(no subject)

[erichika]

Action/potentially voice or video if desired

[Waking up without Nozomi being there had been rough. Eri had spent the first frantic hours looking for her everywhere and asking around, but to no avail. Now that the news of the Dream World was starting to circulate she was a bit more reassured. People had been coming back and leaving, and as with the prior events this too would likely pass.

But...

Today was her birthday. It was perhaps a bit selfish but she'd been hoping they could do something together. The day was supposed to be special, she was finally 18 after all, an adult at long last but today it just felt hollow and empty. A day like any other day.

And so, Eri didn't even make it out of bed. Her Warp Band is of course on hand, and she'll answer the door if it comes to it. She's not exactly in the best of shape either, paler than usual and looking more than a bit disheveled. If roused, she's definitely only moving because she feels she has to, not out of any desire to be doing so.]

Dream World

[Eri's slumber has been... hard to come by since this all started. She hovered in a haze between awake and asleep. With her mental state in shambles, she kept coming back to her training. Her dreamscape definitely reflects it, images of girls performing in the classical ballet style. The movements they make are accompanied by notes and analysis, hastily scrawled in quick but neat strokes. The movements are all heavily analyzed, she knows them in and out, and yet, as always, she is unable to attain them. It's not so much a dream as it is a repetition, a study of past failures and of skills she devoted her young life to learning but failed to master no matter how hard she tried]

Comments

[Video]

[missleadingquestions]

[Around 2pm, Eri's warp band will pestered by Maya. She's been looking around too, and, well.. She hasn't spoken with Eri too much yet, but she is Nozomi's girlfriend-- and maybe she's looking for her, too.]

Hey... hey, Eri?

[Video]

[erichika]

[Eri feels around for it frantically, activating the answer before she manages to right it and face it. The look of desperate hope fades almost immediately as she gets a good look at the feed. She looks like hell.]

Oh. Hello Maya.

[Video]

[missleadingquestions]

[With Eri's expression that way, it's easy for Maya to assume the answer to her question.]

...Guess you haven't seen her either, huh?

[A sad sigh, and Maya rubs the back of her neck.]

Sorry, Eriri.

[Video]

[erichika]

It's all right. She's been missing for hours, I assume she's in that Dream World.

[Video]

[missleadingquestions]

...Probably, yeah, but I still can't figure out how anyone's getting there, y'know?

You haven't either, have you?

[Video]

[erichika]

No, I have no idea. I'm not good with the mysticism stuff, I don't even know where to start looking.

[Video]

[missleadingquestions]

Yeah... I don't really do anything with dreams, either.

[Some psychics do, but again-- she's not that kind of psychic.]

Hey, why don't we go look together? Maybe someone else knows more about this stuff.

Dream World

[future_sight]

[Nozomi hadn't been sleeping much either, all told. Time flowed differently where she was, and it was hard to say when was day and when was night. Flitting through dreams constantly, she was looking for people she knew--particularly a certain blond.

When coming across a dream of ballet dancers, Nozomi knew almost immediately she found Eri. But, searching the stage, she didn't see her. Was she in the right place?]

Dream World

[erichika]

[Without too much difficulty, Nozomi can see Eri laying on the ground muttering to herself. She's going over the notes of the images, reciting the names of maneuvers and physical requirements]

Dream World

[future_sight]

[So this was what went on in that head. It was pretty obvious what she was doing and, frowning a bit, Nozomi walked over, bending down next to the other girl. She rests a hand gently on Eri's forehead, moving a few strands of hair away.]

Ericchi.

Dream World

[erichika]

Nozomi!

[Eri more or less tackles Nozomi on the spot]

Dream World

[future_sight]

[She wasn't expecting that, and shrieks a bit in surprise, wrapping her arms around the other girl as she knocks her over.]

Dream World

[erichika]

[Eri holds Nozomi tightly an is sobbing softly]

[cutiepanther]

[ Well this is a different kind of dream than Maki has seen so far. Everything else has been so...fairy tale and sugary. But this is different. More like a memory, something unpleasant almost. Maki just stays watching for a while not wanting to interrupt. For all she knows it's a happy memory..but she sort of doubts that.

Eventually though she realizes whose dream it must be, but she's not sure if Eri is among the dancers. ]

E-Eri...? [ Her voice is quiet, trying not to disturb too much if she can help it. ]

[erichika]

...Maki?

[Eri is in a corner. There are all kinds of notes surrounding her. None of them are especially complimentary of her capabilities]

What are you doing here?

[cutiepanther]

I'm not really sure, I just sort of ended up here..

[ It may feel a little like she's invading Eri's privacy...but they are friends right? At least that's what Maki tells herself. ]

This is..your dream right? You want to be a dancer?

[erichika]

Wanted, yes.

[cutiepanther]

What stopped you? Did you injure yourself?

[ Maki asks a difficult question without realizing how complicated the answer might be. ]

[erichika]

[Eri sighs and gestures at the images of the other girls dancing]

Each and every one of those is a move or step I am completely unable to perform. Someone who cannot even reach that level will never be a dancer. That's the difference between those who have talent and those who don't.

Dream!

[faithfulflame]

[The dreamscape is an interesting one for Rei, who's never really paid attention to these sorts of things at home. But that doesn't mean she isn't enchanted, regardless of imperfections. At some point, the priestess finally feels compelled to speak up.]

Eri-san...?

[erichika]

[Eri looks up from her corner. Her eyes are somewhat deadened]

Hmm?

[faithfulflame]

You dance very well, Eri-san.

[erichika]

Not nearly well enough.

[faithfulflame]

I would think otherwise. You clearly work hard.

[erichika]

And unfortunately no matter how hard I worked, it still was not enough.