It's a Waste of Time, Chasing in the Dark

[applesaucemod]

Tonight, the dreamers will find themselves in a forest. Or an office. Or a suburban living room. Or a castle tower. Or a grocery store. The dream is a patchwork of assorted settings, each one blurring inelegantly into the next, most of them only claiming half an acre or so. The hodgepodge makes for quite a sight.

Or it would, if the dreamers could see anything. Natural light is in short supply. In fact, there isn't any light at all, not even a faint twinkle of starlight; you might as well be deep inside a cave. No matter how good their eyes might be, the dreamers won't be able to see their own hands in front of their faces - not unless they can fashion some sort of light source out of whatever they might manage to find. The dream isn't inclined to make things easy; any appliances or electrical light sources the dreamers stumble over won't be plugged in, and any walls, however solid they might seem, won't contain any wiring. A small fire might be the best bet - presuming you can find any means of lighting one.

But there's good news. Each of the dreamers will find themselves with a second set of dubiously useful eyes, because they'll be joined - again, or for the first time - by their dæmons. Granted, said dæmons won't have much more luck seeing in the total darkness than anyone else, but at least no one will have to feel alone.

Just… move carefully. You wouldn't want to trip over someone else's dæmon by mistake. Imagine how awkward that would be.

[ooc: y'all know the drill. Characters don't have to be apped or in the game to show up, and dreamers can remember or forget the events of the dream at the player's discretion. This particular dream isn't a power nerf - a character with the ability to create light could still do so - but the range will be extremely localized, as if the darkness is a solid thing that doesn't want to be pushed back.]

Comments

[omnomnom_feels]

"You have already fallen down the stairs once," Rashad points out, not moving from where he stands. He cocks his head, seeming to listen -- but it is not sound he is attuned to.

"Let them go," murmurs Janan. "There is no purpose to keeping their company."

"There is no purpose to anything," Rashad hisses back. "I will do as I please."

[johnny_truant]

Johnny hesitates on the stairs. He couldn't quite hear what Rashad's chameleon had said, but he understood the tone of Rashad's response. Arguing with his animal self, which sort of runs counter to Johnny's idea of him as impassive sponge. He feels Nova stiffen, like don't do it, but it's too late. He's already turned around.

"Are you arguing with yourself?" he says, pretending judgment. He hears Nova huff out a long, exasperated sigh.

[omnomnom_feels]

"...No," lies Rashad. He did not intend Johnny to hear, and now he wishes that he had not spoken.

"Do not lie," mutters Janan. "It is not befitting."

Ignoring her, Rashad asks, "What have you been told about me?"

[johnny_truant]

Johnny can't help but smirk. It's almost humanizing to see them sniping at each other like this. Even Nova relaxes a little in his arms.

"Enough," he says. "I know you've taken from me in the past, I know you lied to me. I know Gabriel kicked you out." He pulls his rabbit a little closer to his chest. "You should know that if you try any shit with me, Gabe will find out."

He feels a little twist in his gut. It sounds so petulant and helpless. The promise of 'my boyfriend will kick your ass'. He wants to be able to defend himself, he's always wanted it, even now he doesn't want to be beholden to anyone. This, he knows, is why he's always been reticent to summon Gabriel when he needs him, to tell the whole truth about his mishaps and nightmares. That part of him is unraveling bit by bit, but it's a slow process still hampered by pride.

[omnomnom_feels]

Rashad's expression darkens as the name of the usurper is spoken. Is there no justice in this world? Does no one understand his struggles or see how badly he has been wronged?

"Has he not done enough to me?" he says roughly. "Must you threaten me with more?"

"We have never hurt you," points out Janan.

[johnny_truant]

"Oh haven't you?" says Johnny sharply, bristling enough to lose all sense of caution. "You don't think feeding off my personal feelings like some kind of fucking feelings vampire is damaging? Listen, asshole." He steps close, closer than Nova wants; she starts squirming in his arms, but he just reaches out and jabs a finger at Rashad's chest. "I'll let you in on a little secret, since you don't have emotions - people don't just get hurt physically. What you do is fucked up, and it isn't harmless."

