songerein | [open] 🔶 more nightmares? that's just life

Entry tags:

[open] 🔶 more nightmares? that's just life

Who: Ferran, his dreamscape & you!
Which: interactive dream
What: Ferran dreams of his last moments before arriving in Reverein.
Warnings: blood, unhealthy relationships?? (I'll match format!)

A penthouse balcony looks over a lit city late at night, the roar of the freezing wind almost drowning out the distant sound of traffic. But any observers would only have a brief moment to appreciate it before the sudden appearance of two figures in a flash of glittering light: a dark man in a cape, and a teenager in a torn costume with apparent shackles, bleeding heavily from injuries to his shoulder and side. The former, already holding the latter in a tight grip, places a clawed gauntlet over one of the wounds where a faint light begins to glow.

After a few moments, the young man's expression seems to relax from his grimacing, orange eyes staring dully at the night sky as the bleeding slows and eventually stops.

"Why," the man hisses at his ward, his expression tight and brow furrowed deeply behind his eye mask as he continues his healing. Ferran lets out a weak chuckle, apparently unmoved by the sharp tone and look.

"It's funny," he responds with hardly more than a whisper. "I should hate you. I even fantasized about... taking you with me, once."

There's a faint smile on his face, despite the lingering pain and the gravity of his words. The dark markings on his jaw spread further out onto his face, as if to mirror some underlying fracture as he speaks.

"I can't anymore. The thought of you being hurt... I can't stand it..."

He turns his gaze to Onyx, whose expression has changed in an almost unreadible way—but behind the intensity of the clear displeasure, there's shock in the slight widening of his golden eyes.

"I guess you're upset, though. Sorr—"

With a loud crack, Ferran suddenly slumps in his guardian's arms with his eyes open, and his fantastical costume disappears, returning him to his normal appearance in a pair of bloodstained pajamas anyone who met him when he first came to Reverein might recognize.

Still carrying the young man, Onyx gets to his feet, apparently unbothered by any dreamwalkers who may have appeared nearby. When his glowing gaze turns to them, it's barely an acknowledgement.

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[The first thing Sora notices is the sting of wind hitting his cheeks. The bright lights of some foreign place reflecting in the cement and brief flicker of traffic. For a moment Sora almost thinks he's dreaming his own dream- one of high towers and bright city lights and his own reflection mirroring back at him through rain puddles. But the voices he hears jars him sharply out of those thoughts. He sees a man and ...]

Ferran?!

[He snaps to attention, letting the haze of the dream finally sink in. He looks to the pair and reaches out. Almost ready to call a weapon or some flash of magic in urgency.]

Stop! Where do you think you're going?!

[If the man were the sort inclined to rolling his eyes, he'd undoubtedly be doing so now—but he merely stares at the strange young man, unimpressed with the outcry.]

Inside our home.

[As if to prove the ineffectiveness of Sora's order, he turns to do so, pushing open the glass door that leads into the large apartment. He pays no attention to the bloodstains left on the balcony's tiles, nor the few his armored boots leave behind.]

Wait!

[Sora is quick on his feet to follow.]

What happened to him?! Who are you!

[There's blood spatter and noise. Sora feels a spark of dread in his stomach. Realizing he doesn't know enough about Ferran to know what is happen here in this dream at all. But he feels the urge to find out or at least find out if Ferran is really okay. Who is this man and is he helping Ferran?]

[Rather than answer with a name, Onyx simply replies with the information Sora is likely to find relevant. There's little reason for pointless chatter now.]

My ward found himself under the foolish impression that I needed protection. You can see the result.

[The apartment is certainly warmer, at least—if not for the blood, it might even seem like the setting for a more pleasant dream. It's clearly lived in, even if the decor leans towards a clean modern look. The man seems to be heading towards one of the dark couches in the spacious living area. There's really not much to do except clean up, at this point...]

Edited 2022-01-04 22:49 (UTC)

Your ward? So you do know him!

[What does having a ward mean again? That he is Ferran's bodyguard or babysitter right...? Either way, Sora is following with that same look of concern in his eyes. Taking a moment to really take in the dream. This place is so modern looking it reminds him of that dreamy city in his own memories again.]

