open ⟹ [spooky scary skeletons intensifies]

[fabrefactions]

WHO: Yusuke Kitagawa and you...!
WHERE: Various places around Recolle
WHEN: Throughout October
WHAT: Event related shenanigans, as well as any mundane things that occur over the course of October.
WARNINGS: Spoilers for one of the early P5 palaces, cw for death, causes of death and hospitals if that's not your thing. Will update as needed.



Nightmares - The Mourning After

[There's something a little too quiet about the room you find yourself in. It's clearly a private hospital room - there's even a clinical scent of antiseptic in the air, and the background noise of machines beeping and chatter coming from the outside - but it's very still and solemn. The curtains at the wall have been closed, and the lights are off. On the bedside table there is a vase of flowers - predominantly lilies, almost overwhelming and choking a single anemone flower at the centre.

The covers on the bed are pulled up over whoever is - was? - occupying it. The body is either taller, and broader, or small and petite. Depending on which version of the nightmare you've entered, things may change but not obviously. The body is the obvious change - it's either a man or a woman in that bed. The man's room never changes - the patient chart lists an exact time, date and name every time. A Friday evening, some six years ago. The cause of death is always the same as well, trauma and blood loss following a vehicular accident.

The woman's chart changes every time. The date could be in the future, tomorrow, a week from now, three years from now. And the cause of death is always different. Sometimes it's a heart attack. Sometimes it's an accident. Sometimes it's organ failure of any and every kind.

Yusuke is in the room too. He's not saying anything, or even moving. He's just staring at the hospital bed with an almost disturbing intensity.]

Nightmare - bill, bills, bills.

[You're in a rather bright and pleasant looking hallway. It's not big, or grand, but it looks clean and well kept. There are a couple of hand painted, lovingly framed pictures on the wall and a potted plant propped up by the front door. Nothing seems especially amiss.

And then a letter drops through the letter box - white and simple, but with big red letters stamped across the front: OVERDUE.

And then another: FINAL WARNING. And another, and another, and another - more and more falling through the letter box, all official looking all stamped with large red warnings. There are so many of them they're starting to pile up and spill off the welcome mat onto the floor.

Yusuke steps around you, barely even seeing you, and grabs a few letters from the top of the pile, leafing through them with a deepening frown on his face. Then he glances up, and finally realises he's not alone.]

Ah. [He glances back at the letters, and then back at you.] I wasn't expecting to see anyone today... if you wouldn't mind coming back later? Something has [and he glances back at the letters, still piling onto the floor] come up.

Fog - Azazel

[Yusuke is used to a lack of sleep. It defines his life when he's going through a burst inspiration - in order to properly make the most of it he needs to grasp it as soon as it emerges, so he can do it justice. All nighters and broken sleep are all normal for him.

But this is intense - more so than usual. He's used to having a deep, restful sleep because he almost just passes out as soon as his head hits the pillow. Not necessarily dreamless, but never as clear and unnerving as the kinds of nightmares that have been plaguing him - eerie and uncertain. He can feel that bone deep tiredness throughout him by now, and while he can solider through it, he feels heavy and sluggish. Slow and stupid. And the fog, wherever it came from, definitely isn't helping things. He's disoriented enough without his vision literally being taken from him by thick waves of fog.]

Troublesome. How am I supposed to navigate my way home through all of this?

[And in the background, there are... sounds. Like liquid hitting solid. Like ink hitting the floor, and the feeling of something disturbing the natural swirl of the fog around them. Something with no feet can't make any obvious noise, after all.

Maybe you're just walking nearby, or maybe you're walking with Yusuke. Either way, if you're nearby you'll have a front seat view for when this lunges out of the fog at him, gaudy and over the top looking. Each painting keeps clustered together, like a impressionist's painting of a face, but they can and do move independently, swiping down in arcs at Yusuke and anyone near him.

It might be an idea to run.]

[A note: Madarame's paintings can quite literally paint your character with black paint, which leads to them being more susceptible to status ailments - translating that to Recolle, your character might find their balance off, or vision going funny, as examples.]

Random - throw something at me

[If there's anything you want to try - nightmare, fog or just mundane shenanigans related, then go for it! If you want to chat, my plotting comment is here, and you can find me on tsundoku, or PM me.]

Comments

Nightmare- BILLS.

[redarm]

[Noah's not sure how he ended up in this hallway. It's not a place he recognizes in the slightest, but it's a dream- so he hardly questions it. At least this place looks nicer than what he usually finds in his dreams.

When a letter drops through the mail slot, he'll walk over to look at it. Those warnings? Immediately take him back. He's seen more than his fair share when his dad was getting sick and they were still living together. It gives him an easy knot in his stomach just looking at them- especially as more and more pile up.

Ugh. It's one of these dreams isn't it....

Then someone comes by. A tall guy, that Noah doesn't really recognize- it's hard to place someone when you've only seen them in an avatar online. But from the way he handled the letters and walked around, this was his place, wasn't it? So all those bills were...

Oh jeez]

Uh, okay. [He doesn't even know this person really, but he feels bad. Debt is the worse] Anything I can do to help?