"Johnny, stooop," Nova whispers.

[omnomnom_feels]

"We have heard this before --" Janan begins to say, ready to patiently explain why Johnny is wrong to think he has been damaged, ready to compare it to one of his people shearing a sheep because they need what the sheep has and the sheep will only regrow its wool anyhow.

She does not get the chance to explain. Rashad scowls and snatches at Johnny's wrist, carelessly forgetting that his own hands are still on fire, that this will not just stop the unwanted proximity of Johnny's hand but will actually injure the man if Rashad successfully grabs him. "You do not understand anything," he snarls.

[johnny_truant]

The mood swing is a surprise - Johnny doesn't feel like anything's been taken from him, and yet here is this burst of anger - surprise enough that he doesn't manage to pull his hand away. Fire crackles against his skin and he jolts, nerves exploding in startling, agonizing pain. He screams, or thinks he does, it all happens very fast.

"Fuck!" he spits out, shrill and frenzied. "Let go!"

He's dropped Nova - she's on the floor, skittering around Rashad's feet frantically, unable to help.

[omnomnom_feels]

The jolt that goes through Johnny echoes through Rashad, sharp and bitter and overwhelming. As it has been for him since his encounter with the imposter, he has no choice but to accept it into him, and this time there is not enough surrounding din of other mortals to wash it out into the background. The look he gives Johnny at close quarters is one of wide-eyed horror.

His hand spasms, gripping tighter for a moment as the principles of its operations escape him. He lets go after what seems an eternity, fire snuffing out entirely in the same instant and plunging them back into darkness.

"That was foolish," comments Janan blandly.

[johnny_truant]

Johnny pulls back, doubled over, clutching his burned hand with breathing sharply through his teeth. Nova scurries to nose at his foot - he ignores her for the moment, focusing instead up at Rashad.

"How's that 'never hurt me' thing going for you?" he snaps raggedly.

[omnomnom_feels]

"It was stated in the past tense," replies Janan. "If you had not --"

"It was not my intention," Rashad cuts in breathlessly. "I did not -- I did not think." The admission is shocking to him. He has acted rashly before under the emotions of others, but showing such an egregious lack of judgment under his own -- under the emotions he feels now all the time -- it is different. It is different, and it is abhorrent. "I am not well," he moans, stumbling backward up the stairs.

[johnny_truant]

Johnny blinks, going still and quiet as he watches - well, listens to - Rashad fumble his way backward.

"Did you just admit you fucked up?" He crouches down and picks Nova up with his good hand. "You did. I thought you were like, above that."

"Can we just go?" Nova moans, clearly more interested in not getting set on fire again.

[omnomnom_feels]

"You would think it my intention to hurt you?" whines Rashad. He takes another step up the stairs, or tries to -- instead his heel grazes the step and he crashes to the stairs. Were he human and were he awake, he would be a mass of bruises.

"Say no more," sighs Janan. "We are above it."

[johnny_truant]

"I'd-" Johnny starts before snapping his mouth shut with an aggravated grunt. His hand hurts like hell and Rashad's animal friend seems just as eager to cut this off as Nova. Rashad's apparent crisis probably merits a follow-up, but is Johnny the person to do that, right now when he's already vulnerable? Fuck that. Maybe sometime he'll bring Gabe in on this development.

"Whatever," he mutters, pulling away. Judging by the noises Rashad's in a heap, so now's the perfect time to start inching down the stairs. He lets Nova down again so he can use his good hand to grip the rail, leaving Rashad behind as quickly as possible.

[omnomnom_feels]

He can feel Johnny receding, but Rashad does not rise to his feet to pursue him. He wished to speak -- he wished to explain himself. That is what he tells himself now. It is spoiled; there is little use attempting to continue the conversation now.

"You must remain calm," Janan informs him. "You have seen now what happens when you do not remain calm."

"It is not my fault," mutters Rashad like he has said so many times before. His voice is tired, though, conviction bled from it.