open ☆ how can you see into my eyes like open doors

[promisedyou]

WHO: Mio Sonozaki and you, fellow dreamwalkers!
WHERE: Mio's dreamscapes
WHEN: August 20th
WHAT: You're stuck in Mio's dreams. Try not to get too lost in it.
WARNINGS: Blanket content warnings for torture, and potential warnings for suicide, murder, and hallucinations. If anything else comes up, let me know and I'll add it to the list.



[ You find yourself outside. The sun is shining brightly and you can hear the cries of the evening cicadas out there — the higurashi. In front of you is a large door that seems to be almost closed tight; there's the strange feeling you get that you shouldn't open it because there's something terrifying behind the door. Like there's fear seeping right through it.

The words come out of nowhere, but the voice is distinct: to those who know her, it seems to be Mio's own voice. But the inflection is a little different than normal. Like she's trying to be someone else. Her tone is firm, but filled with concern for the person behind the door, giving an obvious warning: ]

"You can still go back now. I don't know what kind of impression you have of me, but... it will surely change... once you go in."

[ However, if you make the decision to turn around and walk away, you're greeted by the large expanse of darkness. Of absolute nothingness. It seems that in spite of these words, you aren't given much of a choice but to open the door and enter.

If you do, you're greeted by dark stone steps that seem to lead down into what seems to be almost endless... but in fact, actually isn't. It takes a while, but eventually you find yourself in what seems to be an underground cavern. In the center of the room, there's a place that seems like a person can lie down on it. But with how eerie everything is here and the fact that there seems to be straps on the areas where wrists and feet can be, you can only describe it as a place where someone was to be tortured.

This isn't just an underground cavern.

This is a torture chamber.

In the back of the chamber, there seems to be prison cells, not to mention that there's an area to the side where there might be something more. It's only when your feet manage to reach the bottom step that the owner of the voice shows up. However, there's something different about her. For those who saw her recently, the girl in front of you has her hair long and tied up in a ponytail, not to mention that she's wearing what seems to be a white kimono. There's darkness in her eyes, but is otherwise unbothered by the situation as she looks at you - the visitor. She wears no expression at all as she decides to greet you. ]

"Welcome." [ The words are spoken politely with a bow deep from the waist down. ] "While I am surprised you did not heed my warning, I am pleased to welcome you otherwise. My name is Sonozaki Mion, heir of the Sonozaki family. You are free to look around as you please, but if you have any questions-- well, perhaps I don't mind answering one or two."

[ OOC: As always, feel free to tell me your limits in terms of how comfortable you are with the content warnings given above and I'll match it! I can go as heavy as you'd like, just let me know. And if you have any questions, just ask me either via PM or at endlesseight. ]

Comments

[odasaku]

[ what??? oda heeding warnings? more fake than it should.

besides, it's not like he has the option to do so, so of course he has to go down to the cavern...and immediately takes note of the torturing equipment. his heart skips a beat when he hears mio's voice again, but he turns around calmly, as if unshaken. ]

Sorry. I wasn't given much of an option but to come here. [ he begins to walk towards the cells, looking inside one of them. what's inside? ]

[promisedyou]

[ It's true-- it's not as if anyone had a choice to heed the warning. But then again, since when in Mio's life did she ever have any choices? And it's this dreamscape that reflects just that. The fact that she isn't allowed to have any choices. She doesn't have that freedom.

"Mion" does not say anything, instead remaining quiet as he walks towards the cells. However, she does seem to follow him with dark interest in her eyes.

Inside the first cell he finds a young teenager wearing a white, somewhat tattered dress and her face is covered with a mask but the person is easily distinguishable by her long green hair that falls past her shoulders, a complete mess. Her eyes look up at Oda and asks a single question: ]

"Who are you?"

[odasaku]

[ oda can't help the small gasp he takes upon seeing the teenager, taking note of the green hair-- just like the sonozaki mion that greeted him.

is that her sibling?

upon the question, he sighs, ignoring the way his stomach ties itself into painful knots. this...this is just another part of the dream. he will most likely be unable to do anything to save her.

the one outside the bars, however, is another subject. ]

I'm... Oda Sakunosuke. [ it's the first time he uses the name of his former self. it feels strange, but he's fine with it. it's alright.

he turns back, to face mion. despite the situation, he remains calm. ] Why's she here?

