{ battle against the story eater }

[dreamposts]

BATTLE AGAINST THE STORY EATER

The Story Eater has arrived.

More details on everything can be found here. We will request any thread submissions for certain prompts during AC and TDM threads will count. For more information, refer to the Game Notes.

Players who made boss submissions, if you are creating a prompt in your toplevel or wish to create a designated prompt for your boss, please comment here which will be used as a directory.

I. ON THE MOON

Those on the moon will at first feel overwhelmed, possibly even forced to the ground by the sheer enormous force of the nightmare energy that continues to pour out where the Story Eater had once stood. It feels as if they had extremely underestimated its power, and those of a weak mind will already feel the effects of the nightmare latching onto their worst fears. However, a cold air brushes over them and the ground beneath warms as it pulses white. In an instant, the oppressive feeling disappears, clarity returning to them.

It's too early to fall now, little dreamers, a sultry voice whispers in their ears with a laugh as another sighs, the softer voice like a melody. Quick, before the blessing loses its effect. The rest is up to you.

A. Tapir Calvary. The tapirs may have been hanging back for a while, but they will pop in, all eager to feast upon the nightmares that appear. Of course… Like anything, too much is dangerous for them as well. While they are able to withstand the seemingly endless amount of nightmare energy as if they are just swimming through flooded waters, after eating too much they start to wobble and complain of their stomachs hurting. This in turn makes them irritable, and instead of stopping to eat, they start eating more. Stop them before they eat themselves sick. Those that start to exude a dark mist and start turning black need to be quickly taken off the moon or sent into a dream. If they are not… They will disappear to somewhere unknown.

B. Slenderman and Cupid. There are two particularly strong foes that will be working with the Story Eater. "Slenderman" will be just like it was when it first appeared by the castle, feasting on nightmare energy and using shadows to its advantage. It will be a tough foe to kill, but explosive wisps and pure dreamotion light will be effective against it. Cupid will be insane and will try to inflict hatred upon any struck by his arrows. He is more unstable and will be more susceptible to those who try to purify it with love and kindness. (Cupid will most likely move to attack the town so he is available for On the Ground prompts.)

C. Wisped Away. With the amount of monsters and damage caused by the Story Eater directly and its creations, deaths are inevitable. Normally for those who have fully integrated into the world, like the fae and the dragons, this would have been permanent. However, perhaps due to the unusual nature of the Story Eater, they will be "graced" the same fate like the dreamers that inhabit Reverein. Their physical body may disappear, but their "soul" turns into condensed dreamotion energy and takes the form of a wisp. (Characters can and will be turned into wisps if they die so these can also apply to them.)

🛑 Because of the high likelihood of the original body suffering a traumatic event, the wisp will be extremely vulnerable and has a high risk of turning into a noctaere. They will flash red and black and the deeper the color, the closer they are to changing. Find and help purify them via dreamotion.
🚦 Escort vulnerable wisps to the portal so they can be taken to a safehouse and calm down.
💣 Some wisps will not feel negative emotions and instead will want to continue to fight. Although they are still vulnerable, because their dreamotion energy is so condensed they have the ability to explode without any harm to themselves to either inflict damage on the creatures OR to help purify those afflicted with pure dreamotion energy. These wisps will be gold in color.

II. ON THE GROUND

As soon as the Story Eater appeared, those of strong magical prowess had attempted to erect a barrier to protect the town and its surroundings from the brunt of the fallout, but it could not keep up forever, especially as those who try to keep it in place begin to quickly fall as their own nightmares take over. Thus while it's still safer than what's going on on the moon, the same afflictions can still be felt and experienced.

A. Support the Barriers. There are two different barriers currently protecting Reverein and the surrounding areas. Not only must they be defended from attacks, they also need help to stay up.

🧱 The sand walls erected earlier will stand tall and withstand most physical attacks, but eventually they will begin to crumble and create gaps. They must be quickly patched up and defended as the Story Eater's minions, creations, and those turned into noctaere start to push through.
🔮 The magic barrier is fueled with dreamotion and serves to help keep the effects of the nightmare energy lowered so that most of the people inside can withstand it. However, as those who are trying to keep it up fall, replacements are needed. To help, the moles from before bring up crystals that anyone can help channel and use to help as a power source to empower the barrier.

B. Aid Relief. Those who have been injured and brought back from the moon or from around town will be ushered into designated locations set up for healing. Be it physical or mental, they will be treated and protected by those who remain on defense. However, as the battle goes on and more people are afflicted, supplies and personnel will wear out, so additional aid will be needed. This may even require venturing out to get much needed herbs or supplies unless someone can dreamotion them up.

