[a heart.]

[antreegonist]

There's a moment of nothing but light and sensation. Someone's looking you over and the scrutiny prickles and burns – it's nearly a physical pain, like fine little hooks digging past your skin, into the very meat of you. I know who you are, it says, and I know what you are, and that you don't have any business here --

“But you do,” says Mithos behind you. He's a tired, steady voice in your ear, a light hand on your shoulder. “I don't know what Dream's thinking, but everyone is welcome here in my heart; just keep in mind it's a real mess right now.”

Your vision clears.

((assume your characters wandered in here through a dream. also join #ihateyouihateyouiwanttocuddle on irc if you can!))

Comments

Re: [future - body]

[squirreledaway]

[then... reaches out to touch the mirror...]

Re: [future - body]

[antreegonist]

A memory -- you're looking at Guy Cecil from an angle that indicates you are Way Too Tall. There's an intense disorientation: your body's all wrong your limbs too long your hair too heavy, you don't know how to move or balance, you're bruised everywhere from falling over and running into things, you don't want this, you just want to be normal. Guy's talking --

". . . I think you'd have a much more gentle face."

Re: [future - body]

[squirreledaway]

[oh no-- closes his eyes. DOES THIS MAKE THE SENSORY FUCKERY GO AWAY?]

Re: [future - body]

[antreegonist]

It fades with the memory, yes.

Re: [future - body]

[squirreledaway]

[relaxes and pulls back, then pulls out the berries... Eats one.]

Re: [future - body]

[antreegonist]

Tastes like bacon.

(The faint memory of butchering a whole hippo back in the forest with Lloyd's help, planning to bring it over to Three's for the teams, laughing -- won't they be surprised --)

Re: [future - body]

[squirreledaway]

[... wait. Glances back at the mirror, and touches it again!!]

Re: [future - body]

[antreegonist]

A memory. Your eyes are a little wet, your heart a little heavy. You're seated on a bed. Lloyd's draped on you, a solid presence at your back, his chin on your shoulder and your heads leaned together.

"Whatcha thinking...?" Lloyd asks.

"Thinking about going back home's always been a little scary, but...I think I'm looking forward to it too."

"It'd be a big problem if you weren't! Home's home."

"Yeah...home's important."

Re: [future - body]

[squirreledaway]

[he pulls back... feelings...

But glances around again]

... This is Aather.

Re: [future - body]

[antreegonist]

Is it?

Re: [future - body]

[squirreledaway]

[feels like it is... but touches the mirror one more time just to make sure...]

Re: [future - body]

[antreegonist]

You're sitting on the beach in Wonderland, watching two tiny wooden boats with inset candles drift out over the water, into the distance. A burden in you lifts a little, settles, finds its place.

You're thinking of home, and living your life, losing people and finding them again . . .

Re: [future - body]

[squirreledaway]

[he pulls back, and looks around one more time]

Re: [future - body]

[antreegonist]

It's still a confusion of vines. Mithos's voice is in your ear.

"What're you looking for?"

Re: [future - body]

[squirreledaway]

[OH GOD-- just freezes for a moment]

U-Um... I... don't really know. U-Um...

Re: [future - body]

[antreegonist]

"Hey. Hey, don't freak out, Emil. It's me. I just can't get over there right now."

Re: [future - body]

[squirreledaway]

I-I just wasn't... expecting you! Which is dumb, sorry.

Re: [future - body]

[antreegonist]

You get a faint hairruffle.

"Nah, I'd jump at a ghost voice too. Especially after you ran into the guy out front..."

Re: [future - body]

[squirreledaway]

... That guy is still part of you, though.

Re: [future - body]

[antreegonist]

"Yeah, he is. I do a better job keeping him down most days."

Re: [future - body]

[squirreledaway]

Is it because of the memory...?

[it's weird talking to you like this, but...]

Re: [future - body]

[antreegonist]

"Yeah. I went crazy in it . . . and it's not like I ever stopped being crazy all the way, even here, you know? I just stopped letting it rule me. But it's all there.

Something that big . . . I had to let some of it go, to burn itself out for a little while, or it would've destroyed me to hold it in. So, that's what's all over the place right now."

Re: [future - body]

[squirreledaway]

[he nods]

... Yeah. If nothing else-- you have a lot of friends that can handle it here.

Re: [future - body]

[antreegonist]

"I wasn't expecting it. . .but I'm really, really glad you're all here."

Something warm sinks into you: relief and gratitude and affection.

Re: [future - body]

[squirreledaway]

[oh, that feels nice... he relaxes a bit]

... U-Um... You're welcome.