Event Log: Dreamwalker the Second

[hadrielmods]

Who: All characters participating in the event
What: The event log for the Dreamwalker part 2 event
Where: In your dreams
When: October 14th-20th (the second log will go up on Oct 23rd, please keep the two weeks of the event separate!)
Warnings: All different kinds of dreams falling under the umbrella of Delight, Rage, Sorrow, and Hope.

This time, the weird stuff doesn't happen when you're awake- as a matter of fact, your waking hours are the normal ones. That's because you're forced to sleep by some unknown entity, getting more and more exhausted by the moment as night falls. Better make sure you're always around a soft pillow.

Once asleep, it doesn't get any less weird- your dreams will be influenced by one of the four gods that make up the first week. Something to make you smile, something to make you angry- or something that reminds you of your deepest regret or most vulnerable hope, they're all things that you're dreaming about now for some reason, no matter how hard you may try to pull away from them.

To make matters more complicated, there are others intruding on your dreams who definitely don't belong there, and while they may seem like manifestations at first, it becomes clear that these others are actually the consciousness of other members of Hadriel, getting some top quality exposure to your angriest, happiest, most sorrowful moments. Hope it doesn't get awkward when you see them tomorrow...

► This log covers October 14th-20th.
► Feel free to make your own logs as well
► Please tag headers of threads with content warnings where they apply
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!
► If you die in dreams you don't die in real life, but if you somehow die in real life anyway, please let us know here.

Comments

[puzzlingly]

「There is someone alright, someone who watches for a little moment still as he can, but then curiosity gives in because this child is the only one around. So this strange person, dressed in some of the most weird ass costume that could have been easily taken from a history book approaches, he peers over the child's shoulder and--

ah...

Atem leans over a little further and places a hand on the kid's shoulder.
It got a gentle, but firm grip.」

[ghostlocked]

[The sudden intrusion is enough to spook him. He knew someone was here, he knew, and he should've been watching for them but he got distracted. He jabs the trowel into the grass instead of the rabbit, and the rabbit writhes, kicking at his arm until it manages enough leverage to pry itself free.

He abandons the trowel and drops himself onto the rabbit to stop it running off. It squirms, but he's got it trapped between his body and the ground, and it's not going anywhere. Unfortunately, neither is he.]

Go away! [His voice is strained between grunts as he wrestles the rabbit into his arms.] I gotta hurry and you're ruining it.

[puzzlingly]

「The stranger, of course, doesn't leave. He, however, sees how upset the child is, and doesn't try to approach again, he doesn't want to scare him more than he already seems to be. He kneels down not terribly close to him, his hands up, open for him to see. He's not a threat.」

I didn't mean to scare you. Why must you hurry...?

[ghostlocked]

You didn't scare me. I don't get scared.

[Ugh. He presses his weight onto the rabbit to hold it still as he reaches for the trowel again, not paying attention to Atem's attempt at staying peaceful. He's busy. Adults do this stuff all the time, anyway. They try too hard, like he's some delicate thing that needs coddling.]

Mom's gonna be done in the bathroom soon and then I'll have to go back in. I'll get in trouble if she catches me. [Sort of, anyway. He doesn't really get in trouble in the conventional sense, but the consequences to disobeying Mom's rules are still something he would like to avoid.]

[puzzlingly]

「Such a little one for such big bravado. And Atem can only wonder how much of it it's true or if he's just trying to appear brave. Kids do that all the time after all.」

What did that rabbit ever do to you anyway?

[ghostlocked]

[The bravado isn't a front in his case. Not really, anyway. He hasn't quite figured out how he's supposed to relate to the outside world yet. He's scared of things, but not the things normal kids are scared of, and he kind of likes the feeling.

He frowns at Atem's question.]

Nothing. So?

[He's not sure how this is related.]

It's just a stupid animal.

[puzzlingly]

So you were going to kill it because it's stupid?

「That is stupid! But you know what? He won't be saying that! He's not going to be calling a child stupid... That cannot be all there is.」

[ghostlocked]

No.

[It comes out more defensively than he intended, but he's not very good at explaining himself yet. Mom asked why he kills stuff too, but he's pretty sure she's never understood his answers. He doesn't know how to make adults understand.]

I just like it. It's okay to do it on the rabbit because it's just an animal I caught. Nobody's gonna know.

[Unless Atem tells, of course... But he doesn't think Atem will tell.]

[puzzlingly]

「Atem will not tell, but also he is not that naive, no matter the many ways he wants to interpret that.」

If it is okay to do it on the rabbit, who is not okay to do it on?

[ghostlocked]

[At first, he just shrugs. He does have an answer, but he's not sure he should give it... He glances nervously up at the bathroom window. It's open, and he can faintly hear the shower running. Hm.]

People. And I'm not supposed to do it on anybody's cats.

[That hasn't happened yet, technically, but he remembers it anyway. Dreams are funny like that.]

[puzzlingly]

「Okay... Let us not lie here, that is one heck of a grim confession. But, hey, Atem is not in his awesome throne room, he's got no priests with him, he's technically no one to judge, especially not until he knows what's behind it all.」

Hey--! Cats are sacred. 「Dude, stay away from the cats. Bastet will have your soul. But, t-that's hardly the point! Oh, well.」

You're not supposed to do it on anyone. Why do you want to anyway?