III. SPECIAL MONSTERS & BOSSES

The Story Eater is using its powers to take on the forms of an individual's worst nightmare or enemy. This could be anything. Below is the full list of special bosses and mob monsters that were submitted by players and can be encountered both on the moon and on the ground. Refer to the original links for more information. Players are still free to create and use anything that is not on the list, especially f their character's worst nightmare is something else. IMPORTANT! While any of these are capable of killing, those marked with the red flag (🚩) indicate that these are more likely to perform kills or destroy the individual to turn them into wisps.

A. Monster Mobs. Typical monster/mob creatures that while numerous are the weakest and easier to defeat. Physical attacks will be enough, but dreamotion or using Aspect abilities will inflict more damage.

🍆 Sinner Demons. They take on any form based on the type of sin they committed. Could take on the form based on the person they face.
😱 Devils. Takes on forms based on the fears of people.
🚨 Garlean K-9 Soldiers and hunting dogs. These soldiers aren't here to help and will be targeting anyone they come across.
👻 Cursed Spirits. Spiritual beings manifested from cursed energy as a result of the negative emotions that flow out of humans. They cause harm to humans and seek humans out to harm them.
💨 Redead. Emits a scream that immobilizes temporarily, moves towards target and jumps on back to deal damage.
🐍 Nagas. Breathe and spew toxic miasma and prolonged exposure to it can cause weaker beings to transform into nagas themselves. Archnaga's venom is corrosive in both liquid and gas forms. Can also swallow large objects. 🚩
🕶 Shadows. Shadow-like blobs and tables and headless dancers and things. Fairly weak.
💎 Zeugles. Aggressive genetically enhanced animals; must destroy the core inside to completely destroy them.
🤺 Sword Retrograde Army. Sword tsukumogami summoned for a cause to change history. Generally stronger than normal humans with some spiritual powers.
👹 Demons. Can hide their horns and wings to appear more human, otherwise their true form is more monstrous. They range from committing harmless silly pranks to more violent and murderous. 🚩
🎭 Four Masks. Drains one's sanity until they go berserk with potential to summon Atman (boss).
🔊 Noise. Affect people with weaker willpower and play on their negative emotions or nightmares.
📰 Xeroms. Monsters capable of attacking, infesting and draining emotions dry leaving the victim an empty husk.

B. Solo Bosses. Some nightmares manifest into one singular entity with greater powers and considered a higher leveled "boss." They do not appear as often or in number as the monster mobs and some may be controlled by players.

🍬 Gumball Waterson. Cartoon character turned creepy due to nightmare energy, but still on the sillier side. Body parts morphing or separating from him, getting into weird places, driving invisible cars, surviving crazy falls; basically whatever might be funny at that moment.
👂 Parrah & Nayo. Twin puppets that are not physically strong, but they're very annoying and are the "like to break people by talking" type of antagonist.
🙍‍♂️ Takaya Sakaki. Charismatic but otherwise a weaker enemy capable of standard Persona based magical and physical attacks and capable of summoning nightmare based Personas.
🐀 Rasputin. Can summon minions, destroy things, conceal nightmares within illusions.
🔥 Firelord Ozai. Can bend/generate fire and lightning, strong physical abilities.
🦋 Valentino. A charismatic moth demon capable of controlling smoke and has pheromones that can attract those to him.
🧝‍♀️ Gaea. Goddess of the Earth. Stronger when tethered to Earth. Powers include geokinesis, chlorokinesis (control of plants), creation of sentient life forms, atmokinesis (weather), control of animals, transformation.
🌱 Omega Flowey. Can grow vines, venus flytraps, plant stems that shoot, lots of plant based attacks.
🍐 Sephiroth. Sword fighting proficiency, shapeshifting, ability to cause hallucinations, telekinesis of medium sized objects, minor manipulation abilities, materia magic. Potential lethal backstabs. (Prompts available within FFVII toplevels). 🚩
⚡ Raiden Shogun. Scary lady with lightning based attacks, illusions, large-range attacks.
🤖 Shouki no Kami. Divine Automaton that uses lightning based attacks.
💃 Stella. Vile woman who thrives off mentally and physically tormenting.
👑 Paimon . Stolas' father, a powerful demon capable of shapeshifting, teleportation, grimoire manipulation, projection.
🧣 Ardyn Izunia. Has thirteen weapons at his disposal; can cast powerful magic such as striking down lightning, summoning blizzards, fiery explosions; has the power to heal; and is resilient to physical pain.
⏳ Kronos. God-like strength, specializes in sword combat, tough to take down. Has several types of kinesis magic.
💀 Nyx. Only has one main ability: cast death. However it's a slow windup so can be beaten beforehand. 🚩
😾 Wakaba Isshiki. Large sphynx with a woman's head. Heavy wind, almighty, and physical attacks. There can be riddles that are pertinent to those who engage it.
👮‍♀️ Makima. A woman who looks normal but is actually a Devil of immense strength, enhanced smell, domination, and can force manipulation that can damage weak targets by simply staring at them.
🖤 Atman. A very creepy giant mask that will disappear but then reappear after being defeated.
🤸‍♂️ Vholran. Fights with a waterblade. Acrobatic swordsman, mastery over water-elemental astral energy and can cast high power artes.
🎨 Creed Graphite. A Will Artist (spellcaster) capable of casting spells and summoning and controlling Xeroms.
🎼 Ganon. Hate and hunger for power in physical form. Can corrupt anything with darkness, will only be able to corrupt non-PCs unless players want to do something with that.
🌋 Calamity Ganon. Capable of creating Malice (poison substance that can cause other monsters or bosses to go aggro) and raising other monsters from the dead. Can be destroyed by any type of sealing dreamotion magic.
💔 Xehanorts (multiple). Control darkness and use darkness as a weapon; controlling people to his will by turning them into versions of himself, otherwise known as getting "norted" where victim gains yellow eyes and is controlled to his whims and the darkness in their heart/they will follow their darker side. Darkness meteorites can also be a thing.
➕ Emperor Demitrius (final boss form). Basically heal himself back up to full mid-fight so it will take a few rounds to defeat him.

