songerein | open 🌠 you see the shadows

Entry tags:

open 🌠 you see the shadows

Who: Tifa Lockhart & you!
Which: Open log + interactive dream
Where: Around Reverein, Mount Nibel
What: Mount Nibel Incident dream, and a couple of dream board postings.
Warnings: N/A for now

✨ i. "the day mom died..." — interactive dream

[There's a winding, rocky path overlooking the town of Nibelheim below, but where it should be clear, the mountain the path leads up is shrouded in a fog that only grows thicker with each passing moment, with what the eyes can see morphing and twisting in and out of view, almost as if the entire landscape isn't sure what it should be. There's an unshakable sound of static in the air, and a rumbling underfoot that isn't too threatening, but it's noticeable enough that it makes itself known.

On one ledge of the path up the mountain are four children. Three boys, whose faces fade in and out of clarity, and a girl with long, dark-brown hair, all looking up at the mountain as they talk, but their words are cut out by the static.]

"Mt. Nibel is scary. Many people have—there."

"—one crosses that—alive."

[The girl turns to face them all, revealing a much younger Tifa, not a day older than nine-years.]

"How about—died? Did—pass through—?" [Tifa wanders past the boys watching her, up the path.] "I'm—"

[Two boys follow while one runs the other way, threatening to bump into any dreamwalkers as he rushes back in the direction of the town. If Tifa is followed, they'll reach a bridge that she crosses fearlessly and without a word, but like the rest of the mountain, it fades in and out of view as well. There, the two boys who remain rush off, leaving Tifa to venture up the rest of the mountain alone.

...

But they stop upon seeing someone new. Someone who might be able to help?]

"Please, you have to stop her! It's dangerous up there! We're going to go back down and get Mister Lockhart."

[And off they go together without another word.]

** ( ooc: Because Tifa doesn't remember this event in full, I fully encourage anyone to have your character influence the setting as much or as little as you'd like! )

✨ ii. freeloading reindeer

[Having done some work on the communal gardens already, Tifa's grown handy with a hammer and nails. Not that she wasn't already proficient enough, but there's a difference between fixer-uppers around a bar that she knew like the back of her hand and building wooden flowerbeds and fences, and the latter has allowed her to at least learn some proper techniques in woodworking. Hell, she's even started learning how to sand and polish, so something like this should be a piece of cake.]

There. I think that's the last of it.

[She'd been hauling wood around all morning, the large planks thrown over her shoulder before she sets them down out in the middle of the farm where there's plenty of room to build out. It's nothing but a pile of wood and a bag of tools, and whoever else has come all the way out here with her, and around them, the reindeer will be grazing and curiously watching from afar, still not sure if it's safe to approach.]

So, it was a new stable for them and a fence, right? Gotta say, biggest thing I've ever built was a flowerbed so this'll be new to me.

✨ iii. new year's noctaere

[It is a little terrifying going up against the Noctaere, especially when she knows little of what to expect upon entering the dreamscape, but Tifa was never one to sit back or sit still for very long. Not when there were threats that needed to be taken care of. She might not be the most experienced partner in the dreamscapes, with her skills in dreamotion magic leaving plenty to be desired, but she can pack a punch when needed, and it has come in helpful in a lot of cases.

That isn't to say she's completely useless at magic, but she'd prefer to let her fists and feet do the talking if it came down to it. Which it will.

And just before stumbling into the dreamscape, she looks over to whoever has volunteered for the job with her, and gives a firm nod.]

You ready?

** ( ooc: if you have a preference for the dreamscape, then please let me know in the subject line! Otherwise, I'll randomize which one we end up getting! )

✨ iv. wildcard

[None of these prompts work? You know the wildcard drill! Feel free to leave something else below, or contact me via PM or @ crystariums if you'd like to plot out something! Tifa can be frequently found at the communal gardens, at the edges of the forest training, and just in general wandering around Reverein, so she's easy to bump into. Also okay with any of the dream board postings!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Hehe, I'm sure we can.

[It's a funny joke since they can. Kneeling down to gather up the moss, what Tifa's doing is a pretty good idea. If only they could be in a forest and make a proper torch, but no, that would have to do for now. Or... hm...]

[Caves did have those spike protrusions; yeah, that outta do for now. When they came across a good one, he's use it. For now, the leftover moss would be tucked away and kept dry. And with that done, he accepts Tifa's... rock light? What to call it? Eh, put a pin in it.]

Hm, I wonder if that difference will be more on. Blending into the dark, or being small enough to be a pain here.

[He's leaning the latter since nothing else seems to be present with them currently.]

Or both...

[The way her voice echoes through the cave makes her uneasy. Perhaps that's the whole purpose of this noctaere's hideout—to make them feel anxious and then feed upon those emotions to strengthen itself? She tries not to let it get to her, but the constant dripping noise coming from further in the cave isn't doing anything to help with that.

Even with the light, Tifa is uncomfortable.

She tries to focus on Zidane's face, and the sound of his voice instead, and it seems to help, even just a little bit.]

