Rise Kujikawa (久慈川 りせ) (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
celebrity_commentator) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
bravenewworld2014-10-19 08:39 pm
celebrity_commentator) wrote in bravenewworld2014-10-19 08:39 pm
17 ♪
The Dreams
When Rise initially falls asleep, she sees nothing amiss, although the edges of her dreamscape have a hazy fuzziness about them as part of her mind tries to figure out why the cloying fog lately has been bothering her so much. Still, her "normal" dreams consist of a strange, shifting landscape that appears to be in the stars, high above the ground and looking down on it. There's a constant murmur, as of a huge crowd, but Rise initially pays it no mind, leaping among strange rainbow-colored floating islands without a care in the world, changing from second to second from singing out bubbles of pure color to cooking tofu with her grandmother to defeating all comers in some strange Pokémon Battle/Contest hybrid while shirtless versions of every guy she knows cheer her on.
You know, normal dream stuff.
Toyo and Himiko have come along with her into the dream - Rise's subconscious thinks they're a normal part of the landscape, but the Pokémon's dream selves are actually there. They are a little more lucid and are getting steadily more concerned about that buzzing crowd...
Before she wakes up, but a long amount of subjective dream-time later, something is causing the previous pleasant cacophony to warp and change. The floating islands become claustrophobic and close off, trapping Rise in a small space behind copies of Union's walls. The murmur of voices echoes infinitely louder, and words start to come through.
Rise is shaken out of her previous revelry and is suddenly frightened...and feels a lot smaller. Huge versions of her friends - Haruka and Michiru, Asemu, Chie, anyone she's seen kick ass in a fight - have statuesque battles over her head with all manner of mean and nasty Pokémon, even Heatran, which all vanish in puffs of smoke.
Cheer them on, Risette. It's not like you can fight for yourself.
"Whoever you are, cut it out!" Rise shouts into the Void, although she suddenly finds herself in a short-skirted cheerleader costume and staring at a crowd of faceless people bowing down to a giant golden image of herself.
Weren't you so much better off when you were just a pretty piece of furniture? At least you knew what you were doing with your life.
"I'm tired of this...," Rise says, as the faceless crowds dissolve into mist and the statue turns into sand.
Look, even now, you need someone to rescue you. What a perfect damsel in distress...
Meanwhile, something has sent Himiko and Toyo out of Rise's dreamscape. They look at each other, nod, and wander out into neutral territory to find help.
When Rise initially falls asleep, she sees nothing amiss, although the edges of her dreamscape have a hazy fuzziness about them as part of her mind tries to figure out why the cloying fog lately has been bothering her so much. Still, her "normal" dreams consist of a strange, shifting landscape that appears to be in the stars, high above the ground and looking down on it. There's a constant murmur, as of a huge crowd, but Rise initially pays it no mind, leaping among strange rainbow-colored floating islands without a care in the world, changing from second to second from singing out bubbles of pure color to cooking tofu with her grandmother to defeating all comers in some strange Pokémon Battle/Contest hybrid while shirtless versions of every guy she knows cheer her on.
You know, normal dream stuff.
Toyo and Himiko have come along with her into the dream - Rise's subconscious thinks they're a normal part of the landscape, but the Pokémon's dream selves are actually there. They are a little more lucid and are getting steadily more concerned about that buzzing crowd...
Before she wakes up, but a long amount of subjective dream-time later, something is causing the previous pleasant cacophony to warp and change. The floating islands become claustrophobic and close off, trapping Rise in a small space behind copies of Union's walls. The murmur of voices echoes infinitely louder, and words start to come through.
Pretty.
Useless.
You have a responsibility to yourfans
family
Rise is shaken out of her previous revelry and is suddenly frightened...and feels a lot smaller. Huge versions of her friends - Haruka and Michiru, Asemu, Chie, anyone she's seen kick ass in a fight - have statuesque battles over her head with all manner of mean and nasty Pokémon, even Heatran, which all vanish in puffs of smoke.
Cheer them on, Risette. It's not like you can fight for yourself.
"Whoever you are, cut it out!" Rise shouts into the Void, although she suddenly finds herself in a short-skirted cheerleader costume and staring at a crowd of faceless people bowing down to a giant golden image of herself.
Weren't you so much better off when you were just a pretty piece of furniture? At least you knew what you were doing with your life.
"I'm tired of this...," Rise says, as the faceless crowds dissolve into mist and the statue turns into sand.
Look, even now, you need someone to rescue you. What a perfect damsel in distress...
Meanwhile, something has sent Himiko and Toyo out of Rise's dreamscape. They look at each other, nod, and wander out into neutral territory to find help.
no subject
Uh...I'm not even sure what to say. What is that other voice, anyway?
[Asemu isn't completely convinced that Rise is being honest about the mirror display. She certainly did have the time for it. However, he finds himself hoping -- if only a little bit -- that she did take some time to appreciate his body -- at least, above the waistline.
Which only embarrasses him more.]
no subject
Yes you do.
[Oddly enough, both voices sound pretty frustrated, and a gate appears to open in one of those floating wall structures.]
Why can't you just admit how you feel about things? Honestly, it's like you're a little kid.
[The floating images are suddenly replaced with a single picture of a ten year old Rise, looking extremely gloomy and holding a confused Happiny in front of her like a shield. Toyo pipes up at recognizing her younger self.]
no subject
Rise. I want to help you. May I help you?
no subject
You don't want to need anyone's help.
But I always do! Every time!
[Asemu can enter the door and see Rise yelling at what looks exactly like a curtained stage. There's a spotlight shining on the curtain, but it's closed.]
It's not fair.
It's not fair!
no subject
There's no shame in needing help. No one can do everything alone.
no subject
--left alone? But you never are.
And I don't really want to be alone anyway.
You aren't.
[Rise looks down and sighs.]
The hell do I want?
no subject
...That's something only you can answer. But if you do search, remember...remember that it can take time. That's how it was with me.
But look, I didn't get where I am by myself, either. No one really does do it by themselves. Try to keep that in mind, okay?
no subject
Whatever you want to be.
[Rise looks up at the big stage curtain.]
Hey, Asemu, could you pull that open for me?
no subject
[With a force-augmented leap, Asemu lands on the stage and heads over to the rope. He begins to pull the curtains apart with it.]
no subject
I'm the only--
--one here, aren't I? Well--
except the audience and the co-stars...
no subject
Well...I'm okay in front of an audience...
[He looks a little bit nervous, but still committed.]
But I'll understand if you want to perform alone.
no subject
[The audience flickers and sort of...flows together into a single floating figure, specifically, a wounded-looking Spiritomb.]
...but someone had to egg on one of my nightmares. That's what this is, right?
no subject
[Asemu calls upon his Vivillon again. It flutters around above his head, but makes no moves to attack.]
I think you can handle it from here. I'm just a supporting actor for now.
no subject
I'm gonna explain to this guy that there's no free shows. I think I'll be okay for a while after that...
no subject