yumemigaoka | When Theater Kids Attack

[Junna Hoshimi is in Koubai, because having just arrived at Promised Morning Private Academy and moved into the dormitory, her room is... barren.

The walls don't have any decorations, except a framed picture of her and her friends from a play, back in Tokyo, and a poster from a class trip to see a performance in Kyoto. She didn't quite bring anything to really make it feel like hers.

It's not as crowded as Tokyo itself -- she's spent time in Shibuya, so she knows crowds -- but it's overwhelming. Colorful, bright, and stores are everywhere. Junna looks at them, her lips pursed, and then down at her phone. Her nose wrinkles. She's here by herself, and...

And she has no idea of where to begin. But she stands out, at least, and she's in her Promised Morning uniform, so it's not hard to guess who she is with.]

[Dreamer Sage is still a novice. Still new to this. But she has to help with patrols, because being a Dreamer -- and a good Dreamer! -- is why she is.

And so, she is out in the Reflection Glades. She has her bow stowed over her back, her eyes scanning across the horizon. It's pleasant out here. There's brilliantly colored flowers all around, and it's the sort of thing that takes her breath away. But... focus! She keeps walking, eyes scanning around.

She stops as she finds a Figment, kneeling down to peer at it.

No Torments in sight. They're supposed to come here, sometimes, in search of the Figments. But, right now, she's looking at floating cluster of crystals -- colored and gleaming like a pale rainbow -- and she extends a finger out, poking it.]

[Everyone at school has been gossiping about the new transfer student - well, Shinsha never joins in on the gossip, but since they're so socially awkward that most of their classmates forget that they exist, they end up overhearing a lot of conversations. The new girl is apparently from Toyko, which nearly everyone agrees is exciting and sophisticated in comparison to Yumemigaoka. Before anyone has even met her, they're trying to force her into a stereotype... it's stupid.

So when they notice an unfamiliar newcomer dressed in the Promised Morning Academy girl's uniform, Shinsha instinctively ducks into the nearest alley. They're dressed in an identical uniform, after all, so in the worst case scenario the new girl could try to talk to them, not knowing that being seen anywhere near a weird nerd like Shinsha would ruin Miss Tokyo's glamorous reputation. The only thing worse would be if she met Shinsha in the Dream Sphere...

But that's stupid too, isn't it? Isn't Shinsha also making baseless assumptions about the new girl? Somewhat guiltily, they slink out of their hiding spot.]

...Y-you're the new transfer student, right? Um... nice to meet you. Were you looking for something in particular...?

[She has no idea about her reputation. Junna assumes she must be at the bottom of anyone's estimations: a new Dreamer, still unsure of herself, and without a lot of experience. She assumes she will need to work hard. If she knew...

She'd think there was some misunderstanding.

She turns when Shinsha approaches, looking at them -- and pushing her glasses up, before they slip down her nose. Her green eyes flicker to them, as she looks them over over. Then, she smiles. It's a little apologetic.]

I am. Um... I need decorations and things for my room. So I thought I'd come see what stores are around.

[ Transfers are nothing new here - new Dreamers trickling into Yumemigaoka is, apparently, pretty much normal - but Chris has never transferred like this.

Honestly, it's a miracle she passed the entrance exam. Just enough effort to make her life easier.

Chris passes by while Junna's moving herself into her dorm with a mildly interested look. ]

...you new too?

[ This place is weird. There aren't a bunch of nasty girls for her to hide behind, so she's not sure who she should cozy up to. ]

[Junna is looking at her walls, which are still almost empty. It's her place, but it doesn't look anything like hers yet. She'll have to fix it. When she hears a voice behind her...

She turns and bumps the still closed suitcase by her hip. She looks at Chris, then she smiles.

She nods, too.]

Yes, I am. I'm Junna Hoshimi. You're also new...?

[ Chris looks her over. Pretty. Her first instinct is that Junna's too uptight and serious, which fits her image of a kind of girl who would end up here. Is she overly sweet too? Some saccharine magical girl stereotype? ]

Yeah.

[ She nods politely. ]

Chris Caitlin.

[ Defensive, still. She doesn't know what the social rules are like in a place like this... but she needed to get out of the bad schools, even if it means learning new rules. ]

[Junna looks at Chris and isn't sure, at first, what to make of her. How long has she been a Dreamer? Was she ready for this? Or does it come easy to her?

She seems... defensive. Junna isn't sure why.]

It's nice to meet you. I'm still a little overwhelmed, to be honest. It feels a little unreal.

