songerein | [OPEN] Another Day, Another Week, Another Month, Another Year...

Who: Alastor and you
Which: Interactive Dream, OPEN
Where: A warped version of Reverein that looks like Hell and Reverein have merged together.
What: Alastor has a legitimate nightmare for the first time since arriving, and it’s of a version of Reverein where him going noctaere led to him becoming as much of a social pariah as he is in Hell.
Warnings: It’s Alastor, and he’s not having a very good night’s sleep.

Reverein sat quietly beneath the glowing red pentagram that turned the sky purple. Demons, fairies, and others went about their business, going in and out of shops, sometimes pausing to chat on the streets. However, there was a nervous tension that buzzed in the air whenever the breeze caught the edge of one of many posters put up around town, prompting some people to glance at the sketch of a terrifying demon with wicked antlers, terrible claws, and a horrifying fanged smile.

BEWARE!!!!!! HIM!! THE RADIO DEMON!!

Wandering into the Residential District, there eventually came a sudden abandoned gap of treehouses and apartment buildings. Things had become overgrown, all of it leading up to a blackened tree that seemed to be slowly scaling a radio tower.

Anyone who attempted the front door would find it unlocked. Not at all surprising given nobody wanted to come anywhere near the occupant or anywhere he might haunt. The door opened to a black void so cold that it froze the very soul, the emptiness stretching into eternity.

And somewhere inside was Alastor.

But Things lurked in the endless dark, patches of blackness darker than the rest of the darkness that moved out of the corner of one’s eye and watched with unseen, unblinking gazes.

Dare you risk it and rouse the tormented dreamer? Or will you move on to the next person’s dream and leave the demon to his demons?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

THERE he was. But... what's with the frost? But it was the resolution to show them out that had her fold her hands and stand stark straight.

"I did say I was a terrible guest, darling."

She innocently canted her head.

"Collars are particularly attractive, but I don't think that's your style. May I ask where you got them? I've got a few complaints for your blacksmith."

Octavia would've remarked about the frost were it not for the constant reminders of the cold. Frosted tips...might look pretty alright on him, even if Alastor would never agree to it normally. A little something to help balance all the red. Instead, it tells her he's been sitting in here long enough to partially freeze.

"You didn't give us much choice." The owl notes with a playful smirk. "I would've gone through an entire playlist or two. You'd probably hate most of it."

She shrugs. "Maybe we should get you a hot chocolate or something. Something to warm you up and stuff."

Akechi crossed his arms. "I'm afraid I'm not as familiar with you as the others, but from what I hear you quite enjoy a little song and dance." Not that he was good at either.

He inhaled, and took a shot in the dark. "I can guess, at what you're feeling, however. Wallowing in your own self-loathing isn't helping you, and it certainly isn't helping anyone else, particularly the people who cared enough to make an appearance. I'd really rather not fight, especially since you seem so agreeable at the moment, but I know from experience that people rarely change from positions they've wedged themselves into without getting their asses kicked beforehand." And, after a moment's reflection, he added, "myself included, unfortunately."

"My own self-loathing isn't the issue."

He didn't elaborate, continuing to walk towards some unseen destination. His steps weren't as smooth or bouncy as normal. It was partially due to being so long in the freezing cold: his joints had frozen up. However, it was like the gait of tired resignation, like a doomed man walking to the gallows.

"And I appreciate the offer, dear, but honestly I'd prefer the chill."

Edited 2022-12-16 20:23 (UTC)

"...So what would something warm mean to you, in these circumstances? You can't hole yourself up in here forever, you know. Perhaps Hell is a place of judgment, but your actions thus far in Reverein have done much to prevent this... scenario you've created for yourself here."

A beat as she tapped a horn.

"Nobody's perfect in the slightest. Yet you still are cared for here. You can push and nudge folks like myself away, but you know I still consider you my friend, yes? Whether or not you feel the same."

"Madhuri's right. You're a friend to us. And probably to others, too. Those who knew about you back in Hell, those who didn't, those who know now...you're pretty well liked. You're too sociable to not be."

