(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

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.

[faithfulflame]

And you just gave up?

[erichika]

After ten years of being at the bottom of my class and being unable to follow it? Yes. You have to grow up and pursue a viable career eventually. Dance was never able to be that.

[faithfulflame]

I don't see how you were possibly at the bottom, with the way you move.

[erichika]

I appreciate it, but compared to the other students my movements are not that good. Better than average, maybe, but above average isn't nearly good enough to be a professional.

[faithfulflame]

So what is it you're doing now?

[erichika]

I'm not sure... I was training to join the Steel Battalion but when we moved to Union that didn't seem viable anymore and I don't think I actually want to do that.

[faithfulflame]

Well, there's always work in theater? Haruka-san could probably use people with any degree of stage talent in the plays, somewhere? It's...a start?

[erichika]

Theater... I'd never considered before...

I suppose it couldn't hurt to ask.

[faithfulflame]

No, not at all. It's a job, and one where you perform.