[psycho music]

[fabrefactions]

No, I--[Yusuke pauses as he hears the sound of more letters hitting the ground. He sighs, and drops low enough to scoop up a load of the letters and vanish out of the hallway with them.

He's not gone long before he comes rushing back, looking somewhat annoyed at the letter box now rather than... upset or concerned.]

Even if I block it up, they'll still find their way in.

[But... actually...]

I suppose you're stuck here until you wake up?

[redarm]

[He makes a face as more letters get shoved in. Ugh, that's so uncomfortable to see. Even if it's not his debt, or even real debt since its a dream, it's terrible to see. ]

Uh...I guess I am?

[Another letter gets shoved through the slot]

...I don't suppose monsters come to eat us at some point huh?

[Cause that'd be better]

FOG

[maskreant]

[ Akira has been definitely walking with Yusuke as he hears the squelch nearby. He actually... Doesn't like that sound? So it instantly sends chills down his spine as he looks around. There's something watching them or his paranoia is hitting the roof due to this fog.

When the paintings show themselves, he internally screams because what is going on. Apparently he can handle an abstract angel looking to enslave man, but not a series of paintings wanting to kill them. Instinctively, he grabs Yusuke's wrist and pulls him away from that strike. ]

We have to go.

[ As a distraction, Akira summons Yoshitsune to send a lightning bolt at its way. They can't see if it worked or not (since some of those paintings heal from magic skills) because THEY'RE BOOKING IT. ]

[fabrefactions]

[Yusuke is not about to argue with that plan. Still, he can't help but freeze slightly at the sight of the paintings trying to strike exactly where he was stood a moment ago.]

I--

[He flinches a little at the bolt of lightning - and there's that Persona again, the one that he saw back before he'd really awakened to the Retrospec app properly. The one Akira had used against the monsters that had chased them.]

-- R-right, yes. [BOOKING IT. BOOKING IT HARD CORE. Y'know, until the paintings start purposely and obviously lurching after them through the fog.]

It--why is it following us?!

[maskreant]

[ Akira is processing in his mind whether this is real or a nightmare... The fog has done some shady things—people have seen and interacted with hazy figures that eventually take solid form.

But these are floating paintings? With face features. He just can't be sure, but the sloppy and creaky sound of ink and frames respectively set the chilling atmosphere. They can't stop running. ]

I have no idea.

[ He can only be honest. His only guess is that it has to relate to Yusuke somehow... Even if they've made considerable distance, the vibrations of the sound feel directly behind them. ]

Nightmares - The Mourning After

[forreal]

[What Ryuji wanders into, wearing nothing but a pair of bright, neon blue boxers and a pair of white running socks, is the last thing he expected. It's eerily silent and it makes him so uncomfortable that at first, he doesn't notice Yusuke in the room. He's too busy looking around at everything else, his mouth hanging open in surprise as he utters several different variations of 'what the eff' under his breath.

When his gaze makes its way around the room and he finally notices Yusuke, he breaks the ringing silence in true Ryuji Sakamoto fashion.]

WHOA, the heck? Yusuke? What's goin' on here? Why are we in a hospital!?

[fabrefactions]

[Yusuke actually winces, so good job there. Somehow he hadn't even realised that Ryuji had just ... burst into his nightmare in bright blue boxers looking like someone had hit him upside the head.

He isn't really sure what to say, for a moment.]

I-- Ryuji, how did you get here?

[He even sounds out of it.]

[forreal]

I dunno! Shouldn't I be askin' you that!?

[He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly, realizing how loud he must have been, and quiets down a little bit. Just a bit.]

Was runnin'... or trying to in my dream then I just ended up in here.

[He drops his voice to a low, concerned whisper.]

Hey. Why're we in a hospital?

mourning after

[parodeity]

[ this isn't a nightmare he has a right to be in. dave knows tragedy when he sees it - who doesn't? - but he doesn't know how to leave, so he takes a seat near yusuke, looking over at the bed as well. ]

...Hey. Want some company?

[ dave doesn't have a plan if yusuke says "no", since he has no idea how to leave, but - ]

I was in the neighborhood.

[fabrefactions]

[Well, Yusuke's answer is simple. But doesn't really fit into that yes or no category.]

I would prefer not to be here at all, company or not.

[But, hey. That's obviously been working out well for him so far.]

[parodeity]

Yeah. I know the feeling...do you know what this is?

[ a dream or not, he means. sometimes people know and sometimes they don't, and he can never quite tell. this time, he thinks he's sure of it. ]

Bills and more bills

[blind_badass]

[Considering Snake's nightmares are being chased by either monsters or cars, this seems like a welcome respite. Although he can certainly sense a lot of tension in the air. Not to mention paper on the ground.

Snake picks up what feels like a letter. There's no braille on it, so he can't guess as to the contents.]

Oh, I apologize. I think these are letters? They must belong to you.

[fabrefactions]

[His situation could be far worse, that's true. But the thought would be little comfort, if he were thinking it right now.]

Ah... yes, those are mine.

