Who: Kazuya, Various Which: Closed Log starters Where: Various What: Catch-all for october! Starters in comments. Warnings: dream-death, blood, entrapment. Will update as needed.
[It turns out that dreamwalking isn't as hard as he thought it might have been. It's no different than when he'd gone into Amane's soul to fight Jezebel, even if he'd had to rely on Naoya's powers at the time to do so. And now he's here, at the site of some dreamed up catastrophe, which he watches unfold in front of him thoroughly impressed. The dream-air is thick with all sorts of emotions, but the most prominent one is terror. Sheer, unabashed terror that tastes sweet on his tongue in a way he's not accustomed to.
It makes sense then, why demons are prone to causing such a thing.
Kazuya watches intently with red eyes, watches as the events play out. Watches as a young man tries to escape from the rubble of a collapsing building uselessly, and a slight turn of his head and it's clear he's not the only person watching this. It's Naoya, who also smells of fear, of terror as much as the man. The man who looks nothing like Naoya, but Kazuya can instantly recognize as him, just from another time.
More a memory than a dream then, but still firmly both. Kazuya grins, wicked and sharp, both eyes red.]
I was thinking I might have to stir things up a bit in here, but you've already got quite the delicious dream already, big brother.
[He realizes he's dreaming - it's a memory. Again. The first time he died. As much as he tries to hide it he can't help but be afraid every time, remembering the terror he was in. If he had known what he knew now... but he didn't. He hadn't wanted to die. He hadn't wanted to go. He'd built a city, built a life with his own hands... and all of it ripped away in a moment.]
[He looks over at Kazuya - it's clearly him, though something is different. Maybe in dreams he allows more of his demonic nature to shine? He's not sure.]
I suppose. It's a relatively awful memory, even compared to the rest of mine. I had no idea what was coming...
No, I bet not. And being crushed to death doesn't exactly seem like a fun or pleasant way to go.
[But he'll reach up, looping an arm around Naoya's shoulders in a friendly manner, even if it's awkward to do so. He makes no secret of the fact that he's absorbing the energy from the emotions present.
And also maybe a bit of the emotion itself, but that's more of the ambient emotion of terror and fear naturally present in the dream than anything Naoya himself is actually doing.]
[He can sense the other absorbing the energy, but... he's already too tired to care. He leans into Kazuya and sighs, closing his eyes.]
It's terrifying and smothering and confusing. It's one of my least favorite ways to go.
[He'd rather not talk about it, but... it's here. He cracks one eye open to stare at his terrified past self, crying and choking, desperately trying to claw his way out. It won't work. It didn't, and it never does in his dreams either.]
[He's leaned into, but he doesn't really make any motion to accept or to push him away. Instead, he keeps absorbing the energy, letting it revitalize him proper after all this time.
It's only after a minute or so does he pull away, wandering over to the other dream-memory Naoya, who he crouches in front of. He could change the dream, move the rubble and save him, at least in this version of it, but he doesn't. Instead he watches Naoya- Cain struggle and splutter and choke on his own blood.
It might only be a nightmare, but it's a pretty delicious one all the same.
Kazuya turns his head back to Naoya, seemingly disaffected by the entire scene before him, and tilts his head just slightly.]
How long did it take before you died? You seem to be suffering pretty bad.
I'm not totally sure. It felt like forever, so it seems to take a long time in the dream. Looking back on it, it was probably no more than five to ten minutes between the lack of air and the pain. It would have been a mercy if I had been simply knocked out.
[And of course, there was never any mercy for him. Why would there be? Not in that life, nor in any other.]
... I would have thought you'd be a bit more upset, seeing this.
[Hm. It felt like forever, he says. That it'll take longer in the dream.
He can work with that, even going as far as to stand and knock a piece of rubble away. Just enough to make breathing that much easier, though it's mostly to prolong the suffering and extend the amount of energy he's currently feeding off of.]
Why would I be? Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. You watched me die, and now I get to watch you die. Did I die slow, Naoya? Did I also choke on my own blood?
[He inhales sharply. ... No, something's wrong with Kazuya. He'll have to figure out what it is, but for now all he can do is respond, trying to contain his anger. His voice is steely calm when he responds, despite his body practically radiating fury.]
No, you didn't. You died quickly from shock. I was glad that it wasn't prolonged like I'd seen some of your sheep suffer in the earlier days.
[He tucks his hands in his pockets and leans forward.]
[Ah. Another taste, another scent. Anger. Also delicious in it's own right.
He shoves his hands into his pockets and grins, wicked and sharp. Naoya's trying to get him back, but quite frankly, he doesn't even care about that. About the suffering that the sheep may have gone through in his inexperience in slaughtering them.]