[promisedyou]

"Sakunosuke-kun."

[ "Mion" says the name almost all too casually without a single care in the world before she moves to stand next to him, placing her hand on the cell rails. ]

"It should only be obvious." [ Except that it really, really isn't, even if she says so. Nevertheless, her tone remains calm and even as she continues to speak. ] "She made a mistake. That mistake means that she must pay for her sins in there for all of eternity. Don't even think about releasing her. That girl doesn't deserve to be free. Letting her out of that cage of hers will only cause everyone else even more pain and suffering. That cell is both for her protection... and ours."

[odasaku]

Is there a mistake that's worth staying in a prison for the rest of her life?

[ even certainly enough, even if it's obvious to "mion", it's not to oda. and even if she had given a better explanation, it still wouldn't be enough to justify...this.

but at least he doesn't seem to be in any hurry to let the other free. ]

[promisedyou]

"Yes."

[ Her answer is almost immediate when he asks the question. ]

"She's a murderer."

[odasaku]

...I see.

[ oda stares at "mion", his expression calm, as if unshaken by the fact that she just called this teenage prisoner a murderer. he seems to be processing the information in his head, before he turns back towards the prisoner.

his voice is gentle when he speaks, as if talking to a child, and not the demon this person is painted to be. ]

Do you regret it?

[flametheif40]

[Al looks toward the door, the second he hears Mio's voice, regardless of how she sounded; He had to see her, he was tempted to run away and be safe. But, this was someone that actually remembered him. He couldn't abandon her, no matter what the hell she meant by her warning.

His eyes never left the door, and after a few deep breaths, with his core shaking. He opened the door, and started walking down.

When he saw the torture chamber, it deeply disturbed him. Muttering to himself hoping that she was alright.

When he saw her, he calms down a bit, relived that she seems fine for the moment.

He wanted to ask about everything. But, he couldn't shake her warning, why did he want him away so badly?

He smiles, trying to hide how scared he was. His tone is warm and friendly, like seeing an old friend]

You didn't think I was going to leave you here, did ya? We still got to drink for our siblings.

What is so bad that you feel that you have to warn me about?

[promisedyou]

[ "Mion" seems to remain calm, her expression unchanging in spite of the casualness of his tone and how he seems to treat her like a friend before she shakes her head. ]

"You must have me mistaken for someone else. I've never said anything like that."

[ She says it so simply and matter-of-factly that it's almost terrifying before she gestures around the area. ]

"Do you know what this place is?" [ It's a proverbial question, given that she seems to continue with her explanation soon afterwards. ] "It's the place where a lot of people got hurt. The final place for sinners."

[flametheif40]

[He looks at her in confusion. Then actually walks around like she invited to do so earlier. He walks in a slow circle around the table, trying to take in his surroundings. Biting his lower lip trying to piece it together, frowning a bit as he thinks.

Mistaken for someone else? Maybe memories were still being affected? But this was days ago...despite how cold she was, he tries to keep a friendly tone. He imagined that she was in a bad mood and didn't mean it. But what if he was mistaken?]

If I am Mistaken, your more then welcome to join us. Since the last few months have been hard on all of us.

Final place for sinners? So, you see them here if they haven't changed their heart when they die?

[promisedyou]

"You simply don't get it, do you?"

[ There's a slight tsk as she clicks her tongue before taking a seat on the platform that's normally used to torture people. Honestly, who knows how many people have be on that thing...

Probably doesn't help that the area smells of copper and dead bodies, either. ]

"I can't join you. This place is my coffin. My grave. I cannot leave." [ Stern words, but calm nevertheless. ] "I wouldn't exactly say that. Well, there's one person in here that I wouldn't necessarily call a sinner... but that's supposed to be a secret. Do you want to see them, though?"

[flametheif40]

[He looks saddened when she says its her coffin...He may have been alone, but at least he could move around.

He tries his best not to gag at the smell but coughs anyway, the smell of dead bodies doesn't exactly help]

I'm sorry...So this one that isn't a sinner...why is that person around then?