[He's not going to pretend that he's going to hide this from the guy whose hearing far surpasses his own - the sound of him immediately tearing the letters in half should be very obvious.]

Thank you.

[blind_badass]

Is someone trying to harass you through the mail? I'm certain you should be able to complain to someone about that.

mourning

[freeskies]

[this wasn't what he was expecting to see. While he's familiar with the hospital, it's in that distant way. He's never had to visit the hospital for a member of his family, not even for siblings, as... he was the youngest in his family. He glances around the room, and then at the figure in the center of it.

This... can't be right?

But then, there's Yusuke. He purses his lips, before walking to stand next to him.]

Yusuke.

shit i almost typed balthier

[fabrefactions]

Hello.

[Considering he definitely didn't know Franklin when he'd been in this hospital room the last time, Yusuke can at least take a little comfort that this is definitely a dream.

Honestly though, he'd prefer not to be here at all. And at the very least, he'd prefer to be dealing with it alone.]

I don't think you're supposed to be here.

BALTHIER who dat

[freeskies]

I believe you'd be correct.

[he glances at the body again, and then back at Yusuke. He's at least enough self awareness to look concerned. This was... quite the dream, honestly. And he was, perhaps, the wrong person for it. But, he was there.

And he hadn't mastered the elements of dream walking yet.]

But, here I am. This is a memory, I presume?

[or a fear.]

bills

[adoringpast]

Yeah... I can see that.

[ sena doesn't even know how he landed into one of the most mundane dreams he's ever been in a while... well. it could be worse.

he picks up a few bills off the ground and just casually leafs through them as though they're his own mail. rude. ]

Are you really that broke or something? Compulsive spender, maybe? Jeez. No wonder this is haunting you now.

[fabrefactions]

[w o w

way to endear yourself, sena. True to form, Yusuke goes from a little distracted to looking distinctly unimpressed and sounding a little frosty.]

Do you usually barge into other people's dreams and make inaccurate assumptions about their lives?

[adoringpast]

Not really, but this is one of the simpler "nightmares" out there, so I shouldn't even complain, right?

[ he sure is endearing isn't he :) ]

No really, what did you even buy to have all this pouring out of the mail?

mourning

[gunsandveggies]

[The first thing Haru's aware of are the flowers. They're very pretty, arranged in a way that they're aesthetically appealing to the eye.

On their own, these flowers can have different meanings, but together, it's very clear what the symbol is here. The lilies are for the soul of the departed, and the anemone in the middle is for the mourning of it. The lilies are choking the anemone, and so the death of someone is suffocating the one who is grieving.

The body on the bed is petite, just about swallowed by the covers. Haru doesn't look at the chart, but instead, covers her mouth and turns her head away. She's not sure who it is, but a dead body, even covered up, is a dead body. She doesn't want to see.

But one look at the person sitting in the chair answers that question for her regardless. Her hand stays over her mouth - It's Yusuke. This setting is familiar now, though the body on the bed is not. He'd assured her over and over that he was all right, and she never believed him. She was right to not believe it.

What's important right now, however, is the boy in front of her. So her hand moves as she gets in front of him, until it's resting on his cheek.]

Yusuke?

[fabrefactions]

[This is the first time that, when his nightmare is invaded, Yusuke actually immediately pays attention. Because this isn't a case of a stranger wandering into his dreams and seeing his secrets - it's Haru, and while they don't really have many secrets from each other, there are definitely bits and pieces Yusuke has... played down over the years.

It wasn't even a pride thing, it was just... there are some things that needed to be kept to themselves or things he'd preferred to sort out under his own steam. And when it comes to worrying about his mother's health, it's not surprising that he fears something happening that he can't help with or for her health to deteriorate too quickly for him to handle. But talking about how helpless it makes him feel? That's difficult. That's... something he hasn't been able to articulate to other people. Not clearly.

And the fact he didn't get a chance to process his father being there one day and gone the next. It had all happened so quickly, that he'd almost resented his father for what had happened, even though it hadn't been his fault. They'd both just had to move on - his mother, to focus on her health and herself, and Yusuke to take over the things his father had been shouldering and dealing with over the years.

... this wouldn't have been the ideal way for Haru to find out he still has a lot of lingering concerns, not really.]

Haru?

[He sits up, almost guiltily.]

How did you get here?

BILLS???

[browbeater]

[thank god Yusuke shows up because this felt #tooreal. Like this was a nightmare he'd had in the past couple of days, even. So pardon the relief, though he's polite enough to not let it show completely.

Then he takes a real look around and realizes... this is not his apartment. He definitely doesn't remember going there, anyway. And while he's met Yusuke, he didn't consider the impression strong enough to dream about him... or was it?

He pauses. Wait was this a dream?

It had to be, or he suddenly got teleportation powers.]

Uh... where is here, exactly?

[fabrefactions]

[Yusuke pauses as he flicks through all of the letters he's picked up, and glances up at Mako.]

My home.

[Flick, flick, flick. It's just more of the same, he can throw all of this out.]

It seems people can wander into each other's dreams, or... recurring nightmares as this might be.