Too bad. Maybe you would have enjoyed it. I'm enjoying it.
[The punch doesn't connect, Kazuya merely steps to the side of it, hands never leaving his pockets. He's living, he's never seen Naoya this reactive before, and it makes him feel a little giddy, like a child being told they can have whatever candy off the shelf they want.
He can't hurt Naoya, not physically thanks to their contract, but there's still a certain amount of leeway both in it, and in this dream space.]
I am. Not sure why you're so upset by it though. Don't you deserve this? For me to enjoy watching you suffer? You did kill me, after all. It's the least of what I'm owed from you.
I'll admit it - I know you'll have to be ruthless as King of Demons. But as I've said before - you're still Kazuya. If I only wanted a demonic ally there are other demons I could have championed. Why do you think I picked you, then?
Because I was the best lamb for the slaughter. One that followed you anywhere, happily. One that would have pissed off God all the more once you'd corrupted me and twisted me to be what you wanted.
[ He releases his hold on Naoya's wrist, cupping his own chin in mock consideration. He's already getting what he wants. The delicious thrum of negative emotions that he readily absorbs from the nightmare.
He really doesn't need to make it any worse. He's already getting everything he wants.
He'll still play it out a little longer. ]
I wonder. What do you think I'm here for, big brother?
[He just sounds bored. He's heard all of these arguments before from the Kazuyas in his dreams. It still riles him up but that's a private matter, not a Kazuya matter.]
If you are actually here - which I'm not sure you are - then I guess you got dragged in to see how miserable of a person I once was.
[And still am. He can't move on in any sense of the phrase.]
[Maybe he is, maybe he isn't. He has no way of knowing for sure.]
I'm sure they are. I'm sure there's plenty of misery for you to feed off of. Though you should go out and find other emotions as well. Eating one thing all the time isn't good for you.
[He exhales sharply but doesn't otherwise show his annoyance - outwardly, at least. Kazuya's just being a pain in the ass at this point, aggravating him to get more magnetite out of him.]
Yes, yes. Just do try to not drain me dry? II need some energy for myself, you know.
I wouldn't worry too much about that. You're sleeping, aren't you? So whatever I do take you'll get back anyway, so long as I don't kill you doing it.
[And he wouldn't. Not when Naoya is apparently a great source of fear and anger, two things that he's quickly learned taste absolutely incredible. The nightmare itself also doesn't taste too bad, from the bits he's absorbed so far.
But it's time to really dig his teeth into it, isn't it? He pulls on Naoya with his arm, using his strength to pull him down to a more appropriate height that's likely incredibly uncomfortable for Naoya himself.]
I'll take care of this nightmare for you for real this time. As a gift to my beloved big brother.
[All Naoya will catch is the red iris and cat like pupils that narrow as he catches his eye. And Kazuya will just continue smiling in response, before he leans in, and bites him hard right on the neck.
The saving grace is that this is a dream, and he's not actually about to tear his throat out with his teeth, though the dream around them gets fuzzier and fuzzier as Kazuya consumes it.
[His own eyes go wide and he starts to struggle - but Kazuya's strength is such that it's impossible to break free or even move an inch. He blinks slowly as the dream fuzzes around them, his struggling growing weaker and weaker as the dream fades away. Eventually he slumps against Kazuya, the area around them a grey void.]
[Naoya's breathing is shallow, but thankfully it's just a dream. It's interesting that he's still pretty light even by non-demonic strength standards. Here, without the COMP... he's just a very skinny human. He's been eating more with Kazuya around, but he's still a stick.]
[He only stops once the dream is completely gone, and there's nothing around them but a grey void. He wipes his mouth, but keeps a steadying hold on his brother.]
Told you I'd take care of it for you.
[And... He feels so energetic now. Refreshed. Revitalized. Naoya is absolutely nothing in his hold.]
[There are few locations in London that haunt Ryunosuke's nightmares quite so often as the House of Horrors at Madame Tusspells Museum of Waxworks. The Old Bailey features often when he's stressed. Barclay Prison-- or what little he's seen of it, supplemented a very over-active imagination-- also makes itself known from time to time. Windibank's at night, the basement morgue at St. Synner's Hospital, they all come into play. But the damn waxwork museum...
The thing is, it's never just the Waxworks as he remembers it, is it? There's always more to it. Some complication or elaboration that his subconscious tacks on in order to make the experience a fresh new hell each time over.
This time, it's a veritable labyrinth. All he wants is to leave, but each turn he takes reveals a new hall with new displays of terror pulled from his worst memories and the darkest reaches of his mind. Nothing moves, nothing seems to come after him, but he can't find his way out, and he can't stop feeling like he's being watched...]
