Event #5: Fractured Melody

[beautifuldreamermods]

There's never been an Excursion quite like this. Groups are usually kept small to keep things from getting too chaotic but today, practically every Dreamer in Yumemigaoka has assembled at the northern exit of the Slumbering City. The air is tense – apprehension and fear of the unknown and a whole host of other feelings that nobody quite dares express out loud just in case saying them makes them true. This is the Dream Sphere, after all.

Suffocating sunlight pours down from the sky and catches off the water as everyone wades their way down the tracks. Just at the point that the surroundings begin to fluctuate and the barriers of the dream are just shy of being breeched, Dreamer Ange takes point and turns to address the group.

"I get that this probably goes without saying but whether you're new or an old hand, this is not going to be like any of the Excursions we're used to going on. We don't know for sure how dangerous all this is going to be – all we know is that there's somebody in there who can't protect herself and she needs our help. Keep smart. Stick together – use a buddy system if you have to. Don't even let yourself be alone if you can help it. And anytime you think you're in real danger, head back to the other side and wake up. Understood?"

She waits for a noise of affirmation from the group before turning back around and taking a long, slow breath.

"Let's go."

Like heat haze mirages, the air around them ripples. Making way into a new dream is usually as easy as stepping from one room to another, but finally breaking through to this is more like tearing back a curtain that resisted you every step of the way. And most alarmingly of all is the feeling that settles over everyone when they first set foot in what's waiting beyond, a sort of dizzy hyper-lucidity like a false awakening. It passes quick, but it's unfamiliar... especially since it's a sensation that will be very familiar to some Dreamers...






Welcome to Beautiful Dreamer's very first Disturbance event! To recap from the monthly post, Disturbances are surreal and dangerous dreamscapes that draw directly on the struggles, fears and emotions of a single character, similar to the TV world dungeons in Persona 4 or the Heartscapes in Blue Reflection Second Light. They're unique among Outlying Locations in that they vanish once resolved and incubate extremely powerful enemies at their core who must be defeated to save the person at its heart – in this instance, the idol known as Mio Kasuga.

Using the descriptions in the log below, you may freely toplevel and have characters explore and investigate as you please! The descriptions given in this log are to give direction and progression to the events but please feel free to play around within the bounds of what's established as much as you like. Characters wishing to investigate and uncover additional hints and lore nuggets at the heart of the dungeon should indicate they are investigating in the comment header of their toplevel.

Since this is our first Disturbance event, things are relatively simple. To clear the event and prevent a negative outcome on the plot that will effect both the Dream Sphere and Yumemigaoka, characters must clear both the Mid-Tier and Boss Combat Encounters by the OOC deadline of September 30th.

FRACTURE MELODY

Upon entering the dream, all Dreamers will first find themselves standing in the paved courtyard of a grand concert hall built from shimmering white marble. It's an imposing structure – somehow, it looks more like a siege fort or a prison than anywhere you might want to go for an evening's entertainment. Despite the dark night sky above, the courtyard where they stand is well-illuminated with most of the lights crossing to center on a massive banner overhead announcing: "Mio Kasuga Live in Concert."

Well. At least you know you're definitely in the right place.

The air is charged with anticipation and a hint of nervousness – all around there's the bustle of excited voices and footsteps of people coming and going but it doesn't seem like there's anyone else at all in the courtyard apart from the Dreamers. And... the sound can't be coming from inside because there isn't a single window on the entire building you can see. Just one way in – a huge ornate door carved in thick, black stone that looks like the door to some sort of dungeon.

As if anticipating guests, it swings open.

Once inside, the Dreamers will be able to split up and explore as they like but for now... looks like there's only one way to go.

♫ Closed Communication – Blue Reflection: Second Light



!

LOBBY

Upon entering, the Dreamers find themselves in an opulent lobby, spacious and open with dizzyingly high ceilings and wraparound balconies that are perilously out of reach for even the most determined of Dreamers. Like the outside, the building's inner walls are crafted from white marble that seems to glow from within and crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling, catching the light to send shimmers of rainbow light across the floor and walls. The white marble floor is polished to a mirror shine but whenever someone stops to try and peer down at their reflection, it will fracture and undulate beyond recognizability until they look away.