If he was trying to protect you that must mean you mean a lot to him. What made him jump the gun?

[And is he going to be okay?]

[~~Enjoy the modern conveniences like central heating while you can, Sora.~~

Onyx's expression sours at the idea that he must "mean a lot" to Ferran; for whatever reason, it's apparently not what the man wants. He sets the young man down, where he stares blankly upwards at nothing.]

... I don't know, [he admits in a low voice, kneeling next to his ward.] I didn't expect this out of him. Even going out of his way to take the gems from the others without my orders wasn't this.

[Not only putting himself between them, but simply using his body as a shield rather than trying to actively deflect the attack. Ridiculous. Surely he could have summoned a sword in time... Onyx shakes his head slightly, in a way that's easy to miss if Sora isn't looking.]

I'd assume he'd prefer to see the shot hit its mark.

Edited (i forgot i was doing a thing!!) 2022-01-09 01:49 (UTC)

[Sora blinks with a little confusion because he's not too sure what the man is talking about. It reminds him very clearly that Ferran has always been a little guarded about his past or what's happened to him. And Sora hasn't had the chance to get nosy about it. Not enough, yet, anyway-]

It sounds like he can be just as reckless as people say I am!

[And Sora's always harped on for that...]

Something must have made him do it, right?

[Onyx scoffs at Sora's remark, lifting Ferran's omnipresent necklace past his head in order to peer at the fractured red stone in the middle.]

He's thrown himself headfirst into danger nearly nonstop since the death of his family. Perhaps it's merely in his nature now. I suppose he's had a death wish for some time.

[If anything made Ferran move to defend his guardian, Onyx would have no such knowledge. But then, in reality, nothing motivated the young man in that moment but his own feelings.]

Oh...

[Sora looks down at that little spark of information.]

Maybe he just doesn't want to lose anyone else.

[Doing everything faster and without thinking about the danger is how Sora does it sometimes. Not wanting to lose family or friends? It can be a pretty harrowing feeling to have deep in a heart. And it's made Sora reckless more often than not. So he can kind of relate as he gives Ferran a glance. To lose his family like that...]

Loss is inevitable.

[Though it's a truth that anyone could admit to, the way Onyx says it speaks to a particularly grim and harsh sort of mindset. He doesn't seem to have any sympathy for Sora's suggestion.]

If he has any thoughts like that regarding me, then he's even more pitiful than I imagined...

[With that said, though—the man is careful to close Ferran's eyes without scratching him or touching the spread of cracks on his face.]

Hey-! That doesn't make someone pitiful! Caring about who he has is a strength!

[And Sora's opinion is going to be boyish and firm. Holding on to something like that is important.

He looks at Ferran and watches the exchange with a small soft frown.]

You know, I don't really know a whole lot about Ferran. But ... I know he's a good person. However he got hurt I know it's because he wanted to do something good.

[The man's yellow gaze goes to Sora as if in astonishment, but that expression only lasts a second before begins to laugh. It's a deep sound not unlike the omen of a natural disaster, and equally unkind; he covers his face with the hand that isn't stained with Ferran's blood as it fills the silence of the apartment.

Eventually, though, he gets to his feet and regains his voice:]

You really do know nothing, Sora.

[The name is more of a sound meant to cut rather than any kind of respectful address—and it would be no better even if the young man had introduced himself to Onyx.]

To defend his parents' murderer from the very friends I turned him against? Ha! You can be assured that whatever his motives, they certainly weren't about "doing something good."

How did you-

[The tone of the man's voice cuts through the air like a knife and with it weaves this heavy tension that makes Sora's shoulders tight. His hands flex and he almost wishes he could conjure a keyblade right now just for the comfort of having a weapon in his hand. His eyes narrow and he throws up his guard while trying to swallow the taste of bitter confusion from the back of this throat.

He has no idea what is going on. If he should attack this man and swoop in and get Ferran out of this section of this heavy dream or... keep listening. Is he saying that this man is the one that hurt Ferran's family in the first place? And now Ferran had protected him? There must have been a reason for it.]

Just who are you!?

