[Open] Lonely days are long, Twilight sings along

[mincingminuet]

WHO: Penelope and You
WHERE: Dreamscapes!
WHEN: Throughout July
WHAT: Exploring dreams, both canon and AU. Open with some closed prompts
WARNINGS: Possible violence and language, depending on the dream.




It's late at night, and of course that's when all the strange things truly start to happen. The world shifts in sleep, the familiar giving way to the strange, until you find yourself standing beside someone. A short woman in banana pajamas holding a small doll with a tomato for a head. Penelope, for those that know her, may not cut the most impressive figure but that's who you're stuck with. Tomato and all.


I. Soon my eyes will close.

The place you're standing in is not your own world, but rather a frost-laden mountain pass with a path leading up and up. Footsteps have carved out a muddy trail in the snow, the mark of the passage of thousands. Penelope shivers as she stares up the hill, hugging the doll tight and eliciting a squawk of indignation from it.

"Sorry," she murmurs before turning to whoever's there. "I just have a bad feeling about this.


II. Soon I'll find repose.

Or perhaps it is a familiar place. The Recolle woods in the dead of winter, and you're both standing at the base of a trail that leads deeper into the forest. A darkness seems to hold sway there, the further up you look, the deeper the gloom. Swallowing audibly, Penelope looks at whoever's there, she shakes her head. Determination lines her face, but she sets her jaw.

"Are you ready?"


III. You're always near to me (Closed to Felicia)

This dream is a little different, as it's no dream at all. Penelope and Felicia have both decided to come here, just to see. Pen's outfit is quite a departure from banana-yellow pajamas, and the Tonberry perched on her shoulder is a touch more menacing.

"So...this is the place where I ended up with Ren. I forget what he called it...but isn't this place pretty creepy?"


IV. Wildcard

This is for other prompt ideas, or for you to leave me a dreamscape. I'll match prose or brackets, and if you want to plot and request a different prompt, hit me on plurk at intercession

Comments

III

[maidhem]

Very creepy.

[Felicia agreed, surveying the darkened place with caution in her eyes. Her outfit was a departure from anything familiar as well-- but Felicia found herself gladdened by the ease of movement.

Already she had a blade in her hands. She didn't need to worry about tripping in any heels.]

I can't believe a place like this actually exists. It's... uncomfortable here.

[mincingminuet]

[Penelope ratcheted back the slide on her gun, checked her dagger, and twirled the Zodiac Spear in her grip. Better safe than sorry.]

You're telling me. There's creatures down here though. Or...out here, I'm not sure if we're down, even if it sorta feels like a subway tunnel.

[waving her weapon towards a light...]

Not sure why it's all red, though. Blood of Satan or something you think?

[maidhem]

Maybe they're emergency lights?

[Felicia asked helpfully, peering up at one of those lights in search for confirmation. She was determined to not make judgements that were too unnerving just yet.]

[mincingminuet]

If it wasn't for the obvious...I don't know...drippings? I'd say sure.

[She gestures sort of vaguely at it.]

I mean, that's blood.

[maidhem]

Of course it is-- but I'm trying not to think of how many things had to die to make all this blood!

...It's easier to pretend it's someone getting a little too excited for Halloween too early.

[mincingminuet]

Felicia.

[Pen's voice cracks a little, but it's still sharp. Trying to overrule objections and get her to focus.]

I don't think it's blood the same way we'd think of it. From what Ren said, this place is sort of not...real. It doesn't obey the same rules, just some. So if it is blood, it's probably from magic.

[maidhem]

[Felicia sighed-- understanding the point even if she was unwilling to just accept it.]

That kind of just makes it worse.

[mincingminuet]

That it's fake?

[Pen puts an arm around Felicia.]

Think of it like tomato juice, if that helps. Nobody got hurt making this place, I'm sure.

[maidhem]

That someone-- or something-- actually took the time to do all of this.

[Felicia leaned into Pen momentarily, gladdened for her friend's presence.]

Though, if no one actually got hurt? That's a huge relief.

I

[fiddlestick]

[A snowy mountain with a trail to climb...oh boy if this is not the sort of climate Elliot's used to traveling in. He wraps his own coat tightly around him, feeling pretty nervous about this climb himself]

T-That's okay...I feel the same. Where are we...?

[mincingminuet]

[Penelope shuffles closer, putting her hand onto Elliot's shoulder to steady herself, though maybe in the guise of helping him.]

I think...I think this is Ivalice. The world my other self is from. And if it's this place, it could be a good memory, or a bad one.

[fiddlestick]

Oh...

[Ivalice huh? He guesses that makes sense, if this is her dream]

That's a little worrying. A-Anyway to tell which it'll be?

your call if yes or no.

[mincingminuet]

Do you see any smoke?

[She shivers.]

I'm afraid to look.

[fiddlestick]

[he glances up at the sky, squinting]

I don't...think I see any?

[mincingminuet]

Okay. good.

[Pen exhales and starts walking again.]

Then we got the good version of this place. Before the bad guys got here. You want to go see the pope?

[fiddlestick]

[He walks along, but looks surprise]

T-The Pope? He's from another world too??

[ELLIOT PLEASE]

[mincingminuet]

Uh. No. It's this guy called the Gran Kiltias. That's like Ivalice's pope.

[Hah...Elliot...]

IV

[windeity]

[So this maybe isn't familiar to Pen at all. Actually, the longer she looks around she'll find herself somewhere completely unlikely and also weirdly tame?

John's standing next to the couch with his arms crossed as he watches Con Air on the TV, a frown etched into his features. He doesn't look away even as he addresses her.]

You ever feel weird when your dreams are pretty boring?

[mincingminuet]

[This is pretty tame, yeah. Not in a bad way. Just...kinda tame?]

I do. Yes.

[She sidles over to John...]

Pretty sure this is a mediocre movie, but at least nothing's trying to kill us.

[windeity]

[He laughs a little. Hi Pen. He's hovering and it doesn't take long before something flickers into view on the couch. A younger version of himself in the blue godtier outfit, but also a girl who looks strikingly like him in her own black ensemble. The main difference is the bright green of her eyes as opposed to John's blue. So far it's fairly innocuous as they watch the movie.]

Have you even seen it?

[mincingminuet]

Yeah.

[Course she has. she chuckles and sidles over to John so she can give him a one armed huggarino. Yes, that's what she'd call it.]

At least it's not a nightmare, eh?

[windeity]

Not yet. [He leans in a little but he's staring at the couch attentively.] It wasn't exactly a good thing either? Like objectively speaking, I think I remember this and it was not great.

[mincingminuet]

What? Con-Air?

[...]

Do you break up with the girl or something?

[windeity]

What? Oh god, no, that's my sister! [He shakes his head.] But uh, she had also just broke up with her boyfriend who was an alternate timeline version of my best friend? [...]

...have I ever mentioned my old life is stupid?

[mincingminuet]

Oh! Okay!

[Wait a second.]

John, what? Alternate timeline version of your best friend?