[ Plain-ish-but-cute freckled foreigner; and she looks like a wild mouse captured and kept in captivity, like she's constantly gauging whether to run away or bite you. ]

's way nicer than my last school. I like... having a dorm, too.

[Junna blinks at that. Nicer than her last school... that's not that surprising to her. But no dorm? Did she stat with her family?

Or...]

I've never had one before either. Where did you go to school, before?

Ah - uh, a few places. Around Osaka mainly.

[ Getting into trouble, mainly. ]

Hope this one sticks.

[Junna blinks. She had Chris pinned as a foreign student. But maybe not.

She smiles, after a moment, though.]

I think it will! This is the place to be for a Dreamer, right?

It's got the only schedule that works for that, right?

[ She had awakened, but not really participated beyond just sort of existing in the Dream Sphere. ]

Might have to take advantage of it.

Mm-hm. The best chance to do that. And to learn from the pros in the Union...

[She tilts her head.]

You plan to go on patrol a lot, then?

[ No, she means she's going to stay up and play video games. Maybe she'll find a way to get something other than F2P mobile games. ]

Guess I gotta get the practice in at some point.

[Scandal! Scandal!!]

I could use a practice partner! If you'd like.

[She sounds so excited too.]

[ It's good for morale. ]

I - y-yeah, I haven't really... teamed up before.

[ Okay, she can at least find out if this girl is tough enough to stick with - and what makes her tick. ]

[Junna nods, energized by... the thought of working hard. This is her life.]

Neither have I. I only awakened recently. But we can figure it out together!

I'm - um, also Dreamer Bullet.

[ She was happy to get a name that sounds pretty cool - with a weapon that lets her keep way far away. ]

There's a lot to learn huh?

Dreamer Sage.

[She extends a hand. Is a handshake between Dreamer partners the right move?

She's not sure.]

There is, but... it's good, I think.

[ Chris reaches out hesitantly, before just going for it. Handshake. Firm. Look her in the eyes. Try not to freak out. ]

I guess... I hope it is.

[ There's a flicker of a smile. ]

[Junna shakes her hand, and... that much is confident. She's not sure, herself. Worried she'll stumble in front of a fellow new Dreamer. Worried she'll look like a fool. Worried she can't keep up.]

We'll just have to work hard to make sure it is.

Ah, yeah.

[ Ew hard work. Just getting into this school took years off her life. ]

...we'll get there.

We will. I'm sure of it.

[Okay... she's mostly sure of it.]

...yeah.

You uh. ...probably wanna finish what you're doing?

[ Good excuse to bail. ]

Oh--oh, yes. We'll practice soon!

[Still lots to do in her room.]

I'll see you later.

See you around.

[ Okay. Probably. She's made a decision to do that, and she knows where Junna's room is (and Junna doesn't know where her room is), so this is a pretty good start. ]

[Junna waves at her, looking after Chris for a moment. She wonders for a moment. Will she be able to keep up?

Only one way to be sure.

She turns back to her work, starting to unpack her suitcase.]

[...Well, the new transfer student doesn't seem nearly as intimidating as they imagined. When Shinsha transferred to Yumemigaoka from their rural hometown, there was a brief flutter of interest, but that had quickly passed when it became clear that Shinsha was not willing to talk about being a Dreamer.]

Um... what sort of things do you like?

[They shift nervously from one foot to the other.]

I don't know much about trendy stores, but if you like potted plants, I know all of the flower shops around here... Even though we're on school holidays right now, the clubs still have meetings, so I was going to buy supplies for the Gardening Club.

Well... I like theater. Musicals, plays, movies... I thought of looking for some posters. But it can't all be posters.

[She looks thoughtful for a moment, before looking back at them. They seem nervous.

She smiles after a moment, then nods.]

Some potted plants would be very nice. I could come with you, if you'd like.

[The nature of Shinsha's powers as a Dreamer makes them wary of getting too close to people even in the real world... but they're trying, at least.]

There's a flower shop not far from here... I can show you around.

[Theater? While Yumemigaoka may not be as famous for its theatrical history as a place like Takarazuka, there are a few local stage companies, and the city's large international populaton means that there are shows and film festivals in a variety of languages. While Shinsha would immediately die from stage fright if they tried to act, they enjoy being a part of the audience. There's a moment when the lights dim and the curtain rises and they can forget who they are for a while.]

We sometimes go to see plays on class field trips, but I've never seen a musical... are you an actor?

[The Reflection Glades wasn't really a place Hanako liked to drop into often-- sure, it's pretty and peaceful and all, but compared to the other locations, it lacked the sort of teeth that kept him occupied. It was a nice place for Novices, for sure, but he'd long since graduated from that sort of thing... plus he saw enough flowers in his day-to-day life that he craved something a bit different by the time he hopped into the Dream Sphere.