Along one wall, red velvet drapes cascade from floor to ceiling to frame the entrance to the main stage and all around, various side doors and hallways split off into different directions. Faceless shades – not Torments but not Figments, either – mill around the hall, giving it the appearance of a crowd. But if you pay attention, it becomes clear none of them are actually moving with any sort of purpose; they're randomly drifting here and there to give the illusion of movement and activity. It's clear that these faceless guests are just as much a fixture of the dream as the chandelier is.

It's oddly, eerily silent aside from the scratchy recordings of Pure Candy's songs playing over some unseen speakers. Even that meagre filler noise occasionally gives way to record scratching sounds and indiscernible babbling before lapsing back to the cheery, happy pop of Pure Candy.

That same unpleasant tension from outside is simmering under the surface but by all appearances, this lobby should serve as a safe zone for regrouping and resting as explorations continue.

!

MAIN STAGE

Ducking under the curtain and entering the main stage, the Dreamers find themselves amidst a sea of empty, crimson velvet theater seats dimly illuminated by the glow of the overhead crystal chandeliers high up on the ceiling. The rows and rows of seats are arranged in a semicircle around the stage, packed so closely together and to the stage itself that the whole thing feels remarkably claustrophobic.

The stage itself is a vast expanse of obsidian-black marble that captures and amplifies every hint of light, creating the illusion of a swirling galaxy beneath a Dreamer's feet. The effect is something like stepping on a glass floor at the top of an enormous tower; a horrible sense of spinning vertigo. An ebony grand piano stands at the center, its surface speckled with starry reflections both from the spotlights and the backdrop of the stage.

A huge, towering mosaic looms behind the stage, an intricate pattern of shattered mirrors and crystal fragments suspended in mid-air by invisible threads. Each fragment casts light in a slightly different hue with odd perspectives that subtly warp the reflection of anything inside them. Look long enough and you might see a flash of something – or somebody – else. Mio Kasuga as she's seen up on this stage, laughing, smiling, dancing, screaming, singing, crying, performing, laughing, laughing, laughing–

Oh. She isn't in there at all, actually. What were you looking at again?


⧖ HAZARD ALERT: If the Dreamers approach the grand ebony piano at the center of the stage, they will notice that the keys seem to play of their own accord, growing louder and sharper the closer they get. Ethereal notes that fill the air – pleasant at first but then the very pretty melody starts to turn discordant and ramps up in volume as each of those ear-splitting notes resonates with the obsidian stage beneath their feet, creating violent waves of sound that pulse through the main stage.

The hazard here lies in the piano's unpredictable melodies. The resonant waves of sound can cause the marble stage to vibrate and shift, making footing unstable. At times, the vibrations can become so intense that sections of the stage rise and fall like waves, creating gaps and uneven terrain. The Dreamers must time their movements carefully to avoid being thrown off balance or falling into these gaps, all while the hauntingly beautiful music of the piano plays on. Destroying the piano or otherwise putting distance between it and the Dreamer will stop the performance... at least temporarily.

⧖ HAZARD ALERT #2: As the Dreamers explore the seats, they notice a series of spotlights positioned around the perimeter, seemingly at random, each casting a brilliant beam of light. However, if they step into these beams, they realize that they cast long, elongated shadows that move independently of their actual positions.

When the Dreamers step into a spotlight's beam, their shadows take on a life of their own, seemingly pulling them in unexpected directions or shoving them around and tripping them. The only way to disperse them is to shatter the light that created it in the first place... but good luck even getting close when your own shadow is determined to pull your feet our from under you!

!