C. Megabosses. Extremely powerful entities that may not even be defeated by conventional means and instead have powers that affect everyone instead. High chance of death. 🚩🚩🚩

🤖 Diaspora. Half the size of Dragon Island and up in the sky, it can disassemble dreamotion energy and knock someone out into wisp form without dying with a beam of blue goop. Has high regeneration, but will be vulnerable to prolonged attacks.
🐲 Dragons (Voids). Faces of dragons that coalesce in from the sky when they decide to attack with high concentrations of nightmare energy. Zhaitan will be capable of turning those who turned into wisps into noctaere in the form of Void Risen. Mordremoth will just descend and smash into small areas to inflict damage. Kralkatorrik will fire a giant beam of crystal fire breath that will encase anyone and anything in its path into purple crystal, and they must be freed before they turn into noctaere.

Comments

[lethechained]

[ Fortunately, Naminé also has sense enough not to respond when she's still close enough for her location to be detected. The rustling fades off, and then - everything is quiet.

That isn't to say that he's alone, however; the young witch has no intention of leaving Ferran to his own devices in such a state. Although she remains out of sight from ground level, it's not hard to sense her eyes on him from a distance. (The fact that the changes to his surroundings seem to follow him, never presenting a gap where the reality of their location can appear, might be proof enough of her attention, if the palpable sense of her presence isn't.)

And yet, she doesn't make a move. Rather, she's biding her time, most likely trying to gather herself; without the benefit of his experience or the freedom that comes from wishing to eliminate one's opponent rather than preserve them, she has to go through the effort to formulate some kind of plan. Only-- the sudden change in his vantage point might put a damper on that; a flutter of cloth and blonde hair does suggest that his prey's just managed to step behind a tree a moment too late, and whether the carriage appears or not - her voice does indeed come from that location. ]

I wasn't hiding it...!
I wasn't hiding it...!

[ ... The problem is, her voice comes from at least one other location, too, like an echo from the opposite direction, amidst some ruins in another segment of this false reality. Which one is real? Is either of them real? Regardless, they certainly give him somewhere to search. Identical as they are, both versions sound on edge; she certainly seems pressed, one way or another, although there's still something sad in her, ]

There's just never been any reason for us to fight.
There's just never been any reason for us to fight.

[noblegarnet]

[Whether he notices these things following him—well, let's say there are certain drawbacks to his current state. Certain aspects of his abilities and personality are enhanced, and others suppressed, not entirely to his benefit. Regardless, he's never been able to sense other people, trapped within their magic or not, so he merely has to rely on his mundane senses for the task. He'll continue pursuing her, regardless.

And aha—there she is. Or so it seems? The crash of the wood against the ground rumbles even up to his new perch, but he hears nothing of an expected shriek or even a gasp. He only leaps to a tree in that direction once before that fact registers to him, and then the doubled voice draws his attention elsewhere...]

Well, don't worry—this won't be the last opportunity we'll have.

[His tone is almost playful despite the clear threat in the words; he's apparently looking forward to it.

She sounds tense, but not panicked, or like she knows she's been spotted. His attempted attack apparently didn't rattle her all that much, and so—he turns his attention towards the distant voice, deciding it's time for an investigation into a different fragmented space. A simple teleport before the nearest chunk of building he can see should get him there before she can move too far away, he thinks, so he disappears in a crackling blink of white light before his feet meet the ground there in the same fashion, his armored gloves meeting the edge of the structure as he attempts to peer around...]

We've still got so much to learn about each other, after all.

