recolle | [open]

[open]

WHO: You... and hopefully Sakura (eventually)
WHERE: Sakura's dreamscapes
WHEN: August 19th
WHAT: Sakura could use some help escaping her dreamscapes, guys. Try not to get stuck in them.
WARNINGS: There's a lot, so gonna cover them underneath each prompt.

I. Church on the Hill

[When the dreamscape finally settles, a building will loom right in front of you – most likely a church, as the stone cross that sits at the very top is pretty conspicuous. However, given that the weather has suddenly shifted into a wet evening, rain clouds gathered ominously in the sky, the sight might not seem very godly.

The doors to the church appear shut. However, the silence is cut abruptly by the sound of broken… glass? Maybe a busted window?

Who knows. Have a look around: either through the church doors, or to hunt down the mystery of that noise. There might be plenty here to find.]

[ooc: this prompt will potentially feature human parasites of the worm variety, emotional/physical trauma and abuse (mostly discussed, some shown), and might involve a physical fight (though that can be worked around, just lemme know what you prefer)]

II. Matou Mansion

[When the dreamscape finally settles, you’re inside a house.

... Or, at the very least, a very long hallway. It is the stuff made of nightmares because it’s dark, it’s cold, it creaks with unexplainable noises, and even if you turn around, there won't be a door.

Looks like the only way is forward for now. This should go fiiiine.]

[ooc: this prompt will potentially feature the emotional/physical abuse of a child (discussed, not shown!), murder, discussion of human parasites, looooots of worms, and might involve a physical fight (though that can be worked around)]

III. All the World's Evil

[When the dreamscape finally settles, you’re in a large, expansive room – to call it a basement would not do it justice. It looks and feels like a crypt, instead, a place where the dead sleep, and the holes lining the walls won’t do anything to dissuade you from that thought. In fact, a whiff of the air comes back with the stink of decayed bodies, and though it might be faint, there seems to be… squirming noises.

No matter where you look, though, you won’t find anything living. The floors are bare. No bodies come crawling down the walls. It's as blank as a tomb. Instead, there are three potential ways to move forward. A wooden door to the left and a bolted door to the right – and then, a staircase that seems to lead up and up, to an unknown destination.

Try a door or try the stairs. Try something quick. Just because it seems empty doesn't mean someone isn't watching.]

[ooc: this prompt will potentially feature discussion of trauma and abuse, murder, possession, suicide ideation, a girl who is obviously not in her right mind, and will absolutely involve some level of a physical or mental battle. 'Cause, y'know. Dark Sakura is not very nice.]

[ooc: and as a final note, if any/all of the prompts contain themes you'd rather not deal with, just drop me a pp at

ignitible or pm this journal, and we can figure out something that works for you]

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[He will, actually.

It's faint, but Howard will hear what is hard to explain -- a deep, vibrating noise of some giant creature, moaning from the other side of the door.]

[Uhhhh. Okay.]

That...doesn't sound good...

[He can't really understand what is making that noise - you know, maybe he should just have a tiny look. Just a small one. Because if that is some bloodthirsty creature that might come through this door at some point, well, he needs to see what it is first before running away! It...can't hurt...]

[He turns the doorknob, only opening just a sliver so he can peek through.]

[Uh.

Well!

There's gonna be quite a few eyes staring right back at him through the crack, as if having sensed he was there the whole time.

How good is Howard's memory? Because these giant monsters look exactly like the little spirit Sakura had shown him month ago -- just now the size of a mansion instead of able to ride on someone's shoulder]

Oh.

[He balks at the sight of the eyes, stammering.]

H-he...hello.

[And then he just...closes the door.]

[That should take care of things!! He's heading back down the stairs to the other doors hahahahaha he's not messing with those things even if the last one he saw was pretty cute! Nope! NOPE.]

[ruDE, that is not how you treat your fellow nightmare fuel, Howard.

Lucky for him, there are still those two doors to explore! One to the right, and one to the left. The left is wooden and seems like it would open easily, but that right one is a steel door, bolted, either requiring a key or just left to its own devices.

The choice is his. Which one does he want to approach?]

[He's going for the wooden door, first. He could try to pry the steel door off by sheer force, but as he's not willing to exert that much effort for something that isn't guaranteed to be a good way, he's not bothering with it for now.]

[After glancing behind him to make sure the creatures aren't following him, he puts his ear to the wooden door, listening for any noise.]

[And again, Howard is going to be rewarded for his caution. There are most definitely noises on the other side of this wooden door.

Because it's literally whispering at him from the other side.

Killing him... was so easy, Howard-san.

Well now.

If only I'd known I wouldn't feel anything. Maybe I would've done it years ago.

That sure sounds like Sakura.]

...Sakura?

[He should be surprised, and yet - the familiar sound of her voice stops him from backing away. He blinks, confused.]

I-is that you?

[...

Would you let me out, Howard-san?

It's dark in here.

The voice doesn't answer the question.]

[He swallows. Suddenly he feels very nervous. A large part of him wants to open the door for her, and yet...why couldn't she open the door herself?]

[It sounds like Sakura. But is it really Sakura...?]

I would like to, yes, but...c-can you tell me something first? [He huffs.] Back in November...in the eggs that were appearing around the city. What was the toy that I gave you from one of them? What animal was it, do you remember...?

[...

So you won't let me out either, then?

Fine.

You can die with the rest of them--!

And then the voice laughs, becoming more and more distorted with each peal of unhinged amusement. The doorknob rattles even though it doesn't fully turn.