[He hadn't expected there to be an undercurrent of terror already present when he invaded this particular dream, but it is pretty tasty all the same. He's not sure how much different it would be if he actually intervened, but he is curious enough to do so, unfortunately for Ryunosuke.
The feeling of being watched will intensify more and more, and eventually, a thick smoke will start cloaking the area. And he might hear the rattle of something slithering through the many wax dolls. He might even catch a glimpse of it, even.]
[A glimpse of a skull is all it takes for him to completely freak out, keyed up as he is. And in a dream state, it's all too easy for him to summon up on the lightning he's grown so accustomed to using in combat situations across the last year he's spent in Reverein.
He yelps and sends a jolt of it towards the rattling something without a second thought, blowing up a few wax dolls in the process.]
[The lightning isn't something that Kazuya is expecting from Ryu. Maybe he should have, considering how many people in this place have powers, but for some reason he just didn't seem like someone who would have had them.
The lightning strikes true, and Python... Doesn't seem all that effected. More agitated now, than anything, as it rears up to half it's height to look at the offending attacker, and hiss in a breathy, airy way that shouldn't be possible for a creature that clearly doesn't have lungs.
And launch a fireball at the area surrounding Ryu. It can't fully retaliate so long as Kazuya is holding its reigns, and Kazuya doesn't want injury. Just a healthy amount of terror.]
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closed to Naoya; dreamscape vampiring it up
It makes sense then, why demons are prone to causing such a thing.
Kazuya watches intently with red eyes, watches as the events play out. Watches as a young man tries to escape from the rubble of a collapsing building uselessly, and a slight turn of his head and it's clear he's not the only person watching this. It's Naoya, who also smells of fear, of terror as much as the man. The man who looks nothing like Naoya, but Kazuya can instantly recognize as him, just from another time.
More a memory than a dream then, but still firmly both. Kazuya grins, wicked and sharp, both eyes red.]
I was thinking I might have to stir things up a bit in here, but you've already got quite the delicious dream already, big brother.
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[He looks over at Kazuya - it's clearly him, though something is different. Maybe in dreams he allows more of his demonic nature to shine? He's not sure.]
I suppose. It's a relatively awful memory, even compared to the rest of mine. I had no idea what was coming...
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[But he'll reach up, looping an arm around Naoya's shoulders in a friendly manner, even if it's awkward to do so. He makes no secret of the fact that he's absorbing the energy from the emotions present.
And also maybe a bit of the emotion itself, but that's more of the ambient emotion of terror and fear naturally present in the dream than anything Naoya himself is actually doing.]
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[He can sense the other absorbing the energy, but... he's already too tired to care. He leans into Kazuya and sighs, closing his eyes.]
It's terrifying and smothering and confusing. It's one of my least favorite ways to go.
[He'd rather not talk about it, but... it's here. He cracks one eye open to stare at his terrified past self, crying and choking, desperately trying to claw his way out. It won't work. It didn't, and it never does in his dreams either.]
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It's only after a minute or so does he pull away, wandering over to the other dream-memory Naoya, who he crouches in front of. He could change the dream, move the rubble and save him, at least in this version of it, but he doesn't. Instead he watches Naoya- Cain struggle and splutter and choke on his own blood.
It might only be a nightmare, but it's a pretty delicious one all the same.
Kazuya turns his head back to Naoya, seemingly disaffected by the entire scene before him, and tilts his head just slightly.]
How long did it take before you died? You seem to be suffering pretty bad.
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[And of course, there was never any mercy for him. Why would there be? Not in that life, nor in any other.]
... I would have thought you'd be a bit more upset, seeing this.
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He can work with that, even going as far as to stand and knock a piece of rubble away. Just enough to make breathing that much easier, though it's mostly to prolong the suffering and extend the amount of energy he's currently feeding off of.]
Why would I be? Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. You watched me die, and now I get to watch you die. Did I die slow, Naoya? Did I also choke on my own blood?
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No, you didn't. You died quickly from shock. I was glad that it wasn't prolonged like I'd seen some of your sheep suffer in the earlier days.
[He tucks his hands in his pockets and leans forward.]
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He shoves his hands into his pockets and grins, wicked and sharp. Naoya's trying to get him back, but quite frankly, he doesn't even care about that. About the suffering that the sheep may have gone through in his inexperience in slaughtering them.]
Too bad. Maybe you would have enjoyed it. I'm enjoying it.
[He nods back to Cain, still gasping and alive.]
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Are you?
[He rears back and aims a punch towards the other's jaw, aware somewhere in his brain that it's unlikely to connect.]
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He can't hurt Naoya, not physically thanks to their contract, but there's still a certain amount of leeway both in it, and in this dream space.]