[lethechained]

[ Preoccupied as she is, Naminé's not in quite the right state for performing convincingly - and certainly not enough so to fool him. The illusory version lingers where she is, only barely peeking into view from behind the tree, but makes no noticeable effort to retain Ferran's attention when it shifts.

Indeed, it seems he's chosen correctly as he appears in this new space. The ruins of a castle greet him - perhaps even the same hall he turned away from before, the one that used to have warm fire blazing before the hearth and flickering on torches. Now, in this version of the world, all these sources of illumination are cold, and instead it's broad rays of sunlight peeking through the ruined shell of a roof that make the place visible to the human eye. Shadow and sun alike pool in patches along the tattered rugs and tapestries, and in the midst of them, Naminé lingers cautiously, tucked close in the shade of a looming pillar that's already halfway collapsed. ]

If that's all you want, there--
If that's all you want, there--

[ About then it occurs to Naminé how much closer his voice has gotten - and only at that point does she turn with a whip of surprise in that direction, the distant echo of her own secondary voice fading away. ]

-- Are much better ways to do it.

[noblegarnet]

[There's a glint in his orange eyes as he narrows them, now that he's got his sights on her properly, and he takes deliberate steps around the ruined wall, letting the metal of his gauntlets drag against the stone with an unpleasant noise. His unpleasant smile has yet to fade, not unlike in character to the one the image of his guardian wore.

With no fire to break his limited focus, he begins to stalk towards her slowly, crossing through shadows and light and making the magical glow of his eyes—and the red gem of the silver necklace he always wears—apparent.

His sword appears in his hand. Will she disappear in another swirl of unreality? Is her energy spent? Or does she have something else under her sleeve?]

I don't think you really understand which topics I'm interested in.

[Ferran wants to drive her to desperation. He doesn't care about his own safety, even if his actions under the nightmare's influence might have driven her concerns back to the surface. What can she truly do to stop him? He needs to know.]

[lethechained]

[ Were she her normal self, perhaps the spike of anxiety Naminé feels as that hideous noise from Ferran's gauntlets scrapes across her eardrums (just as much as it does the stone) would show more on her face. There's certainly a shudder that runs through her, but as she is now, her focus on her opponent remains steady while she watches him draw ever closer.

He really is set on toying with her, isn't he? It might even be flattering if one were the type of person to appreciate it, yet she certainly is not--

And at the moment, it looks almost like there's nothing left to stop him as his small blonde quarry edges further back along the shadow of the pillar, peering out from it at him with eyes that burn with frustration rather than any supernatural glow. ]

... I don't think you do, either.

[ He's not in his right mind. She has to remind herself of that as she considers her move, doesn't dare forget it--

Cautiously, she slips back out of sight around the pillar. There's not enough cover for her to make any kind of physical escape, surely, without being seen - nor is there any audible noise to indicate she's left any other way once she's hidden. But chances are he'll have to take a look back one way or another, won't he? ]

[noblegarnet]

[Ferran follows her movement with clear interest, his posture of a predator ready to spring, his gaze fixated squarely on hers. His eyes merely narrow at her insinuation, and he says nothing in lieu of repeating the earlier sentiment of the secrets they still keep from the other. In all honesty, he sees no need for further words right now; his actions serve to show her what he wants her to learn about him—what he's capable of, not just due to the influence of nightmares or the powers of those in this dream world. Now if only she weren't so stubborn and would offer him the same courtesy—

Her retreat spurs him forward. As he approaches that pillar he can feel the edge of something—panic, perhaps, a violent frustration, or something more magical once driven into him by force, clawing at his chest from the inside—and he makes a decision. Without turning the corner for a proper look, he slashes his blade towards the space he saw her retreat into, a tightness to his set jaw. He's lost patience for the answers he seeks.]

[lethechained]

[ From behind the pillar, a squawk of pain-- his blade's made contact with something, it seems, and comes away slightly bloodied.

And from that moment on, well... the answers to a few of his questions, at least, might rapidly become more clear. There's a single beat of startled delay, though not a soundless one - then an almost frantic rustle of cloth, the patter of two steps, and a rush, both of sound and of power as coiling purple energy flares to life on the opposite side of the barrier between them, licking over the top of the pillar.

Of course, this is also simultaneous with a matching shift in the air around him as the other end of the portal she's conjured opens directly behind Ferran. That's one question down, then; she's not bound entirely by the normal laws of space either. No sooner has this been proven than one slim hand reaches out from the portal with purpose, trying to grab any part of him it can reach.

She holds no weapon or spell in the splay of her fingers, but she doesn't need one. Whether it's an arm or a shoulder she catches hold of, her goal has deeper focus, for it's what lurks beneath his current facade she's actually searching for. Her natural power snaps out with grasping fingers just as much as her arm does, hoping to get purchase on his heart. Not to destroy it, but to direct it--

Taking such a risk with both her own safety and his would be unconscionable to her otherwise, but now-- it seems he's found the end of her patience just as much as she's found his. The bar's much lower now in her current state, with Cupid's arrow of hate still swirling through her veins.