Hm.

This might not be a good door, Howard]

S-sorry, Sakura. I mean, I don't...think you're Sakura at all. But still. I'm sorry.

[BACKING AWAY FROM THE DOOR NOW...really, it does look like it isn't going to open, so...to the steel door he goes. Great.]

[He lets out a sigh. The longer he stays here, the more it begins to weigh on him, like a heavy shroud. Can't he just get out without all these creepy things happening?]

[He reaches up and knocks on the steel door. You know...might as well.

Sakura, you're not in there either, are you...?

[... I am.

This voice sounds reasonable compared to the other, though that might not count for much when Howard can't see who is on the other side. The answer sounds... tired. And grave.

I'm sorry, Howard-san.

I wish it was not you here.

... Would you like to leave? I will tell you the way.]

Sakura...

[This...sounds more like her. But instead of answering her, he just lets out a low sigh. He raises a hand to brush back some of his hair.]

...I want to help you. If you're trapped here, I don't want to leave you.

[...

Thank you, but...

You will have to.

The only way to escape is to kill the me upstairs.]

...

[He swallows.]

Is there...another way? I don't...I-I don't know if I could...

[Don't worry, Howard-san.

She's evil.

And cruel.

And deserves to die.

Your actions will be just.

After all, monsters like her can't be left roaming about.]

[He feels a bit sick to his stomach.]

Even if she's a monster...she's still Sakura. She's still you.

[Another sigh - it shudders in his chest.]

I'm not a murderer, Sakura. I'm not him.

[A beat of silence, as if considering his answer. And then, voice still tired:

You're correct. She is me.

The other Sakura you met is me, too.

But ... if you won't kill her, then I can't help you, Howard-san.

You will have to face the worst parts of me alone.

The voice seems to slink away, back into the darkness, tears in her voice:

I wish it had not been you.]

...I wish it hadn't been me, either.

[This isn't his burden to bear. He frowns at the steel door, hands curling into fists at his sides. It isn't his fight. It isn't his sin.]

[But Sakura is his friend, and she knows him better than most people ever would.]

[She understands the despair of being a monster.]

[He huffs through gritted teeth, before steeling himself to go back towards the stairs. His steps feel heavy. Finally he reaches the door, and without any hint of caution now, he opens it.]

[He'll see what he can do.]

[The shadow giant is still there.

And given it's still facing the door, it gives off the air off one who has been waiting for Howard's return. Still emitting its low, ethereal hum, it starts to float, pausing every couple of seconds to turn its large body and aim all of its glowing eyes in the man's direction.

Hopefully the gesture is clear: it wants Howard to follow. The room is quite big, after all, seeming to stretch in every direction for miles. The floor is dirt and rocks, the ceiling covered in stalactites, the only landmarks to suggest the landscape is meant to be a cave.

In the distance he'll see the most obvious landmark: a pillar with a black "sun" appearing overhead, the source of the oppressive anxiety that clouds the room like a billion curses. Once close enough, a girl with white hair and an jagged smile will make her presence known, calling out to Howard in sing song]

Ah~ Howard-san!

I was beginning to think you'd gotten lost.

[He gets the idea. He aims a level look up at the creature - its appearance and the anxiety in the air is making his heart beat too fast to be comfortable - but he steels his jaw and heads after it. This is the way to Sakura. The "other" Sakura, no doubt.]

[He half expects to see that creature that he saw on the video in the subway. Instead, it's the girl herself, just...different. So different. Her smile makes him shudder. He spares a glance for the pillar, evil thing that it is, before turning grimly towards her.]

Sakura. [For it is her, even if the more instinctual parts of him are telling him otherwise. It's her. It's definitely her. He can't let himself think otherwise.] Sorry I kept you waiting.

... Now now, you look so ... unhappy.

[The girl is seated on a raised piece of ground, legs crossed and her head held high like a queen on her throne, examining a favored subject.]

You are welcome here, Howard-san! My one true friend. I would never hurt you. Do you know why?

[Of course Howard would know why. She's going to explain it to him anyway, much liking to hear the words aloud, and places a hand on her chest.]

Because we're the same! Monsters, yes. So tell me -- how many people have you slaughtered? Hm?

Don't be shy.

I'll give you my number if you give me yours.

You'd have to ask Lovecraft. I don't know the answer, myself. I...haven't killed anyone in this life.

[Not yet.]

[He hopes that it continues to be "not yet". "Never" might seem like a nice dream at this point. A wish that he wants to be fulfilled, but he can't trust himself to follow. At the rate he's changing, at the rate his memories are coming back...how long will it be, before the monster catches up?]

Let me guess. You've...killed a lot, haven't you, Sakura...?

[There's a beat where her smile wanes, briefly disapproving, but it's back immediately, all teeth, and she gives a laugh as she leans back, resting her weight on her arms]

Oh yes.

[Her bare foot taps in time to her voice as she rattles off the list]

Nii-san. Grandfather. All of those Servants who stood in my way. Half a city block, I think.

Those four boys you saw on the video tape, too -- ah, but I told you about them, didn't I?

-- And once Nee-san gets here, I'll kill her, too. I'll teach her how it feels to be outclassed by someone stronger. Someone better than her.

[Her eyes narrow in on him then, head giving a soft tilt to the side.]

Will you help me? You might be Howard-san now, but soon... you'll be Lovercraft, won't you?

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ROFL I LOVE HOWARD SO MUCH

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