Now that we've got some light, let's keep looking. It can't be very far... And we shouldn't stay in one place too long.

Ah yes... both. Always the worst possibility of them all...

[Though, the way Zidane says it, it's almost with amusement. Honestly, this looked bad, but they could stay in higher spirits. He also just feels at home going on an adventure through a dripping cave, on the hunt for a noctaere instead of treasure at the end.]

[Looking back over at Tifa, he's smiling.]

Right. Don't worry, we'll be out of here in no time.

[Well, at least with Zidane's optimism, if their fire goes out, at least they'd have some light. If he smiled any wider, she's sure he might just light the way himself, and it does wonders in easing some of Tifa's nerves that she smiles back.]

I know. We always get out of these things in one piece.

[Even back in Camelot, they were always resourceful when it came to sticky situations that she has every confidence that they'll get this noctaere. Now, it was just a matter of finding it or drawing it out.]

So, this noctaere... [she starts as they walk, and up ahead is a smaller offshoot of a path—one of many.] I'm starting to think this one might not be so easy to find. We might need to find a way to lure this one out...

[... Don't give him weird ideas.]

Of course we do.

[No matter what has to be done, he's confident about getting out. Though, he wonders what Tifa and the other version of him she met had done together before. He doesn't like thinking about another him, but at least it sounds like they got out of jams.]

[Walking along, he thinks.]

... Well, they like negative emotions, right? We could use that.

Here I was hoping we could avoid that...

[Her response comes swiftly, and she drops her gaze to the ground. Negative emotions here have a way of turning bad situations into worse ones... at least in her experience, they have. But maybe with Zidane here instead of a certain someone who, by the universe's will and not by his own fault, always makes things worse, they might actually stand a chance.

Still, Tifa doesn't trust herself entirely enough for it to go without a hitch, so...]

If we do that, I'll need your help...

We can try thinking of other options...

[But really, negative emotions might be the fastest way for them to draw it out. The other option would be going further in and probably putting themselves into a terrible situation fast considering their location and letting loose negative emotions anyway. Or maybe turning the light out, but again, not ideal if it might retreat if they couldn't fight in pitch black.]

[At her response, he nods.]

Sure. What's the plan?

[Tifa grabs hold of his free arm, her own linking around his tight.]

Just... make sure things don't get so bad we won't be able to get out of here, okay?

[It would be easier for him to help counterbalance the negativity should it become too much—her own always get the best of her, and even if she were to try and do it, she fears it might not even work. So, this is the best way she can think to get it done.]

Let's move a little further, to the end of this tunnel and do it there.

[Except she won't let go.]

[He blinks and looks at her in surprise. Uh, is everything okay? Or maybe she's scared of the dark; or whatever unseen danger is there.]

Hey, you know I will. Trust me.

[She trusts him, right? Besides, if there was a way to get his friends out safely, he'd find it. Didn't matter if he might get a little hurt in the process. He nods at the plan, looking ahead and raising the light.]

Ready to move when you are.

[Since they both kinda have to walk...]

[Whatever it is she's afraid of—which is her own emotions—then of all the places to fear them, this would be the best place to, right? That's what she's going to tell herself anyway.

Tifa does remove herself from Zidane's arm eventually, slowly, but she does keep close to him as they make their way through the small, narrow tunnel and into a smaller opening in the caves. It's so dark that even the fire can barely reach every wall, and there's that dripping sound again that sets off more unease in her. Right, right... just embrace those feelings and let them take over so that—

There's a whooshing noise from nearby, and Tifa is immediately on her guard, stepping around so that she's in front of Zidane.]

What was that?

[Well, it's not as if she needed to do much thinking, because already, there are small embers coming up from her skin and floating into the air, as if she were the torch, so hopefully Zidane will be able to counter that before it gets worse!?]

[Boo... the cave is kind of cold so having her against his arm was nice in the moment. Oh well, onward and... downward? Upward? Whichever direction this cavern wanted to go, they'll go! And somehow, it was getting darker, but he supposed that made sense. They were leaving behind what little light they had from where they came 'in'. They'd need another or stronger torch than this one.]

[At the whooshing noise nearby, Zidane blinks and turns his head a bit, looking back when Tifa moves in front of him.]

No idea, but it could be our target... or the wind. Maybe an animal.

[They have options, but he jumps at Tifa's change.]

Woah, woah, don't become a human torch!

[He'll work on putting some of those flames out with his glove.]

Huh?

[Thankfully, the embers don't burn either of them, but they will very likely turn to fire should they catch on anything flammable. But he does manage to put some of it out before they hear a skittering sound above them, coming from the ceiling of the cave. The ceiling that they still can't see...

And that's when their torch goes out, and it shrouds them in complete darkness...]

... Whoops. Didn't mean for that to happen.

[And right when he thought he heard something. Oh well, raising his hand, he'll conjure another small fireball in a moment. Vaguely, he thinks about a certain little Black Mage and remembers how he always seemed to call upon fire so easily. Maybe that was the first spell he ever learned.]

How's the torch look?