The fury in her features is ferocious indeed, now that he's drawn blood. ]

[noblegarnet]

[It's almost a familiar sight, the dark energy that forms the hidden portal—similar enough to the ones he's traversed that he half expects to see the other end of town through it should he turn the corner. As his blade draws back, he's almost ready to rush forward, but Naminé reaches him first. She manages to grasp his right arm in just the right way to make him pause, a lingering result of an injury that nearly disabled the limb—and that would be if her magic hadn't been enough to freeze him in place alone.

What he's been through has only made him even more susceptible to such manipulation: his heart is in pieces, tenuously tied together with the power of the magic he wields, enough to keep him awake and alive but the darkness wedged in each gap refusing to let him heal. The shards may be sharp at the edges, but they're terribly easy to rummage through and take hold of, for whatever her purposes are.

What she'll find at the root of him now is nothing but his own desperation and self-loathing amplified, and one absolute certainty:

He has to be stopped, whatever it takes.

Ferran knows the man he's helped—his guardian, the nightmare figure she saw manifest—will reduce his world to nothing more than ash if he gets his way. He knows he's taken away the power his friends might have used to stop them. And he knows he'll continue fighting to take away what little chance they have, and that it's his own damn fault for refusing to believe in them.

Knowing he can be stopped before he does worse, becomes worse—it's more important to him than anything else right now. He doesn't need to know what she's capable of. He needs to know she can end him, in one way or another.]

[lethechained]

[ One hand finds its mark, and the other flattens immediately against his back, fingers stiff and bracing as she reaches deeper.

The swell of her power is instant, roiling and unhidden as it rises up to shadow what remains of his heart. In the past, she's always taken the subtle approach to such matters as these, whispering orders that could be shouted, twisting them to sound like they belong to the heart's own voice instead of hers. Delicate manipulations along the glittering chains of memory, shifting pieces here and there with the utmost concern for avoiding notice, avoiding pain.

But now, her magic is like a tidal wave instead sweeping toward the fragile pieces of his heart without concern over whether he senses it or not, overwhelming and inexorable. His next answer is there, in the sheer force of it as it washes over both of them. Yes, she can end him.

She can end him, and remake him, and end him again--

But she doesn't.

The threat is there, whether she meant for it to be so obvious or not. Yet in the next moment, her fury frays, snaps; perhaps it's at the realization of his state, or perhaps it's merely the doing of the kindhearted nature that still remains, buried under this outer mask of hatred. Whatever the case, her power parts suddenly, splitting to either side just before it actually collides with the shattered pieces of his heart. It spreads outward from there, roaring into the illusion that surrounds them instead. The false world around them cracks into pieces, peeling away like ash and shards of glass as everything dissolves into blinding white, and instead--

Instead, the power that actually wedges itself in between the jagged pieces of his heart is a far gentler one, warm as sunlight, as Naminé - the real Naminé - does her utmost to wrest those fragments of his being from the shadows amongst them.
If the darkness refuses to let them coalesce into what they should be, maybe a little help is all they need to draw back together again.

At the very least, she owes it to him to try. ]

[noblegarnet]

[However oblivious he'd been to the manipulations worked on him in the past, how could he possibly miss the wave that rushes through him? It's almost more powerful than the magic of the godlike spirit that had been harnessed to twist him into the crude weapon he'd become, just by the sense of it he gets. And unlike that chaotic darkness he's had the chance to get used to, he's never felt anything quite like this, leaving him entirely at her mercy.

What he now knows, just from that feeling, answers his question.

The knowing brings a part of him such relief that even if she hadn't swept into his soul with that mending touch, the desperation driving his violence would have dissipated on its own.

The jagged crackles of darkness withdraw somewhat, loosening their grip on him. It doesn't disappear—it may never—or even fully retreat to some corner of his soul, but it allows his heart to settle closer to being in one piece once more. All the tension leaves his physical body, and the glow in his eyes disappears along with his sword. A whisper leaves him:]

Finally...

[His energy spent and the nightmare's influence removed—for now—he collapses in a heap with a clatter of his armor. He's unlikely to awaken until at least a few minutes have passed.]

[lethechained]

[ For a moment, everything is both order and chaos at once as Naminé shifts the contents of his heart, as she fights the contents of her own, as the beat of visceral understanding that comes from one mind contacting another tangles together with her own split thoughts--

Instinct is nearly all that keeps her from going too far, from pressing harder against the darkness that seems almost as much a part of him as the jagged pieces in her grip. But it does stop her, and in the next instant the risk inherent in the connection forces her to reorder her priorities, to draw back her power before it can cause more damage than it repairs.