If you prefer a name, you may call me Onyx.

[The nuances of who the man standing in front of Sora is are a little more complicated than just that, however. He allows his hand to return to his side, an unpleasant smirk still on his face.]

But if you're wondering how I know of you—this is just a reflection of his memories, after all. Why wouldn't I know, after I spent so long learning about him and all of his friends in our own world? It's only natural, isn't it.

Geeze, you're some kinda weirdo.

[Sora's gaze doesn't leave the man. Still looking at him warily and like he still might just throw a weapon at his head in a second or two.]

Why are you so interested in Ferran, then?! Huh?

[What's going on here!?]

[Onyx holds up the necklace he'd taken off of Ferran, letting the silver and garnet pendant dangle on its thin chain.]

He had the misfortune of receiving a gift that grants a power otherwise impossible in this world. He, and his friends... though luckily for me, I already had connections to his family when I discovered this one.

[He tucks the gem away now, its purpose apparently fulfilled.]

Those connections made him particularly useful in acquiring what I needed for the others, and it would have been a waste not to take advantage of the opportunity. He's already succeeded twice, so I would say it was worth the effort.

[Sora still can't say he understands all of this. Ferran's motivations in wanting to save or help this guy... Maybe he needs to find a way to ask Ferran instead. But all that sounds ominous.]

So you were trying to use him?

[His brows furrow. He steps forward like he is about to throw hands or at least get this guy to leave Ferran alone.]

Why don't I ask him a few questions about all this, huh? Leave him alone!

Oh, I hardly have to try anymore.

[With another laugh, the man gestures towards the unconscious Ferran, pale and still, covered in his own blood and black marks jagged across his face.]

Does he look capable of speaking to you? [He lets the statement sink in for a moment.] Even if I wanted to wake him, I'm afraid it's impossible at the moment. Any answers you get here will be from me, boy. You'll have to be content with that for now.

[Geeze- this jerk is smug.

He knows this is a dream and he can't control the flow of it. The memories belong to Ferran and not him. But he can't help shouting out,]

For all I know it's all your fault why he's like that in the first place! You've got a lot of secrets and stories! And not a lot of answers!

[And smug he will remain. Very little has seemed to perturb the man, in Ferran's experience.]

Don't mistake me. I don't deny I'm responsible for corrupting his magic and reducing him to barely more than a weapon.

[And with what little free will he had remaining, Ferran has apparently made some terrible decisions.]

Lying, however, isn't a part of my approach. It's hardly my fault if those around me fail to ask the right questions. So, tell me—what do you really want to know?

[Sora's eyebrows furrow. Ferran...]

Will you ever let him go?

[His question is simple but he hopes... There has to be some sort of hope to the end of this history.]

[Ah, such an innocent question. The answer is just as simple, and delivered with no hesitation:]

He shall be free of me once he's dead.

[Allowing Ferran to escape his control would be a mistake for the man's plans. It's an easy conclusion to come to, and one the young man has virtually accepted at this point.]

I knew it! I knew you were bad news!

[There seem to be sparks of dream-like magic that appear at Sora's fingertips. A flourish of sparking firework crackles.]

I don't understand what's going on with the two of you but I know no one should hold onto someone's life like that!

[Does Ferran still deal with this man's memory of him...?]

[Onyx nearly snorts his laugh at the absurd claim.]

Was the admission of murder and manipulation not enough for you?

[The man doesn't seem at all intimidated by Sora's anger, nor those indications of magic. He tilts his head at a slight angle as he observes the intruder to the dream.]

Well, you've gotten your answer. What will you do with it, I wonder.

Tch! Serves me right for giving you the benefit of the doubt, huh?!

[Sora can't hold himself back as he suddenly leaps at the man. Dream-like magic sparks as it explodes and shatters into fire and ice. In his attempt to get the man away from his friend.

He might not understand all of this or even where Ferran sits with it all but he has to do something! He has to talk to Ferran and get this figment away from him! But this is all a dream...]

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noblegarnet - 2022-02-26 20:24 (UTC) - Expand

wrapping! 🎀

oathkeeper - 2022-03-04 01:55 (UTC) - Expand

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