BACKSTAGE HALLWAY

Once they manage to find a way around the stage's hazards, the Dreamers will be able to make their way into the wings of the stage. Passing through a discreet side door, the Dreamers enter a dimly lit backstage hallway, a stark departure from the grandeur of the main stage. The walls are lined with peeling wallpaper that might have been a vibrant red once upon a time but time and neglect have faded it to a dull, muddy pink. Sconces are placed intermittently along the walls but the light they provide is dim and flickering and only really succeeds in casting eerie shadows that dance across the cracked and weathered floor.

Along the hallway, the walls are dotted with framed photographs that seem to be moments from Mio's life as if captured on film... but they seem oddly distorted, as if the feelings associated with them have caused them to warp and contort. As you progress further down the corridor and the walls narrow to a slightly anxiety inducing squeeze, you'll be able to follow their progression. Mio as a young child in the audience of a stage show, looking awed. Mio as a grade schooler at a piano with her brow furrowed in intense concentration. Mio as a middle schooler despondently watching a competition going on without her. Mio posting an envelope. Mio at some sort of audition. Mio on stage as the centre of Pure Candy–

The last frame has been pulverized by some terrible force, glass shattered and photo almost shredded to pieces. From there to the end of the corridor, every single remaining frame has been broken as if someone had struck it over and over again in the midst of a rage.

At the end of the corridor, in place of a door is... a full length mirror? How strange.


⧖ HAZARD ALERT: As the Dreamers approach the mirror stands in place of a door, they become aware of a menacing presence – the mirror seems to radiate an aura of anger and frustration, and the air itself crackles with malevolent energy. Once they draw close enough to see their reflection in the mirror, they'll get the shock of their lives once it starts moving all by itself! It seems like whatever lays beyond is protected by the presence in this mirror who is delighting in forcing them to play along. The presence can be appeased with a little game of 'follow the leader' in which Dreamers must perfectly follow their reflection's movements until the door swings open. A single failure, however, will have their reflection vanish altogether and they'll be forced to wait for another Dreamer to come along to take a second shot at the game.

Of course, there's always the brute force option... but shattering the glass will result in a whole swarm of Torments exploding out of the mirror and you'll be forced to battle your way through in the narrow corridor! Keep on your toes!

!

DRESSING ROOM

With the mirrors blocking the way crossed one way or another, the Dreamers emerge into what looks at first glance to be a regular dressing room – then with a blink, the oddness of the whole situation asserts itself. The room is divided almost perfectly in two with one side pristine and glamorous, white walls adorned with photographs of "Miomio" posing and beaming at the camera – moments of radiant success, her radiant smile and glittering costumes befitting an idol adored across the nation. A grand dressing table sits against the wall in this half of the room with expensive cosmetics and trinkets scattered across its surface – a sparkling tiara, remnants of glittering confetti, and a copy of Pure Candy's first ever album release. It all sits glittering prettily in the soft light from the chandelier above... but something about the scene feels plastic and hollow. Something about it is wrong.

The other half of the room is in stark contrast – dark, dingy and neglected. It feels dimmer, even though it's under the same light, as if struggling to hold back the shadows. The walls are papered with what was one probably a striking crimson velvet wallpaper but neglect and damage have left it torn and frayed, its rich color faded to a sombre, muted shade. The walls bear faded and torn posters, have ripped from the wall and while there's a second vanity on the other side, it's not in much better shape than anything else on this side of the room. The vanity mirror on this side is cracked and fragmented, reflecting a distorted image when the Dreamers peek into it and empty makeup containers and brushes are in disarray all over the table. It's dirty and dismal over here but... something about it feels more honest, too.

Initially, this appears to be a dead end. However, looking into the shattered mirror will reveal a door in the reflection that does not exist in the actual room. Nothing you can do will make it appear but touching the mirror will allow you to pass through into the reflection (though uh, getting up onto the dressing table is a little awkward...). Once you're in the reflection side of the room, the door can be opened and things start getting really bizarre from there...

There are no hazards here, but interfering with any of the trinkets on the pristine side of the room will spawn a particularly aggressive and surprisingly powerful Torment!

!