Hauling in a deep gasp of a breath as her mind snaps back into her body alone, Naminé sways along with him - only barely aware of it when he starts to topple over and her arms automatically try to keep hold. It's enough to cushion his fall if nothing else, even as her own legs give out under the awkward distribution of weight and her distraction; they both hit the ground, him out cold and her on her knees beside him, one hand trapped under his shoulder.

Sitting back onto her heels, Naminé frowns as she wriggles her arm free. That could have gone better, but it could also have been much, much worse. She'll berate herself over it later; for now, it seems more prudent to focus on Ferran.

She can still sense his heart, so it seems he hasn't expired. After making the effort to roll him onto his back, she gives him a cursory glance for any noticeable injury - or any signs of consciousness. By now the illusion around them has faded, leaving their surroundings back - or close to - its true form, with only perhaps a few exceptions Naminé's not familiar enough with the area to recognize. Regardless, this is no place for a nap. ]

I'm sorry, [ she finds herself saying, not quite sure at first how she means it. Then, an amendment, as her cluttered mind sorts itself briefly; ] For everything.

[ Even the parts she wasn't responsible for. Maybe - especially the parts she wasn't responsible for.

But it can't be helped, she supposes. And she can't stay, no matter how much her magic has calmed for the present after excessive use. So the next best thing, she decides, is to get her unintentional charge somewhere safe. (Or safer, at least, in a city at war.)

Which means it's highly likely Ferran will wake up in another place entirely, on the other side of a portal, somewhere far from the fighting. A medical station, perhaps, or at least a quiet corner; either way, whether he's entirely alone or not, Naminé herself won't be there.

For his own good, of course. But they'll have to talk about this later, won't they? ]

[noblegarnet]

[They will, and it's not a conversation Ferran plans to delay indefinitely. Tempting as it is to try to find her not long after he wakes, the battle is still underway, and he's far from in a state to go back into the fighting. As impatient as he is, he waits; but it lets him rest and recover, as well as get into a better state to talk about—well, much of anything. He thinks it might be better to test the waters first, though.

Not long after the Story Eater's defeat, she'll find a small package near her doorstep, brown paper folded around a small batch of cookies labeled "almond" in Ferran's neat hand. Accompanying it is a short letter:]

Naminé,

An apology wouldn't be enough, and an explanation wouldn't make up for that, but it's all I can offer right now. I'm sorry for dragging you into the mess my decisions have caused, and for hurting you. I hope you're recovering well.

How you saw me last is the way I was back home, before I came here. I get obsessed with all the wrong things and willing to do too much for them, including hurting my friends. The man you saw made it as bad as it is, but he's not the one those thoughts come from. Obviously, him not actually being here doesn't change the fact that I can go back to being like that, though I've been using every method I can think of to prevent it.

With all of that said, thank you for stopping me, and I'm sorry that I pushed you to that. You deserve to know whatever else you might want to know from me, if you're willing to hear it. My door and journal will always be open to you.

- Ferran

[lethechained]

[ After that whole mess with the Story Eater, Naminé is... out of sorts. Exhausted and weak from the sudden and intense explosion of her own long-unused powers, she's mostly homebound for at least the first few days. Still, she has the sense to check for mail now and again despite it being what feels like a trek to the door, which means it doesn't take long for her to discover the package. Her response, therefore, is perhaps less delayed than it ought to be, for her sake; she writes back to him over the journal that same day. ]

Ferran,

If either of us owes the other an apology, I think it should be me.
I wasn't myself that day any more than you were.

[ Because yes, he may say that that other demeanor of his is a part of himself, but - not the one she's accustomed to. Not what she's grown to view as his true nature in this place and time. In any case, her handwriting is small, slow, almost unsteady; she'd rather her weakness not show even over text, but there it is just the same both in the letters themselves and in her brevity. ]

I won't ask you to tell me more than you want to, but you are right that you and I should talk.
Whenever you're ready, just let me know.

[ He's the one who seems to have more to confess, although... she's got some explaining of her own to do, too. Still, his feelings on the matter are the more important ones, as far as she's concerned. ]

[noblegarnet]

[He hadn't expected an immediate reply by any stretch, and so it's only by coincidence that he manages to even catch the tail end of her message to see the slow scrawl that appears on the page.

It reminds him a bit of his own, when she wrote to him all those months ago. Hopefully she's in a better state than that... but either way, it's time to return the favor, he supposes.

Rather than expand any further in text when that might be unnecessary and it might be exhausting for her to even write, he cuts to the point:]

Can I come to you?

[lethechained]

[ Caught equally unawares, Naminé's already weak fingers loosen around her pen as she spots the letters of his response coming in. It's a near miss that she doesn't drop the writing implement outright, and takes the cue to rest her wrist on the table for a beat as she reads, hesitates.