And...yeah, I would like to meet them, if that is alright with you. I imagine that one keeps you company?

[promisedyou]

"Keeps me company... well, I suppose you can say that."

[ Because it's absolutely the truth. While he might gag at the smell, "Mion" doesn't seem to be bothered in the slightest bit by it as she hops off where she's seated and decides to lead the way. ]

"I keep the one I like all the way in the back. But he's not the only one in here. Follow me."

[ She takes light steps to the back of the area, where there seems to be not just one jail cell, but multiple -- there's plenty of them in what could almost seem like an endless hallway before she gestures at the cells. ]

"Go ahead. You may look at as many or as little as you'd like."

[spiritoso]

[ There's something about that door that terrifies Kaede, and she hesitates to approach it. But that hesitation disappears when she hears Mio's voice. Determined to prove her wrong, that her opinion on Mio won't change no matter what she sees, Kaede immediately opens the door and pushes through.

When she realizes exactly where she is, that this is a torture chamber, Kaede freezes. This isn't what she expected to find, even knowing a little about Mio's past self. Kaede takes a moment to take a deep breath and steel herself as she pushes onwards.

She almost jumps when she sees Mio, noticing immediately how different she looks. Her eyebrows raise in confusion when Mio introduces herself by Mion instead. ]

Why are you here?

[ That's the only question Kaede can think of, because she can't see Mio ever wanting to be in a place like this. ]

[promisedyou]

[ The question asking her why she's here, exactly, causes "Mion" to let out a rather heavy sigh in what seems to be almost self deprecation. ]

"This is where everything ends for me. I chose this place as my grave. Besides... someone has to look over the other prisoners here."

[ Because she honestly does not think that she has any other choice, here. ]

[spiritoso]

Your grave...?

[ That's surprising to Kaede, and she frowns in concern. She plans to die here? ]

Where are the other prisoners?

[promisedyou]

[ She nods, a little quiet. ]

"They're in the back. Follow me." [ "Mion" will in fact lead the way to where the other prisoners are. ]

[spiritoso]

Okay.

[ Kaede nods, following Mio. She's a little nervous, and it shows in the way she walks a bit slower, worried about what she might find. ]

[promisedyou]

[ "Mion" walks further in before gesturing at the multiple prison cells. ]

"You can go ahead and take a look. You might not like what you see, however."

[nachetanya]

[ Ah...? ah, this is a dream, isn't it. Or at least something to that effect. She hasn't seen her new roommate for a bit today (not that Nat's schedule isn't so busy she barely would see her) and now he hears her voice in a place like this. Fortunately, she does have her rapier (well the little baton thing which is more or less a rapier) in her purse, and with a sight she puts it on the belt of her clothing. It's weird how much the jeweled thing has come to comfort her.

But fine, fine. Let's venture in further. Let's face what's further down into this whole thing.

What she comes upon, of course, is shocking. It takes her breath away for a moment, but her red eyes harden just as quickly as they lose focus. ... Mion?

The voice makes her turn, and perhaps because she is on edge, in the very same moment she turns Natalia has put her right hand on the pommel of the little rapier, the better to draw it quicker if necessary, but instead she tilts her head and, ]

Oh, really?

[promisedyou]

"That's right. I won't stop anybody from looking around. For me, that isn't my duty."

[ She says those words so nonchalantly and with a shrug that she can't be bothered to care at the moment, to be honest. ]

[nachetanya]

[ Oh.... ]

Oh, really... ah, then do you have some duty?

[ That said, sure, she'll take this time to examine the interiors of these cages, then. ... Mostly to make sure there aren't people bound up here or something. ]

[promisedyou]

"I watch over the prisoners and punish them as necessary."

[ That is the most nonchalant answer she could have given. But she won't see people bound up, but they all seem to be, in one way or another for the most part the same person wearing different clothes - the first one she finds is wearing a rather tattered white dress and a red oni mask, but her hair is the same color as the one who she just greeted. ]

[nachetanya]

[ So are or aren't there people gosh!!

... That said, nice mask. She hums a bit, ]

As necessary.... huh...

[promisedyou]

"That's right. Sometimes having them here, however, is punishment in of itself."