MIRROR MAZE

The Dreamers pass through Mio's dressing room and straight into madness. Behind the mirror room door, they will find themselves entering a gigantic labyrinth, a colossal glass structure impossibly suspended in an infinite expanse of darkness. Its transparent walls extend seemingly infinitely in all directions, creating an eerie sensation of being adrift in a sea of reflections. The glass is flawless and unblemished, but its cold, almost sterile quality stirs up an odd sense of isolation and disconnection.

Trying to find your way in this maze is like... well, a nightmare. Pathways snake and twist in every direction and mirrors reflect each other, creating infinite regressions and dead ends and leaving it more or less impossible to predict what lies around the next corner. It's like trying to navigate a gigantic kaleidoscope, with reflections multiplying and refracting in baffling ways.

While it is possible to navigate, Dreamers must do so carefully. Getting lost in this maze is incredibly easy, especially if you're alone, and once you've gotten turned around there's no reliable way to escape without waking up and returning – and who knows just how much time you'd lose by going the long way round like that? To make matters worse, the maze itself is absolutely festering with Torments. . . and one super pissed off Nightmare right at the heart of the maze!

Dreamers looking to challenge the Nightmare should check into the Mid-Tier Combat thread.

!

HEART CAGE

Somewhere deep within the maze is an unassuming looking door that when crossed through...

darkness awaits.

code

Comments

[hgs]

...If that's really Mio-san, I think we should try not to hurt her. In a sense, this place is her.

[It's as if the idol's entire self has been transformed into cold, brittle architecture. Despite their heavy black coat, Cinnabar shivers slightly.

The small blobs of floating mercury that surround Cinnabar's body begin to coalesce and flow, until they form a quicksilver tentacle. The appendage stretches towards Mio's cage, tapping its considerable weight against the floor of the chamber as it moves.]

I can test for traps, but I don't have the strength or dexterity to open her cage... and there's a chance that I could poison her.

[thezekeinator]

I'll move ahead. You all watch my sides and back.

[But first things first: Zeke hold up his left hand in a fist.]

I call upon Shining Justice!

[He snaps his hand open and brings it around, palm facing in Cinnabar's direction. A brief flicker passes between the two, flowing from Cinnabar to Chaosbringer, before he turns his hand palm up and a silvery ball coalesces above it. At a brief glance, it might look like mercury -- but no, it's slightly brighter, and seems to have a bit of crust covering it where the mercury is ever perfect liquid.]

Oh yeah! I can work with this.

[Shining Justice: Power Driver activated, Zeke sets the ball of gallium floating in midair -- then at last, turns to advance at a measured pace towards the cage.]

[i_peace]

[He watches Cinnabar manipulate the mercury, captivated, before he turns to look at Zeke. Oh, that's... That's an interesting ability, wasn't it? It's become woefully apparent in a very short amount of time just how outclassed he is compared with the other three. Tycoon shifts his weight, a ball of anxious energy, eyes darting around between the other Dreamers, the trapped Mio and their dark environment.

Still... He takes a breath and summons his own weapons - in twin blade form - and nods at Zeke]

Right... [then, a little more determined;] All right, I'll follow your lead.

[beautifuldreamermods]

[ Initial examinations of the chamber will reveal there appears to be no traps... though of course in any dream, that's no always a guarantee and in a particularly abnormal one like this there's even less to be sure of. There doesn't seem to be any give in the floor that would suggest weighted traps nor are there any tripwires being triggered by Cinnabar's investigations.

In addition, getting a closer look at the cage will reveal some interesting things. It doesn't actually appear to have a door or any way of opening it – it's smooth glass all the way up down and around, as if it simply formed around Mio for the purposes of keeping her trapped. Or safe. It's a bit unclear which it might be. ]

[healthepast]

[Guardian is just... Well, it's cool that there's powers like that. But he's not here to ogle, right? He's got to make sure to keep up with everyone's needs. He can do that.

Guardian makes sure to keep an eye open for enemies, summoning a swirl of crystals around him.