... No. Now's as good a time as any will be for a while, she supposes. Who knows how long it'll take for her to recover fully? And as little as she likes the idea of being seen as fragile as she feels right now, it's... more important that Ferran get to say his peace. So, ]

Of course.
I'll be waiting.

[ She's not up to much else right now, anyhow. ]

[noblegarnet]

[Though Ferran is certainly still tired in a way he hasn't been in some time, he's still more than up for the trek. Even though he's unaware of Naminé's state at present, he makes the effort regardless, considering how responsible he feels for the mess they ended up creating for themselves.

He's there within half an hour, gently knocking at the door and calling through it, unsure if she's expecting anyone else. His voice is steady enough, even if his limbs and eyelids still feel heavy.]

Naminé, it's Ferran. Can I come in?

[lethechained]

[ The delay before the door opens is brief, preceded with a short series of quiet footsteps. Naminé must have been lingering nearby it, for her pace is not a quick one, and when she opens the door--

Well, her smile is as kind as ever, but her face is drawn and pale. An extra shawl is held close around her shoulders over her more weather-appropriate dress, her eyelids low and sleepy as if she's just woken from a nap, or perhaps is fighting an illness. More than that, there's something delicate about her, even more so than there usually is; her grasp on existence has always been tenuous, but she looks now more than ever like a stiff breeze could snuff her presence out like a guttering candle. ]

Hello again, [ she greets warmly just the same, voice rasping and soft. Shifting back, she eases out of Ferran's way so that he can step inside. There's plenty of seating available, from the couch close to the door to the cushioned bench tucked along to her house's sunniest window, even the kitchen island. ] We can sit wherever you'd like.

[noblegarnet]

[Ferran is clearly not in a great state himself, just by the look of him; his skin has a greyish pallor, making the dark marks along his jaw more prominent than usual, and the fatigue that slowed his steps still clings to his posture.

Still, he's steady on his feet in a way that's far less precarious than Naminé's apparent state, and he's so eager to make sure she doesn't collapse on the spot—and perhaps, to make sure that she is still present there rather than some fleeting ghost—that he reaches out to steady her with a hand without thinking. By the time he considers that he has no real right to be so forward, it seems pointless to retract it. There's only a faint twitch of guilt to his eyelids to display it, in the end; he only mutters an apologetic:]

I'm glad to see you.

[He doesn't hesitate further, fully stepping inside and closing the door behind them for the sake of getting her to sit more quickly. He turns towards the couch. Better to not make her move very far.]

[lethechained]

[ Unprepared as Naminé is, his grasp looks for the first few moments as if it might have made her more unsteady in her surprise, despite how she instinctively tries to still in response. Her lips part, eyes round as she takes him in with a flicker of concern over her own features. Both of them are worse for wear, that much is ever more clear the longer she looks at him.

But she's not so far gone as to not recognize his response for what it might be, especially given the tone of his words. Exhaling, she pulls together another wan smile; her hand has been hovering at her side since he reached for her, and now, finally, she lowers it to alight briefly on his elbow in wordless acknowledgement. It only lasts a moment, and then they're both stepping inside. ]

I'm glad to see you, too.

[ She drifts along at his side, leaving the choice of seating to him, but it's a relief when he selects the one he does. Obligingly, she follows his cue and moves toward the couch as well, steps even but shortened in her weakness. ]

I'm just sorry that you had to come all this way. I would have offered to meet you somewhere, but...

[ Perhaps she needn't acknowledge aloud that neither of them are in any state to make an appearance in public. ]

[noblegarnet]

[He doesn't bother to hide the fact it is way better for him to be sitting down once he does get there, slouching forward with his arms folded against his legs. A shake of his head dismisses her apology; they both know well enough that this was the best option out of all the potentials.]

No, here is more than fine. I needed the fresh air, anyway.

[But... he's not here for casual conversation, not really—even though he'd prefer it if that were his only reason for coming. Still, it seems stupid to come right out with a full explanation of his terrible decisions and how it led to his attack. His brow furrows as he hesitates, and as he turns his eyes to her, his instinct almost takes over with:]

How— [He cuts himself off in the back of his throat before his jaw clicks shut. "How are you doing, Naminé?" As if he couldn't tell just by looking at the poor girl. Mildly embarrassed and annoyed with himself, he gives himself another few moments before muttering another attempt.]

I—hope you liked the cookies. [Better, mildly.]

