the proverbial "pinch me"

[judoflipped]

Who: percy and YOU
Which: open interactive dream and text post!
What: demigod trauma and a lot of teen complaining
Warnings: uhhhhhh... idk



interactive dream - tartarus a

[ooc: description of tartarus is here. I just... forgot to mention it]

[the air is stifling. Percy's legs buckle as he falls to his knees. he's here. he's here again, even if his mind says there's no possible way. the air is stifling and hot, and the wind is poisonous. he looks around in a panic for a moment.]

Annabeth? Annabeth!!

[his voice comes out raspy and hoarse, and tears track down his face as he feels the hot river Phlegethon flowing next to him. he looks at it, almost as if he's considering jumping right into it. maybe he should, because there's no way he's going to survive here a second time without her.

it'll be quicker than whatever this place will conjure up for him to die by... and if he's not actually alone, he doesn't know it.

he's in shock.]

tartarus b

[Percy's at some elevator doors now, bleeding and beaten. he's holding on to the door as Tartarus stands in front of him with a hoard of monsters at his back.]

Little demigod... back here again, without anyone to save you...

[the doors ping open, and Percy moves backwards, and the monsters and the god Tartarus cackles at him.

Percy's holding on to Riptide tight, with all the strength he has left. it's most definitely insanity, and he's probably cracked in the head in more ways than anyone can count. but there's nothing else he can do, and he's not going to die here cowering against some elevator doors that he can't use to leave.

for once, he's got nothing sarcastic to say, instead charging towards the monsters with Riptide raised.]

text:

[gods above, that dream...]

well my last year sucked
and it doesnt look like i was gone here long

so i went home and no one has to act like theyre gonna spoil me or whatever
i got a lot of new nightmare fuel
whats up with you guys

Comments

[judoflipped]

[Percy's blinking hard. it's hard to focus with the memories in his head as well as the terror he feels about being back here.

he runs a hand through his hair, clenching it and tugging on it some towards the back of his head.

this is a lot.]

I'm...

[the memories of Reverein start coming back to him, and he considers for a minute. he eyes Asura warily, his heart still pounding and mistrust on his expression.]

How do I know if I'm dreaming or not?

[abyssbound]

[ A grin tugs at the corner of Asura's mouth, and he crosses his arms over his chest. ]

If this place is one from your memories, then it stands to reason that you are the dreamer. This world should bend to your will. Why not give it a try?

[judoflipped]

[Percy blinks for a few minutes. that shouldn't be so hard, right? he didn't remember anything about dreamotion back at home, but it was... coming back now.

does that mean this guy's telling the truth?

he half turns to the river of fire at his back, not turning away from Asura completely, before looking at it. it's enough to make panic rise in his throat and make him feel as if he's going to scream again, looking at it, but he makes himself focus.

steam starts to rise from the river, almost like a fog machine was turning itself on. it took a few moments of concentration, but then...

the river turned into actual water. it looks as if it's boiling, bubbling as it is, but it's water]

... Oh.

[yeah, that's all he's got to say about that.]

[abyssbound]

[ It looks like he'd been right on the money about this kid being the dreamer here. Good, that simplifies things. Asura gives a nod and uncrosses his arms, letting them fall to his sides. ]

See? [ He gestures vaguely toward the altered river. ] If you still have a hard time forcing yourself to wake up, then the next best thing would be to change your dream into something more pleasant until you wake up naturally, right?

[judoflipped]

... Yeah.

[Percy rubs his forehead, and then runs a hand through his hair as he gives a deep sigh. his heart is still pounding slightly, but he's starting to manage.

this is a lot.]

I really... thought I was back here.

[it still makes him feel shaky just to see it, and he's working on something with dreamotion that he might be able to feasibly to, at least until he wakes up. he's got to get himself under control before he works on anything bigger than changing the river to water.]

[abyssbound]

[ The dreams can be difficult to distinguish from reality, especially for those unused to dreamwalking. Asura isn't at all surprised that this kid needed some help to realize he was dreaming, as most do--especially when they are the owner of the dream. ]

This place seems to carry a lot of trauma for you, so I won't pry. [ Asura nods, glancing around at their surroundings (that seems to feel slightly less oppressive now that the dreamer is lucid). ] A trick for the future in case you're unsure if you're dreaming or not; try to retrace your steps and remember how you arrived to where you are. If you can't, then you're probably dreaming.

[judoflipped]

Just "a lot" of trauma is an understatement.

[he nods. he rubs his forehead now too, looking back around as the ground underneath them starts to turn to sand. that part starts to make him relax a little more, even though the process is slow going as it spreads out past them.]

Usually I can tell, 'cuz my dreams are already bad enough. This was just... something else.

[also an understatement.]

[abyssbound]

[ As the scene begins to change, so too does Asura's form; his white hair goes black and the violent red glow of his eyes fades away until he's back to the appearance he takes in the main dream. If Percy had ever seen him in Reverein (possibly serving burgers at the Pride picnic) , this is how he looked then. ]

Glad to see you pick it up so quickly then.

[judoflipped]

[he'd probably seen him around -- his face looks familiar, but nothing clicks.

his head is still swimming too much for all that.]

Eh, I'm used to having to pick up stuff on the fly.

[he gets up now, his legs still trembling... but at least he's steady.]

The dreamotion thing is coming back to me too, so that helps.