But... so far? There's... nothing. Which is strange, really. There's no way it'll be so easy. Can it be?

He takes a few hesitant steps forward, still following up behind the others in case anything changes.]

This is... weird, right? There's nothing going off, no enemies are coming in. I've been paranoid before, but... This can't be right.

[hgs]

No... I think caution is warranted here. But I'm not detecting any obvious traps.

[Cinnabar lets Chaosbringer and Tycoon take the lead, trying not to make eye contact with Zeke. They had a vague idea of what his powers entailed, so they aren't surprised to learn that "Shining Justice" can produce a less toxic version of their power... but it still stings to watch him produce gallium of all things. Unfortunaetely, gallium and mercury are of roughly equal utility in this sitation, since neither corrodes glass.

What seemed at first to be a delicate glass cage is actuallly a part of the room itself - spikes of crystal have grown up from the floor to surround Mio. But this place is an extension of Mio's mind, right? If that's the case, isn't this a prison of her own making? The girl who rampaged through this landscape of shattered mirrors and the girl asleep on the floor of the cage could be one in the same.]

I was hoping to avoid force, but I can't see any way to remove her from the cage without breaking it. There's no door, and the base is fused to the floor.

We don't even know for sure that she's Mio-san... but no matter who or what she is, we can't just leave her.

[thezekeinator]

[Is this cage just a gazebo in another shape?]

[Is this an answer, an explanation?]

[The trigger... the trigger before had been the resident noticing them. So as Zeke draws closer, he lifts his free hand to his mouth to call out.]

Hey, Mio!

[Everyone get ready. Just in case.]

1/2

[beautifuldreamermods]

[ At first, there's just silence. ]

[beautifuldreamermods]

[ And then slowly, groggily, Mio begins to stir. ]

Mm... What...?

[ She eases up onto her hands and knees, head still hanging and hair curtaining her face for a moment as she tries to get her bearings before she turns to look at the group and

blinks. Stares. ]

... h–huh?! Hold on a second– what's going on?

[i_peace]

[Based on what they've seen so far to get here, the only thing he knows for sure is that just about anything in this place - Distortion? - can turn around and attack them. Shadows, reflections - he tries to avoid looking at the too cleanly polished floor lest he get dizzy distracted by whatever strange quirk the reflections here have, tries to keep an eye on their surroundings, tries to-

Tycoon nearly jumps out of his skin when Zeke calls out to Mio, too nervous to actually register that the other man was about to yell. In the immediate silence following, he tries to not focus on how loud and rapid his heartbeat is in his own ears... It's a surprise he doesn't wake up from that alone, honestly]

Are you all right? [all caution and concern for his own wellbeing is, in typical Keiwa fashion, forgotten in the favour of someone else's. Even with the cage clearly still in the way, Tycoon rushes forward-]

[healthepast]

[Zeke calls out, and Guardian's eyes widen, staring at Zeke with disbelief and mild terror.

But then... Mio starts to stir. And she's confused. Only for Tycoon to bolt out to her.]

Tycoon, wait! [Guardian tries to grab him, and will even rush after him if he has to.]

I'm worried, too. But we shouldn't do anything that puts Mio, and us, in danger!

[hgs]

[Mio is waking up, which is strange in itself, isn't it? Cinnabar has never been able to sleep in the Dream Sphere, and on the few occasions when they've been seriously injured here, they've always reappeared safe in their bed before losing consciousness. It's as if something is interfering with Mio's link to the real world and preventing her from going home.]

Mio-san, it's alright! You're in the Dream Sphere, but we're here to help you!

[They intentionally don't specify what "help" means - if this unsettling, Torment-haunted place is a reflecion of Mio's mind, then maybe she doesn't want to go back to the waking world. Cinnabar's feelings on that are beside the point, though - if Mio resists, she might complicate the mission. This will be easier if everyone stays calm.]

Is it alright if we come closer?

