Open - Sweet dreams are NOT made of this

[abyssbound]

Who: Asura, open
Which: Open interactive dream
What: You know the old trope of 'sole survivor of a bandit raid'? This is kind of like that.
Warnings: Canon-typical violence


[The scene opens upon a poor provincial village under attack. Houses engulfed in flames as large, horned humanoids sweep through the town, killing nearly everyone they find. Those who aren't killed immediately are dragged from their homes with their hands and feet bound, destined for a much more harrowing fate than those given quick deaths.

Covered in cuts and searching frantically among the chaos is a young teenage boy, who has somehow managed not to get himself killed yet.]

Mother! Mother, where are you?!

Comments

[indolentaxe]

[The request brings Hilda out of herself a bit, and she looks up at him from where she's still sitting on the ground with a teary sniffle.]

My home?

[She sniffles again and wipes her face despite the fact that she's still crying. ​This is meant to help stabilize her, or if it's not meant to it certainly will work to, and she soldiers through the description.]

Fódlan's a land made up of three countries: the Adrestian Empire, the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, and the Leicester Alliance. My family's territory is in the Alliance. There's... there's a lot of mountains, so most of the people live in the lowlands of the western part and only go into the mountains for mining.

The lowlands are fairly warm, and it only really snows on the tops of the mountains in the winter. And there are a lot forests. There are forests all over Fódlan.

[abyssbound]

[It's an overly broad description, but he can work with it. The fact that she's actively thinking about it will also help.

The more she describes, the more the surrounding dreamscape will begin to reform--blurry at first, then details will gradually come into focus. The mountains in the distance, peaks peeking over the tops of the trees that now surround them. He's never seen the place in question so the image remains hazy, but Hilda's own cognition will help shape it.]

When someone enters the dream world of another person, the dream can easily become unstable. [He explains.] The visitor will influence the dream whether they intend to or not. Keep describing it with a clear picture in your head.

[indolentaxe]

[Hilda watches with no small amount of wonder as the dream around them begins to change. At first, the image is as vague as her descriptions, but once she recognizes what it's intended to be it starts looking more like the Goneril Territory she grew up in.

Even incomplete like it is, the sight is comforting.]

Um... my family's estate would be right over there. [She points to indicate where she means.] It's this big building of wood and stone, a bit less castle-y than a lot of the major buildings in Fódlan. The grounds surrounding it are always full of flowers--no matter the season, the groundskeepers would find something that would bloom. My father used to tell me growing up that all of them were planted just for me, but now I'm pretty sure it's how the grounds have always been.

[Her voice softens at the memory. As she speaks, her childhood--and current, technically--home fades into view. For her part, Hilda's getting so caught up in her own talking that she entirely misses it.]

I'm the only girl in the household, though, so it was always loud with the sounds of boys running around and training. Especially when we were all kids. Holst and Balthus chased each other and fought all the time, trying to outdo each other.

[The sound of playfighting can clearly be heard in the distance, a pink-haired boy just shy of adolescence and another darker-haired one crossing wooden swords. A younger Hilda looks on, doll in arm, obviously bored with the display.]

[abyssbound]

[Asura watches the scene form around them in silence, his expression remaining placid and unreadable. Usually, distortions in the dream world are best avoided, but in this case he feels it necessary. Hilda did not need to witness what she had--his past no longer haunts him and so one else should have to have that horrific scene inflicted upon them either. Changing the scenery to something comforting like this is the least he can do to make it up to her.

The landscape is so different from the Demon Domain. It's bright and green, full of life and happiness. He watches the children playing and his impassive expression gives way to a soft smile. This is how kids should live: innocent and free of the horrors of war.]

It's a good place.

[indolentaxe]

Mm?

[Hilda looks up at him quizzically, then follows the line of his gaze to see the full extent of what's been created. The sight is every bit as comforting as Asura intends, evident in the relaxation of her posture and the softness that slowly overtakes the last of the fear in his expression. The dark-haired boy tackles the pink-haired one to the ground and whoops with the joy of victory, and in response dream-Hilda flops dramatically to the ground and starts complaining that she's bored.

It's not the same as being home, of course. But it's a happy memory.]

Hey, Asura? Thanks for this. And sorry about the nightmare you had.

[abyssbound]

[Asura says nothing at first, merely watching the children play (and the younger Hilda whine), but he does feel some measure of relief that the current Hilda is no longer distressed by what she'd seen. His red eyes fall back to her when she speaks, and his smile fades, but he shakes his head to dismiss it.]

It happened a long time ago--I've long since forgiven myself for it, so I only regret that you had to see it. [And also get stabbed. He does genuinely feel bad about that.]

[indolentaxe]

Yeah, me too.

[Hilda is not the sort to put on a stiff upper lip. What she saw tonight is going to stick with her for awhile, even if the situation ended well, and it would be a lot better if she hadn't been sucked into this nightmare at all.

But she was, and it's neither of their fault. So she'll have to deal somehow.]

I'm glad that you've managed to forgive yourself. It... it wasn't your fault. I'm sorry I couldn't help dream you more.

[abyssbound]

[Asura gives a short, wry chuckle at that and pats the top of her head.]

It took me a long time to accept that, but it's fine now. Sorry you got dragged into it, but don't blame yourself for my bad memories.

[indolentaxe]

It's not like you meant to. But I appreciate it.

[No hard feelings, but also don't be surprised if she keeps a bit of distance for awhile.]

I... think I'd like to wake up now. Can I just do that?

[abyssbound]

[He won't blame her; he's used to that kind of reaction from people anyway.

Fortunately, Hilda's request is a simple enough one to grant, and he nods as he raises a hand. In his palm, the image of a lotus appears, and he holds it out to her.]

Touch it and you'll leave.

[indolentaxe]

[It won't be forever, at least. At the end of the day, Hilda does really like Asura. She just needs time to process all this.

The fact that it's a lotus makes her smile a little. Of course it's a lotus.]

Thanks. I'll see you around, I guess.

[With that, Hilda reaches out for the lotus and soon finds herself sitting up in bed. She's somewhat soothed, but still shaken enough that she doesn't want to go back to sleep... ever.

So she gathers herself and heads over to visit the man who was once the dark-haired boy she dreamt of.]