... that all said, with the whole Stabilizing weirdness over the past month, he couldn't help but check in on the place regardless, to make sure it wasn't going out of whack like everything else lately. So far, everything looked about as normal as it could be, which was good... although he can't help but pause when he spots an unfamiliar Dreamer in the distance, kneeling in front of a Figment. Hm... it HAS been a while since he's bothered somebody new...

Quietly, he floats on over towards Sage's direction, being careful not to make a sound until he's right behind her, peering over her shoulder to get a better look at what she was doing.]

... you sure you should be doing that? Pretty sure those are people's souls, y'know.

[Not that he's one to talk about Dream Sphere ethics when he thrives on trying to jumpscare people here but shhhh]

Thanks. I'd really appreciate that... I'm still getting my bearings.

[Junna is attentive as she walks along. She's noting every street sign, where shops are, and taking in the sights. Getting to know her new city is also, in its own way, hard work.

She does pause a little at the question. It surprises her a little how her answer to them hurts, when she thinks of it.]

I used to be. I'm not sure if I'll have time here.

[Junna looks up as she hears a voice -- and her cheeks redden with embarrassment as she realizes Hanako is right. She stands up, does a short bow, and shakes her head.]

I'm very sorry! I hadn't thought that through. I--

[The Figment floats away. Junna sighs, dusting off and smoothing out her skirt.]

I've never seen one before, up close.

[Awwww, booo, he didn't manage to scare her-- maybe he was starting to lose his touch? Or perhaps this girl was made of tougher stuff than he thought...

Regardless, he props his chin upon his hand, casually watching the Figment drift off before giving Juuna an amicable enough smile.]

Yeah, they're pretty cool, aren't they? Weird to think we used to be these things here before we Awakened, huh?

[He kicks his feet a little idly in the air, and it almost seems like he may have glossed over the whole Figment poking thing entirely, until:]

They look kinda fragile, though, so you probably should be careful around them, just in case. It wouldn't look good for a Dreamer to accidentally mess with some random person's memories just because they were curious!

[YOU DIDN'T QUITE NEED TO TACK ON THAT LAST PART, HANAKO, SHE ALREADY APOLOGIZED...]

[Shinsha goes quiet - well, more quiet than usual - and seems to hunch inwards.]

Because of... Dreamer stuff?

[Shinsha has always hid their Dreamer identity from classmates. How are they supposed to make friends and fight alongside them when their powers are as dangerous to other Dreamers as they are to Torments? Better to let everyone assume that they're one of the few washout Dreamers who doesn't fight or explore.

But maybe they've been going about this the wrong way. Befriending Amane and Lisa in the real world, however tenuously, might have improved their confidence as a Dreamer, even if only a little...]

It does take up a lot of time, but... who you are in the Dream Sphere is a reflection of who you are here, so you shouldn't neglect the things you care about.

Mm. [She catches how they go quiet, but...

She misreads it -- maybe that they think it's unfortunate, that she's being foolish. Junna hesitates for a second. It doesn't register that this may have to do with their issues with being a Dreamer, too. Junna looks down for a moment, and then she opens her mouth. Then she closes it.]

Yes. But... I'm not all that talented at acting. [That's not entirely fair to herself.] I had to work hard at it, just to measure up.

And... to be the best Dreamer that I can, the very best that I can, I need to put all of myself into that.

[Cool... or embarrassment won out over everything else in the end?

She hesitates for a moment; then, Junna smiles a little, too, and looks after the Figment. He's right, she realizes. She was once a Figment, just like that. She glances after it, then looks back at him.]

It is a little weird. Though... I don't know. Maybe Dreamers are the weird ones, just by virtue of being different.

[Then there's a little twitch and a jerk at the last bit.]

Th--that can't happen.

...can it?

Hmmm... I dunno! [INCREDIBLY HELPFUL ANSWER THERE, HANAKO] I've heard weird things happen to people if Nightmares get to their Figments, so it might not be too far off the mark to think the same could happen with a Dreamer, instead. Probably good to leave them alone, in any case!

[Odd for him to be sounding like the responsible one for once, but there were a few things he didn't dare mess around with here, and Figments were one of them.

... not that he thought she had been doing anything wrong intentionally or anything like that, though! He peers over towards Juuna, curiously enough, chin still propped upon his hand.]

So... you're a newbie, then? I don't think I've seen you around here before now.

[Granted, the Dream Sphere was vast, and obviously Hanako hadn't met EVERY Dreamer crawling around it's spaces (and for all he knew, she could just frequent this particular spot), but he's fairly sure he hadn't seen her around in his travels.]