[Cinnabar stays back at a safe distance - not because they're afraid of being attacked, but because they're afraid that their mercury will respond automatically to protect them from attack, inadvertantly hurting someone else in the process. They aren't well suited to rescue missions, but after making such a show of joining the Dreamer Union, they didn't feel like they could refuse to investigate the Distortion.]

[thezekeinator]

Hey.

[Zeke waves, casually. Looks like he gets to step right up to the cage, and look like he might be attempting to open it. He isn't, though, at least not at first -- Chaosbringer's betting that the act of closing the distance alone will trigger Whatever Is About To Happen. After everything they came through to get here, it can't be easy in the slightest, can it?]

[Though if he has to poke the glass proper, he will.]

[i_peace]

[Tycoon stops moving when he feels Guardian grab him by one of his sleeves. Probably for the best, as Tycoon is still holding onto his weapons in spite of him dropping nearly everything else (like good sense)]

But-

['they've seen what the rest of this place looks like,' he wants to say, 'we can't just leave her'... He doesn't though, because Guardian has a point and more experience to boot. As quickly as he rushed out there, what fight was in Tycoon earlier drains away. He nods with a quiet noise of acknowledgement but he doesn't follow behind Chaosbringer again. Instead, he stays standing next to Guardian, tense]

[healthepast]

[Guardian lets out a breath of relief, thankful that Tycoon is willing to cooperate. He tries to offer a reassuring smile to Tycoon.]

Don't worry; we can act immediately if anything changes. Let's trust that Chaosbringer knows what he's doing. And hopefully he can bring Mio back with him.

[It would be a nice hope. He's definitely saying it to be more calming for the others, though. He's admittedly worried this will all take a turn for the worst in the beat of a heart. And so, he unconsciously holds his breath, as if hoping that his own beat isn't what triggers it.

Please be careful, he thinks so hard that he hopes it'll reach Chaosbringer through some imaginary psychic connection.]

[beautifuldreamermods]

[ Quite understandably, Mio looks absolutely baffled by everything that's going on – her eyes are flitting anxiously around to take everything in and as she grabs hold of the bars of the cage, her hands are visibly trembling. ]

I'm not hurt, I just... I have no idea what's going on here!

[ It looks like just approaching isn't setting anything off but now that he's in closer proximity to Mio, Chaosbringer will be able to pick up on something. While it'd been slightly up in the air before being face to face with Mio like this confirms without a doubt: this isn't an illusion or a Figment. This is Mio herself in the flesh.

How she ended up in the Dream Sphere is another question entirely. ]

[hgs]

[Thin threads of mercury spread across the slick marble floor to increase the area that Cinnabar's liquid shields can cover in the event of a surprise attack. Stretched out like this, their powers won't be as strong... but they'll be able to react quickly. There's always a risk of poison, but Guardian is a healer, and Chaosbringer and Tycoon look sturdy enough... Cinnabar is reasonably confident that they'd all choose the risk of mercury poisoning over being crushed by massive shards of glass from above.

They nod towards Mio without approaching.]

There's been some kind of anomaly in the Dream Sphere. Everyone's working to fix it, but right now, it seems like you've been trapped inside a dream... your dream.

Chaosbringer is going to try to find a way to open your cage, alright? If anything happens, we'll protect you.

[thezekeinator]

Right. But we've got to be careful. You wouldn't be feeling the urge to pull out a weapon and start dominating the Dream Sphere through sheer force of will, would you?

[He doesn't for a second actually think Mio is awakening in any way -- this is much too weird for that. But he intends the conversational question as a distraction, keeping her focused and as calm as possible.]

[This cage doesn't seem to have a bloody door. Gingerly, Chaosbringer gives it a gentle push, seeing if it can perhaps be tipped. Maybe it's just set over her like some cartoon mousetrap?]

[They should be so lucky.]

[i_peace]

[new as he is to this, Tycoon has nothing to add to what the more experienced Dreamers have to say. He doesn't even have any real words of encouragement to offer Mio either, almost as lost as she is at this point.