Looks good—

[And out it goes again, and this time, there's a low hissing noise, followed by more, louder, lower skittering, as if whatever is causing it is getting closer, and bigger...

That's when it happens—before she could utter another word, a black web shoots out from the ceiling and lands over them both, capturing them like a net.]

Woah-!

[The light in his hand goes out and he blinks in the darkness, thinking about the sounds they just heard.]

... Oooh, it's a spider. That makes sense - this makes a lot more sense now.

[Unfortunately, yes. It makes perfect sense.

How is he being so casual about this right now!? While they are stuck in a web! Well, this is Zidane, and if anyone were to be, it would be him, wouldn't it?]

Get down.

[It's all the warning that he'll get before the webbing bursts into flames, the fire darting across the stringy net and burning it all away. It singes her skin, and while it doesn't burn it completely, it does leave behind a sting if he isn't careful.]

[Panicking about it wouldn't really help them. Besides, they fell into this; they'll laugh about it later.]

Get down--!?

[He just barely ducks in time as the web goes up in flames. Even so, he thinks the end of his ponytail was singed slightly.]

[The web vanishes in a puff of smoke, but they won't have much time to check on each other, because the spider attacks again. It has an advantage on them, being much higher and out of their reach, but they'll need to find their bearings and take a second if they want to turn this around in their favour.

With another burst of fire, Tifa reaches for Zidane's wrist and pulls him aside, just as another web is shot at them. It catches onto her foot and she trips—hopefully he'll think a little faster!?]

[Advantage or not, they can turn this around. Spiders only manage to avoid sticking to their web so well, but they do have their work ahead of them either way.]

[Pulled aside, Zidane rebalances himself in a step, and turns, drawing a dagger. He's not entirely sure if it would cut Tifa free, but he can catch her before she goes down the try. And if it does loosen, he's going to immediately spring away to try getting more space.]

[It does, only barely, and she manages to dodge away just in time for it to shoot another. Tifa rushes back towards the entrance of the hallway they'd just come from, and fire erupts from her hands to give them a little bit of light now that they're without it. She can see it above, its pincers clicking and its eight eyes reflecting the fire back at them, but it's stopped moving, as if the light itself is something that it's afraid of.

...?]

We need to get it down somehow. Lure it off the ceiling.

[With a glance behind her, she looks knowingly in Zidane's direction.]

Down this way?

[They might back themselves into a dangerous corner, but it's the only way to get it within reach.]

[He'll have to improvise to made the blades more capable of cutting and not getting stuck. Following after Tifa, there's no leaving exactly - not until they dealt with this. Or at least, he wasn't leaving until the spider was handled. Watching the spider in the fire light, he's ready to try jumping at it, but...]

... Yeah, we need the ceiling to come down.

[Because while he could jump (or be thrown) at it, the distance would give it time to react or move... and also react. Also, it would go back into the dark and then be able to have its advantage easily again.]

[Staying frozen seems to work, as the spider noctaere only watches them from above, remaining as still as they are. So Tifa lowers her voice to just below a whisper that only Zidane should hear her.]

On my go, okay?

[Tifa's eyes focus on the spot where she had seen its eyes glint in the firelight, and takes a deep breath.]

Three, two, one... run!

[And she turns around and leaps back into the tunnel, hoping that Zidane isn't far behind, and she can hear the skittering of the spider's eight legs jolting after them, growing louder as they jump into the tight space. And from here, she can see its massive body coming around off the ceiling and to their level, a black fluid dripping its pincers and where its feet stand, pooling out from underneath it and burning away the rocky floor.

And now they're stuck.]

Don't let it touch you.

[Zidane's ready to run once the countdown begins; the second she says anything, he bolts.]

[It's just like old times, running away from a monster. Except, this time it's a spider and not vines or some horrible machination made to try killing them with death magic bull. Hell, he almost wants to laugh at he ridiculousness of it all, but instead, once they hit a dead end and have to face the monster, he holds his weapons at the ready.]

[Ohh, acid drool... nice.]

Got it! Let's go get it!

[The spider senses their movement before they can even move—spidey senses tingling, perhaps? But there's more webs at her feet as Tifa lunges forward at the spider, fire curling around her fist. But when she hurls it forward, the fire dissipates before it can even touch the creature, as if whatever energy it has looming around it has snuffed out her magic.]

... What?

[It hisses and skitters back, putting some distance between them. But this is could be bad news for them if they're going to need to take it down from a distance.]

Zidane!

[It has some range of its own, attacking with a web shooting at Zidane that will sting and burn whatever it touches.]

[It's fortunate for the two of them that Zidane's not unfamiliar with giant insectoid monsters, least of all, spiders and their nasty webs. However, most use them to slow down their targets instead of attempting to spit something acid-laced, which he avoids... and decides to try hurling another small fireball back as he retreats on dancing feet.]

That the best you got? Yeah, not feeling so confidant now!

[He might actually be intentionally irritating their target at this point. Make it slopping and a little more vulnerable.]

open 🌠 you see the shadows

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