[lethechained]

[ Naminé maintains some amount of control over her posture as she sits beside him, but even she leans more heavily against the back of the couch than she normally would, arms tucked close to her body as if to hold in what energy she does have. Although she still looks faintly contrite at his reassurance, the lass presently offers a nod and a hum of acknowledgement. ]

Maybe it'll do you some good, [ she acknowledges sedately; really what she means is that she hopes it will - that he didn't come all this way for no benefit to himself. But of course they've other things to discuss, and she has no objection, really, to his approach. Her head tips very slightly, encouragingly, as she waits for him to finish his muttering and resume his sentence. ]

I did, [ she answers, voice as thin as before, yet gentle. A delicate attempt at sweeping away his insecurity, perhaps, but sincere nonetheless. ] I've never had the almond kind before. It was... nice to try something new. So-- thank you.

[ And it only seems appropriate to return some of that favor; Naminé glances back at her kitchen, then at Ferran, only hesitating because of what feels like too great a distance at the moment. Still-- ]

If you're hungry, there might be something left in the kitchen.

[noblegarnet]

[Under normal circumstances he might have made some remark about new experiences and how much he enjoys helping people find them, but... right now it's hard to ignore that not all new experiences are pleasant. He lets out a breath through his nose.]

I'm happy to hear it.

[He doesn't quite look it, but there's something a relieved rise to his brow, at least. The offer, meanwhile, feels too generous for the time being even if he were inclined to get back up immediately, and his expression regains some of its gloom.]

Maybe later... I'm okay for now.

[He really doesn't want to spend any more time avoiding the topics at hand, though; he wouldn't call any conversation with Naminé a waste, but it's a lower priority. Mostly, he's concerned with just how much it seems like she might have withered away, if this is her after a couple days of recovery.]

Did all that mess with the Story Eater... do something else to you? Did you get any healing?

[lethechained]

[ Nodding her understanding, Naminé maintains the gentle upturn of the corners of her mouth, despite the exhaustion written across her face. It's important to be good company at a time like this, when they're both in fragile states and have much to discuss; he'll do the frowning for the both of them, and she'll do her best to manage a smile.

Still, her voice is... sober, in the wake of his questions. ]

Compared to others, my injuries were minor. I - did have someone look after me, once it was all said and done, but...

[ Hesitating a beat, she shakes her head. ]

Most of what happened didn't have anything to do with my physical wounds. Before I saw you that day, I was hit with one of Cupid's arrows of hate. All of that negative emotion made my powers unstable, and losing control of them for even a moment only made them more so. As it turns out, they... do work on me, too.

[ To some extent, anyway. Her eyes flutter shut as she exhales a sigh through her nose. ]

You felt them, didn't you? You saw what I can do. But the truth is, I'd never used so much of my magic at once before that, and certainly never with so much dark energy involved, or with so little control. That, combined with the extra powers I had at the time, I--

[ Well. She really got put through the wringer, magically speaking. Here, finally, she can't manage to maintain even the shadow of a smile. ]

I still... don't quite feel like myself. But if anything, I'm most surprised that it wasn't even worse.

[noblegarnet]

[He takes in her words quietly, his attention focused fully on processing them rather than interrupting with any responses of his own. With the way his head still feels full of static, he needs a little extra time and space for it. A few seconds pass as he considers, then finally, he nods with a slight dip of his head.]

Overwhelmed by your own magic, corrupted... I understand that, I think.

[If that wasn't already obvious enough. His initial experience was less fading with exhaustion and more—well, she saw the state of him, inside. Frequently he finds himself grateful that this dream world lets him exist with any sort of coherence and willpower of his own. Maybe it's Reverein that's keeping them both in one piece, so to speak...]

I'm glad it wasn't. And I'm glad you got some help... even if I wish it hadn't gone so badly to begin with.

[His eyes are drawn down to his own shadow, and his lips press together in a somber line. That nightmare that drove him to his own sort of madness is still lurking under the surface, though at present it's deprived of any real power, and Ferran doesn't know if there's much he can do to truly keep it under control... He has no plans to give up on trying, but he has to wonder.]

[lethechained]

[ A slower pace of conversation is both warranted and welcome in this situation. Naminé certainly appreciates the opportunity to just... rest, as she leaves moment open for him to process her explanation, her back settling that much more deeply against the couch. Her dutiful nod to echo his in confirmation of the words is timely, but unhurriedly committed.

Speaking of corruption...

Her eyes linger on Ferran's face as his own drop toward the darkness that follows him, both literally and figuratively. The nature of her gaze is almost searching, though it's as much for taking stock of his state as it is for guiding her mind to determine a proper method to say what she means to. ]

Yes. You and I feel the same way about that, I think.

[ Especially considering how much at risk he was of being on the wrong end of that worse at the time. Finally exhaling a slow breath, the blonde resists the urge to let her own gaze fall. She has to ask one way or another, no matter how much she might want to gentle it; her worry wins out in the end, lending a quiet, apologetic tension to her voice. ]

Did I hurt you, that day?