It also helps that most people in Reverein aren't really shaken up by being around demons.

"Even if some change their minds - I won't pretend it can't happen - you'll still have people who want you to be okay."

Akechi inhaled... and acquiesced. Dismissed his Persona. "Look. Alastor. I won't pretend that I know you well enough to care, but other people plainly do. Angel Dust for one. Everyone else here, for another. But someone told me recently..."

He felt, in the back of his mind, a familiar stirring. A sense, if only faintly, of Justice. "It's never too late to start over. So you're in Hell. So what. Who you are doesn't have to be chained down by who you were. That's not some trite bullshit I found on the back of a cereal box, or heard from some priest with too much time on his hands- that's straight from the mouth of one of my victims. Okay? So you can quit martyring yourself or whatever the hell else this is. The only one stopping you is you."

Alastor came to a sudden stop, frozen completely in place like the deer whose traits he shared.

"You think you have everything all figured out, don't you? That things are just that neat and tidy."

Magic melted the frost, evaporating the water to the point it might as well have never been there. His spine straightened that much more as his ears perked up.

He cast a wide grin over his shoulder at the group, fangs glowing yellow in the darkness as his eyes glowed red.

"You remind me of Charlie."

He summoned his microphone cane, twirling it between his fingers as he laughed, the sound initially hollow before it seemed to tune itself into a properly gay and carefree laugh.

Like a performer warming up before going onstage.

"You do have a point though: The show must go on, and this one goes on into eternity! I hope you enjoy the view from the front row!"

An unseen door opened, flooding the immediate area with light as Alastor stepped out into the world that was both Reverein and Hell. A group of five children (two imps, a hellhound, and a pair of fairies) and two adults (a hellhound and a fairy) had gathered in front of the treehouse, each nervously watching the place.

Alastor's smile shifted to one less threatening and more welcoming. "Hel-!"

All four of the Hellborn outright bolted. The two fairy children hid behind the adult fairy, the man looking rather weak-kneed.

"-lo," Alastor finished wryly. He stepped to one side and gave a sweeping bow, revealing the trio behind him. "I assume you were waiting for my guests! My apologies for forcing you to wait so long! As you can see, they're none the worse for wear for their visit!"

The man swallowed, eyes darting continually back and forth between the trio and the Radio Demon, not wanting to let the latter out of his sight. "Are...are you all right?"

It was true that he had a reputation to combat that he himself had earned, but that didn't mean he needed to have that here as well. To hear the details from Blitz and the others painted a clearer picture, and even hearing that sharpness, that fear tinged beneath the information... he'd shaken Hell to the core.

But they were asked if they were all right.

"Just fine. Don't mind him, he's a knucklehead but he's a gas! Try his jambalaya. I practically crave it weekly."

She turned and wound her arms around the demon's middle.

"Which reminds me. Same time next week? You know I'm available to listen."

Oh great. Dream people semi-validating Alastor's fears. At the very least, being dream people didn't exactly do that; the real people were the ones standing beside him. Even so, it wouldn't hurt to answer the man's question and try to lighten the mood a little.

"All good here. We just finished a few vocal warm-ups. He and I enjoy singing together and we were trying to figure out which songs the three of us could tackle."

Octavia stands to the other side of Alastor to offer a mirroring hug.

"He's helped me be more confident in my singing."

Alastor stiffened at the hugs. He wasn't a fan of people touching him without initiating it first. Seizing up was the best way to keep from hurling the two ladies off of him.

He looked back and forth between them, projecting the sound of a radio wildly swinging between stations in confusion.

Periodically out of the corner of their eyes, they would see the chains were still there. Mostly hidden, yes, but not gone.

The fairy man looked between them in confusion. "Are you sure?"

"Oh, yes! He's introduced me to so much wonderful music. And food, too! Why, you should try his jambalaya. It'll make your socks pop off."

She slowly wound her tail around the chain at the side she was holding.

[OPEN] Another Day, Another Week, Another Month, Another Year...

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Sorry for the delay. :) Wanted to give Akechi a chance since I know people were busy for the holiday

No worries!