools.

It will be okay. Only dream.

Dreams can haunt you, of course, these in particular, but Bee always feels better having a companion.

Hana nods and squeezes Bee's hand, letting her power flow into her. Neither malicious nor permanent, she finds it useful in the place of reassuring words.

Smiling hopefully, she makes an O with her hand, transitioning it into a K.

Oh, that's... there's something happening here, some flow of energy she's receiving from Hana. Very slight and gentle, but difficult not to notice.

Thank you, she signs, a bit wonderingly.

At last they reach the office, and she hesitates at the entrance. Here.

She knows she has to go in, but the same reasons that kept her from doing so before are holding her back now - flickering lights, wet floors, dripping walls - it does not look particularly inviting.

Hana smiles, looking sly. I hope you don't mind making friends with a witch, she teases.

She looks down the hall and frowns, finding it just as alarming as the rest of the city.

Bee does not follow that one - what was a sign she's never seen before, and she tilts her head in some confusion. Spell? she asks.

She's in no hurry to go down that way either; happy to have a reason to stall further.

Close, Hana thinks. She points to herself and then starts to finger spell W-I-T-C-H and then points to herself again, clarifying that's what she is.

I have powers, she adds, finger spelling out the last word to make sure her point gets across.

Bee's eyes widen again, and she breaks into a delighted grin. Really?? she exclaims. Cool!

Her smile becomes a bit more sheepish and she makes the sign for same, indicating the two of them. I have powers also, she copies the sign she just saw Hana make. But...

She sifts through what little vocabulary she has stored away. Not now, she tries. Not while dreaming.

Hana nods, wondering what, exactly, the parameters of this strange dreamspace actually are that she has her powers but Bee doesn't. She also wants to know who thought this was a good place to gather up lost strangers.

What can you do?

Hmm... difficult to answer even in her usual language. "Well..." she murmurs to herself, then gives Hana's hand a gentle tug. Easier to write.

She steels herself and marches into the wet, flickering tunnel, moving toward the nearest room. There - a desk, pens, paper - all looking perfectly accessible, after the required wade through ankle-deep water, that is.

She glances at Hana. I go, she offers, and points to her feet. No shoes! She grins, lets go her hand and steps in. Ugh, the water is freezing, and has a sort of slimy feel, ocean and grime and rust. She glances back and makes a face: Yuck!

She trips over some submerged object and catches herself on the desk. "Ow!" she huffs, grunting; then turns to sign a quick I'm fine. Felt like something heavy - her foot hurts a lot. But she doesn't want to make Hana come into the water.

She grabs up a notebook and a pen, waggles the pen with a triumphant grin.

Frowning, Hana closes her eyes and concentrates her power to summon orbs of light, suffused with calm and safety. She throws them up into the air like Christmas lights to guide Bee's way. She can't change the contents of the hall but she can at least make them brighter.

Dampened by the water, Hana feels a slight vibration and looks up in time to see Bee fall. She makes a face of concern.

Bee blinks in amazement as the sudden burst of light, grinning around at it all. "Oh - beautiful!" she exclaims, and gives Hana a big smile and a Thank you.

She's more careful coming back, stepping out of the room and shaking the water from her feet, before flipping open the notebook and writing:

Thank you for being so patient. I learned ASL a long time ago, but I haven't been practicing.

My power is hard to explain, but... when I meet someone, I can see everything that made them who they are. Not in detail. It's just like I know the decisions they've made, what kind of lives they've had. I try not to look too closely, because I know people don't like it, but... I've always been able to do it.

I think it doesn't work in dreams because I'm only with a person's consciousness, not them really. Does that make sense?

She hands the notebook over, feeling nervous, hoping Hana doesn't feel uneasy knowing her as so many people do once she tells them.

Hana reads, trying to imagine what it must look like to see that sort of thing. Do they linger around a person like ghosts?

Flipping to a new page, figuring that fair is fair, she writes:

Yes. That makes sense.

I'm a witch...most of my powers I use to communicate. I do a lot of stuff with emotions.

Bee nods as she reads, intrigued. Cool, she signs again. Thank you for helping me.

She looks around the dripping tunnel with distaste. She takes the pen and notebook back and writes, Let's try and find somewhere dry.

Of course, she replies, smiling. It helps to brighten this gloomy place, even without light.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Encampment Under the Sea [Open to All]

(if you ever needed to know what it is like to try and sign with me, it's like this)

It's still more sign than I know, which is pitifully little

one would never know!

Thank you! I try to do right by her as a hearing person myself

:)

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