I think maybe it's better to not have talent. I have a... talent, but since I never had a chance to develop it, it ends up hurting people...

[From the moment they awakened as a Dreamer four years ago, Shinsha possessed immense raw destructive power... but only minimal control over their abilities. When one wrong move could poison or crush another Dreamer under thousands of pounds of liquid metal, how could they possibly protect anyone?]

...So I'm sure you'll be a great Dreamer, if it's something you work hard at.

Edited 2023-09-12 05:57 (UTC)

[She opens her mouth, as if to say "but you're the expert," except... well, he did say to not do it. He seems to be the responsible one. Junna hesitates a moment, but then she nods. It's a good point.

This isn't the sort of thing to do science experiments with.]

I'll leave them alone. Thank you for telling me.

[There is a moment's hesitation at his next question. The part of her that worries about being seen as incapable, as a burden, as not keeping up is very loud inside her head for a moment. Did she make a mistake that gave her away as a newcomer to this?

But... no. Dreamers would know each other; they would see each other around the Dream Sphere. And she is a newcomer.

So, after a moment, Junna nods.]

I am. I transferred here recently. I'm... still getting used to all of this.

...A talent that only ends up hurting people?

[She hesitates at that. Clearly, not like being talented at acting or singing; a talent that carries many more risks. Junna hesitates for a second, before she looks down.]

That... sounds difficult. Very difficult.

[But, they were trying to be kind, too, Junna thinks. She smiles, a little, after a moment.] But... thank you. I'll work hard until I master it.

[Shinsha blinks, taken somewhat off guard. Communication is not a talent that they possess, so they're never sure whether they're being too blunt or too vague when speaking to others... they'd half expected Junna to take offense at the comment, and they certainly hadn't expected thanks.

Embarrassed, they stare at the ground.]

Th-that's good. I... I still have a long way to go towards mastering my talent, so I'll try harder too...

[Junna smiles a little more, for a moment longer. Then, she nods at them, and hesitates for a second. Did she embarrass them?]

I think... with hard work, you'll get there. Some people have to work harder. I know I do. But... I think hard work can make up for that, and then some.

[Oh, if Junna thought Hanako was any sort of expert or responsible person within the Dream Sphere, she was going to be sorely disappointed. He may have already graduated to Experienced rank, but he'd only been at this for about a year and a half at best-- nowhere near enough time to get him accustomed to all the weird idiosyncrasies that came with dealing with this place. But he sure liked to sound like knew what he was talking about!!

At Junna's nod, though, he kicks his feet in the air a little more excitedly, seemingly thrilled that he was able to spot ~~fresh meat~~ a Novice right off the bat.]

Ooooh, is that so? Do you need someone to help show you the ropes around here, then? I may not look it, but I got lots of experience! [Well... experience fighting, maybe--] I even helped Stabilize a few places around here recently, too!

[Junna blinks her eyes once at the offer. (She does, genuinely, think he is an expert. And experienced!) She nods, quickly, then, because this is...

This is perfect.

She's been trying to figure this out on her own, and that's a recipe for disaster. Junna knows it's a matter of time until she gets herself into some sort of trouble that she can't get out of on her own. But with someone to guide her...]

Would you? I... ah... I admit, I could really use the help.

[This is hard for her to admit.]

[Well now! He didn't think she'd accept his offer so readily-- but then, he wasn't exactly going to complain about it, either. Rhodonite was sort of stubborn about figuring out stuff on her own, and Prisma... she'd probably be more receptive to his help if he didn't tease her as much as he did, so having someone unflinchingly accept his assistance was a nice change of pace.

He beams cheerfully in her direction, his mood clearly brighter now that he had someone new to ~~pester~~ guide around the place.]

Sure! People don't get good at this stuff immediately off the bat, after all. That's why it's good to have someone around to help you practice when we got downtime like this!

[Granted, he should take his own lessons to heart at times, but-- do as he says, not what he does]

Soooo... whatcha having trouble with? Abilities? Fighting stuff?

[Oh. Oh, God. Where does she start?

Junna hesitates for a moment -- then she nods, as she considers this, and... starts to go over the assessment of her abilities that she updates after each outing. There is a spreadsheet. There are grades on different categories.

Mercifully, she doesn't just provide this to him.]

Fighting is the biggest one. I... never was in a fight, until I became a Dreamer. I also haven't developed my abilities much yet, either, but... I feel a little more comfortable with those.

When Theater Kids Attack

Yumemigaoka, late August [OPEN]

Reflection Glades, late August [OPEN]

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