「Let's go right to the point, why pussyfoot here? There is always something else, he knows it, he just has to remember certain people from his past, they always had stronger reasons.」

[ghostlocked]

[In the morning, he'll have regrets. Eight-year-olds aren't the best at keeping secrets.]

That's what I said. No cats and no people. [He knows the rules. No one even had to tell him, not really. He figured it out on his own after he got into some fights at school. People are off limits.

As for the rest, he shrugs.]

I dunno. It makes me feel better.

[puzzlingly]

Better how?

「Of course he had that question coming.」

[ghostlocked]

Just better?

[But it's a good question, so he chews on his lip to think it over. No one's really bothered to ask, they just tell him it's bad and that he shouldn't do it. He shifts, still crouched over the rabbit to hold it in place, but it's stopped struggling quite as much. He thinks he can afford to ease up a bit.]

Like if I get sad, it helps me not be sad anymore. Or if I get nervous.

[puzzlingly]

「A stress reliever? No, much more than that, no one goes around killing little animals just because of stress.

...

What happened to you, little buddy?

Atem doesn't quite look at him with pity, but it is something close to it, something probably closer to worry. For the first time, he looks back at the little window, the one where the running water can be heard, don't think he didn't notice him looking at it nervously.

The young Pharaoh also notices how he seems to loosen up a little. He leans slightly over the child attempting to place a hand on his shoulder, not for relief, though, not a all, but he will not touch him if he doesn't agree with what he wants to do.」

Don't move, let me hold it for you.

[ghostlocked]

[His eyes snap to follow Atem's glance toward the window. Are they out of time? No, the water's still running. For how much longer, he's not sure. Mom doesn't usually take this long, though come to think of it, he's not sure how long it's been.

He doesn't recoil from the hand on his shoulder, but he hesitates. Atem doesn't want him to kill the rabbit, does he?]

What are you gonna do with it? Don't let it go. They're hard to catch.

[They're not, really, but they are for him. He can't get back here too often, and Mom will let his catches go and put his traps away when she finds them.]

[puzzlingly]

「Of course he doesn't want him to kill the rabbit, but it must be tiring as hell to be holding the thing without being able to move.」

I won't let it go.

「He skips the part of what he's gonna do with it, because, he himself doesn't know it.」

Can you tell me, what makes you nervous?

[ghostlocked]

...Okay. But what are you gonna do with it?

[He still has questions, but he does sit up. He clamps his hands around the rabbit's middle to hold it against the ground.

He hesitates at the question.]

I dunno. I just do sometimes. [He glances at the window again. This conversation is making him nervous, though he can't say that. He shouldn't talk about Mom.] Why do you wanna know?

[puzzlingly]

Nothing.

「Atem crooks his head a little, still taking in the way this little guy keeps glancing at the window.」

Because...

「That is one good question, though.」

Maybe I can help.

[ghostlocked]

[He frowns. Hm...

After a moment, he shifts to give Atem room to take hold of the rabbit if he wants to.]

How would you help? I don't think it's stuff anyone can help with. It's just how I feel sometimes.

[puzzlingly]

「Atem does hold and picks up the rabbit, bringing it close to his chest. Poor thing is terrified. He stands and offers the little guy a hand.」

Let's go.

[ghostlocked]

[His frown deepens as Atem stands. This wasn't part of the deal...

But he stands too, and somewhat reluctantly takes his hand.]

Go where? [And there's another glance at the window.] Mom'll be mad if I leave the yard...

[puzzlingly]

「He doesn't seem to waver, still offering his hand.」

I don't know, anywhere but here.

[ghostlocked]

Um...

[It's a tempting offer. He does feel strangely safe with this man, though he's not sure why. Maybe it's because he has cool hair? Or... More likely, because Atem asked for the rabbit instead of just taking it from him. That's not something that usually happens.

But he can't just leave, can he?

He gets to leave eventually. Soon, even. It's almost time to go to school and it won't be long after that. Things will be messy and unfamiliar for a long time after, though, so that's not even all that better. It doesn't get good for another fifteen, twenty years. These things take time, a lot of people will say to him. Some things are still taking time.

Maybe, then, it wouldn't hurt to speed up the process. He can make it so Mom doesn't find him. It's not hard, really. He never liked his name, anyway.

He squeezes Atem's hand, but as he does, the yard goes silent. The shower's off. His head whips around to the house and he pulls his hand away. He bites down on his lip as hard as he can. He's going to get in trouble.]

I gotta go. Sorry. [He drops his eyes, but then very briefly glances up at the rabbit.] Sorry.

[He backs away slowly, and then turns to jog to the back door. He's careful with the sliding glass, pulling the door shut behind him slowly so that he doesn't make too much noise.]

[puzzlingly]

「Atem is just ready to leave to shatter and break though this little dimension when everything goes silent — that usually is not a good thing, and the little hand slips through his. The Pharaoh sees him disappear though that door, completely bummed out...

Hey no, that's not fair. This guy follows, it takes him a moment but he follows him inside, that, if he can pass through that door.」