So he tries to take in their surroundings instead; the cracked mirrors all along the sides of the ballroom, the chandelier directly above the cage... The cage itself looking like it had simply grown out of the ground]

... Has she just been in there the whole time?

1/2

[beautifuldreamermods]

[ Mio visibly blanches but pulls in a deep, shaky breath and nods firmly, pulling her expression tight into forced calmness. ]

R–right! I'll just... I'll stay calm and then I can... I can go back.

[ A pause. Mio blinks.

And all of a sudden, something changes. It's like the tang of ozone that fries the air during a thunderstorm – tension you can feel and almost taste even if you don't know what's happened to cause it. The hairs on the back of your neck rise and that horrible dizzy feeling that plagued you when you first entered this place passes over you once more. ]

That can't be right. Can it? I mean...

[beautifuldreamermods]

She promised I wouldn't have to go back.

[ An enormous screech of metal bending and giving way resounds from above.

The chandelier has, of course, finally begun to drop. ]

[healthepast]

[Could she have been here the whole time? It's possible. And, then again, maybe not. It's not something Guardian had given much thought to before Tycoon mentioned it.

And it looks like it's not something he'll be able to give much thought now, either.

Guardian looks absolutely terrified as the chandelier falls.]

Chaosbringer! Watch out!

[But Mio. Mio, too. He takes a few hurried steps forward before stopping. And Guardian feels powerless. He can't push her out of the way. He can't redirect the object. If he runs in, he runs the risk of doing more harm than good, of being another body that needs to be protected.

He hates waiting, but what else can he do? Please, please let Chaosbringer know what he's doing. And if anyone, especially Mio, gets hurt, hopefully his healing magic will be enough to make a difference.]

[hgs]

[Cinnabar was anticipating some kind of trap, but even they weren't pessimistic enough to expect the entire chandelier to come crashing down at once. It's more than their mercury can possibly stop - their liquid metal shields can slow projectiles, but they won't block thousands of kilos of glass and steel. Nor will Zeke's liquid gallium... leaving him with only a sword to protect himself and Mio.

But there's another option - Cinnabar remembers from science class that gallium has a low melting point, just enough to liquefy in the sun or in the palm of ones hand. When cooled even slightly, it rapidly hardens into solid metal.]

Make a shield! I'll reinforce it!

[Cinnabar's mercury has been spreading across the cold marble floor, so when it touches the gallium, it should produce enough of a heat sink effect to instantly soldify the other metal. Standing well back from the chandelier's path, they raise a hand and command all of their mercury to coalesce above Mio's cage. With any luck, Chaosbringer will be able to block the worst of the poison - and the shards of glass - from touching them...]

1/ . . .

[beautifuldreamermods]

[ Like a well oiled machine, the Dreamers spring into action. Considering how quick the drop happens, it's shocking how quick their shields leap into being and block the chandelier's trajectory. In the moment before it collides with their shields, though, something baffling happens.

The chandelier opens. It becomes clear if only for a split second that the shape it takes is a grasping claw.

Then it meets the shield with a cacophony of sound. Glass, metal and crystal screech and scatter, exploding out from the collision in all directions. It's a horrendous noise but it only lasts for a few seconds until the last of the debris tinkles to the floor and once again, there's silence.

Until Mio speaks up. ]

[beautifuldreamermods]

No.

[ In sharp contrast to her fretting before, Mio's gaze is suddenly fiercely direct. Her eyes are bright – maybe too bright – and there's a smouldering anger suddenly present that wasn't there before.

All of a sudden, you hear tinkling and scraping all around you again. As if drawn in by some magnetic force, the debris from the chandelier is being pulled in towards Mio's cage to begin plastering itself to the bars. ]

She said I didn't have to go back. If it means having to sing and dance and smile all the time again whether I like it or not...

[ Her voice cracks and breaks into an anguished, furious howl. ]

I won't let you take me!

[ With a burst of sound and light, the cage is swallowed by the chandelier's debris. It compacts and crushes itself into some jagged orb before rising unsteadily on eight, sharp looking legs... ]