I am. Not sure why you're so upset by it though. Don't you deserve this? For me to enjoy watching you suffer? You did kill me, after all. It's the least of what I'm owed from you.
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[He reaches out to flick Kazuya in the forehead.]
Cut it out.
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No? Maybe I'm just finally becoming the monster you so desperately wanted me to be for your revenge.
[ His voice is mocking, and he only pauses for a beat. ]
We'll, you and my Naoya. But you didn't get what you wanted from me now did you?
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[He leans in close, eyes narrowing.]
I'll admit it - I know you'll have to be ruthless as King of Demons. But as I've said before - you're still Kazuya. If I only wanted a demonic ally there are other demons I could have championed. Why do you think I picked you, then?
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[ He's still grinning. ]
I was your perfect pawn.
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[... This is a nightmare. Maybe Kazuya isn't really here.]
... What do you want from me?
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[ He releases his hold on Naoya's wrist, cupping his own chin in mock consideration. He's already getting what he wants. The delicious thrum of negative emotions that he readily absorbs from the nightmare.
He really doesn't need to make it any worse. He's already getting everything he wants.
He'll still play it out a little longer. ]
I wonder. What do you think I'm here for, big brother?
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[He just sounds bored. He's heard all of these arguments before from the Kazuyas in his dreams. It still riles him up but that's a private matter, not a Kazuya matter.]
If you are actually here - which I'm not sure you are - then I guess you got dragged in to see how miserable of a person I once was.
[And still am. He can't move on in any sense of the phrase.]
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[ He has a tone of feigned hurt, eyes widening as his expression falls to match. ]
I told you I'd find a way to deal with your nightmares, didn't I?
[ His expression changes again, whipping into a smile, quick and easy and he leans forward, readily invading Naoya's personal space.]
They're pretty tasty, you know. Miserable person you are and all.
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I'm sure they are. I'm sure there's plenty of misery for you to feed off of. Though you should go out and find other emotions as well. Eating one thing all the time isn't good for you.
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[Here and there, little tastes that are more akin to eating a single chip than an actual satisfying meal. A tease, more than anything.
Kazuya lurches forward, slinging an arm around Naoya's shoulders in a manner that's far too friendly for the situation between them.]
But now I've finally got something of substance here, thanks to you.
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Yes, yes. Just do try to not drain me dry? II need some energy for myself, you know.
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[And he wouldn't. Not when Naoya is apparently a great source of fear and anger, two things that he's quickly learned taste absolutely incredible. The nightmare itself also doesn't taste too bad, from the bits he's absorbed so far.
But it's time to really dig his teeth into it, isn't it? He pulls on Naoya with his arm, using his strength to pull him down to a more appropriate height that's likely incredibly uncomfortable for Naoya himself.]
I'll take care of this nightmare for you for real this time. As a gift to my beloved big brother.
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[... Something is seriously wrong here.]
And how are you going to do that?
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The saving grace is that this is a dream, and he's not actually about to tear his throat out with his teeth, though the dream around them gets fuzzier and fuzzier as Kazuya consumes it.
And whatever passes for dream-blood.]
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[Naoya's breathing is shallow, but thankfully it's just a dream. It's interesting that he's still pretty light even by non-demonic strength standards. Here, without the COMP... he's just a very skinny human. He's been eating more with Kazuya around, but he's still a stick.]
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Told you I'd take care of it for you.
[And... He feels so energetic now. Refreshed. Revitalized. Naoya is absolutely nothing in his hold.]
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The thing is, it's never just the Waxworks as he remembers it, is it? There's always more to it. Some complication or elaboration that his subconscious tacks on in order to make the experience a fresh new hell each time over.
This time, it's a veritable labyrinth. All he wants is to leave, but each turn he takes reveals a new hall with new displays of terror pulled from his worst memories and the darkest reaches of his mind. Nothing moves, nothing seems to come after him, but he can't find his way out, and he can't stop feeling like he's being watched...]
no subject
The feeling of being watched will intensify more and more, and eventually, a thick smoke will start cloaking the area. And he might hear the rattle of something slithering through the many wax dolls. He might even catch a glimpse of it, even.]
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He yelps and sends a jolt of it towards the rattling something without a second thought, blowing up a few wax dolls in the process.]
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The lightning strikes true, and Python... Doesn't seem all that effected. More agitated now, than anything, as it rears up to half it's height to look at the offending attacker, and hiss in a breathy, airy way that shouldn't be possible for a creature that clearly doesn't have lungs.
And launch a fireball at the area surrounding Ryu. It can't fully retaliate so long as Kazuya is holding its reigns, and Kazuya doesn't want injury. Just a healthy amount of terror.]