01. recollection

[shuutaa]

[ play.

it feels too real to be a dream.

in fact, it isn't. these are memories; real events that happened in the past. real events that she forgot all about up until now.

rock's body shivers, and she side steps to avoid being hit by embers; there's a fire growing, circling her and trapping her inside.

her face contorts into an expression showing confusion. fear.

and she swears, she can hear the word disappear resonating in her ears, it echoes and it takes over her mind.

her legs bend and she ends up squatting, arms curled around her legs and her face pressed against the fabric of her cloak.

she sobs as quietly as she can. hopefully no one comes around. ]

Comments

[shuutaa]

... S'fine.

[ she shifts to sit cross-legged and blankly, stares at him ]

Are you okay?

[ryuusei_subaru]

"Un, I am...shouldn't I be asking you that?"

Because. You're in a ring of fire.

Actually, they're both being surprisingly calm about this.

[shuutaa]

[ if she looks calm, then damn, she is doing a great job at pretending she's okay.

she shakes her head. ]

I'm fine. You're the one who fell from nowhere...

[ryuusei_subaru]

"Ah, no, that's the second time that's happened today..."

[And he scratches the back of his head a little sheepishly.] "I've been trying to get to Nuvema Town, but I keep ending up in people's dreams for some reason...this isn't Nuvema Town either, is it?"

[shuutaa]

[ wat. nuvema town? ]

... No, this isn't Nuvema Town. It's... a place far away from Nuvema. [ yeah, really far away ]

[ryuusei_subaru]

[And Subaru sighs.]

"I should have known. Another dream...?"

also btdubs i added you on aim!

[shuutaa]

Something like that --

[ more like a terrible memory, but sure. let's call it a dream.

and before you know it rock notices something falling from above -- a falling pole that's engulfed in flames and she jumps to her feet, pushing the boy out of the way

what a badass ]

yay! :D

[ryuusei_subaru]

"Whoa-"

And he lets out a yelp as he's pushed to the ground, before instinctively curling up as much as he can when he hears the clang of the falling pole.

But wait-is...is she okay?

"M-miss?!"

[shuutaa]

[ the pole falls to the ground with a loud clang, and rock manages to push the boy out of the way while saving herself as well.

she pushes off of him and stands up this time, dusting her cloak and extends a hand out to him ]

... Name's Rock. Nice to meet you.

[ryuusei_subaru]

"War...Rock?" Give him a few seconds, he's still a little dazed. But he does take that hand. "Un, it's good to meet you too...I'm Hoshikawa Subaru."

[shuutaa]

Just Rock.

[ she pulls him up and allows him to regain his balance, and turns around on her heel to face the opposite direction. ]

... M'going to go look around. You can come too, if you want.

[ryuusei_subaru]

It's a few moments before he responds.

"Mmm...I'll follow. It's best to stay together, right?" There's a weak chuckle after that, slightly choked because of all the smoke.

[shuutaa]

Yeah. Something like that.

[ and so she takes off into the direction of a door, an exit sign letting off sparks of electricity now and then ]

... I can't remember what happened here... [ it's a small murmur, almost under her breath ]

[ryuusei_subaru]

"Is that so? I wonder why you're dreaming about it, then..."

He can't help but jump a little and make a soft noise when any sparks from either the fire or the sign come near him, but he gets better at controlling those reactions soon enough.

[shuutaa]

It's... more like a memory.

[ stops at a split path -- they can either go to the left or to the right; she turns her head over her shoulder and looks at him ]

Pick a side.

[ryuusei_subaru]

"Ah..."

"Oi, oi! Pick left, pick left!"

And then Subaru turns to face War-Rock, putting the Visualizer down over his eyes even as he's fervently whispering to the alien. That doesn't look too insane, does it, Rock?

"War-Rock, why?"

"Dunno, left was the first thing to come to mind!"

"..." And then Subaru looks back, still wearing the green-tinted lenses over his face. "Right, I suppose."

"Subaru!"

[shuutaa]

[ ... she doesn't question him about the sudden mumbling and whispering, but she nods her head and heads right. ]

I'm not sure what we'll find here so just... be careful, Subaru.

[ryuusei_subaru]

"Mm! Understood!"

And now he's wearing a serious expression that one doesn't often see on children his age.

[shuutaa]

[ surprisingly serious all of a sudden, hm. a slight smile makes its way to her lips, but it's gone in a brief second.

and now it's a quiet tread as they journey on; rock's not very good at conversation... ]

[ryuusei_subaru]

[That's fine. Subaru's just looking through things with his Visualizer and looking for anything funny. Does he spot anything, though?]

[shuutaa]

[ nothing really exciting -- it's an empty building, similar to some sort of science lab and is pretty run down. there's a draft here and there...

and then a dead end. ]

... Maybe we should've gone left.

[ryuusei_subaru]

"Uh...un."

"See, I told you!"

"War-Rock!!!"

[shuutaa]

... War-Rock?

[ have a raised eyebrow, subaru ]

[ryuusei_subaru]

"Eh? Oh...he's my friend. He's made out of Denpa, so nobody can really see him unless they've got a Visualizer-" and here, Subaru fingers his green-tinted glasses. "-or they can see Denpa..."

[shuutaa]

Den... pa?

[ okay you're starting to lose her now, subaru. you might have to explain a bit more ]