yumemigaoka | Anytime Anywhere

Entry tags:

frieren

Anytime Anywhere

⭐ Who: Chifuyu/Frieren and you!
⭐ When: Late October
⭐ Where: The Dreamer Union, Domremy Apartments, the Reflection Glades, the Abandoned Dojo… and maybe more?
⭐ What: Chifuyu arrives in town and settles in! …then proceeds to spend as much time as she possibly can in the Dream Sphere.
⭐ Warnings: Nightmare-induced memory loss and the death of a mother figure may come up in threads and will be warned for.

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Huh.

[She raises her eyebrows, but rather than back off, she pulls out the registration forms and passes them across the desk.]

In that case, these should be the right ones for you to work with us. I can get you in to talk with some of the Dreamers in the office in charge of things, but aside from that, we got everything you need for DU registration and working here in Yumemigaoka. So you've been a Dreamer that long, huh?

Thank you.

[Chifuyu glances at the forms while Maki speaks. These don't look too bad as far as paperwork goes, though she can't say she has any fondness for it regardless.]

That's right. I Awakened when I was six…

[The briefest of pauses as she does the math…]

…so, sixteen years ago. I take it you aren't a Dreamer yourself?

[Wow, she must get carded all the time.]

Nah, not me. Midorikawa Maki, IT tech and general errand runner. Don't worry, you'll run into plenty of actual Dreamers here. The people here are usually pretty dependable, even if they are slightly or strange. Or very.

[She would, if she ever did anything that warrants getting carded.

…Should she introduce herself with her Dreamer name, since this is the Dreamer Union? Maybe not, since Maki isn't one.]

Kimura Chifuyu. That's good to know. My mentor said something along those lines, too.

[Much as she'd prefer to not have to rely on others in the Dream Sphere, she's well aware that taking on Nightmares alone is a fool's errand. Frankly, had Flamme not imprinted on her that the DU was a good place to turn to, she most likely would have never taken the initiative to move to Yumemigaoka.]

I figured they might've. Now, everything on the form should be pretty simple. We got the basic contact information, the stuff you need for payroll... Still, ask if you have any questions, and I'll probably have your answer.

You mentioned you do IT work here… [A beat.] Do Dreamers need to use computers often?

No more than anyone else does in an office, which is to say a lot if you work here day to day. If you're just a regular registered Dreamer and don't have a desk job here, it's not like we're gonna make you.

…Good. I've never used a computer before.

[Yes, that's what she was worried about. Sorry for the future tech support nightmares when Chifuyu decides to get into Dream Sphere research.]

Seriously? Kinda thought everybody had by now, except the odd grandma who lives out in the boonies.

I suppose so.

[Maki kind of hit the nail on the head there, because guess where Chifuyu used to live and with whom…]

That aside, what are the duties of a registered Dreamer? Handling Torments and Nightmares is a given, I imagine.

Basically all you need to do is that, and we have mission signups, teams and the mentor program if you need in on 'em, and communication on stuff that's been found or explored. Especially with the recent Dreamer Crimson expeditions, those get a lot of use.

I see. Who is Dreamer Crimson?

She was a famous and popular Dreamer who disappeared out of nowhere years ago. Recently a couple of Dreamers went on some expeditions to find her. It hasn't gone well. The stuff coming back indicates she might not want to be found... and there's some weird things going on with that. I wouldn't be the one to ask for the details. Not like I was there.

[Chifuyu isn't too familiar with Dreamer disappearances. She knows they can happen, and that the mechanism behind them isn't well understood, but that's about it.]

I have a lot of experience with the Dream Sphere. Perhaps I can lend a hand with the investigation.

[Not out of personal interest or anything. Whatever gets her paid will do, and if she gets to see other Dreamers' abilities in the process, then all the better.]

Long as you're prepared. It's been pretty dangerous. If you're asking anyone,... I think I'd tell you to check in with Dreamer Chaosbringer if you want the details. But then again, he might be a little much for a newbie.

Edited 2023-10-31 19:10 (UTC)

[…What does "a little much" even mean?]

…In what way?

Picture the biggest, loudest, most bombastic person you've ever met. Then turn it another tick up or two.

[…Oh. That hadn't crossed Chifuyu's mind. And she can't really think of anyone like that…]

Thank you for the warning.

[Honestly, as long as this Dreamer Chaosbringer can be counted on to not put himself or others in harm's way in the Dream Sphere, he can be as bombastic as he wants.]

I don't believe I have any other questions… Is there anything else I should know?

[Might as well cover her bases.]

About Yumemigaoka? Double-check the sign at your train station so you don't get lost, especially if you're here in Koubai or over in Kihada. Speaking of the DU building, we got a rec room and a lounge up on the second floor that Dreamers come and hang around in. Just don't make too much of a mess.

Oh, and... we got a noticeable earthquake with the last big incident. In the real world. Not sure if that's a coincidence yet, but if stuff in the Dream Sphere is reaching out here, I figured you'd appreciate the warning.

[Chifuyu makes a mental note of Maki's recommendations. Transportation is going to take some doing to figure out, it seems. Before, she could just walk to wherever she needed to go—no such luck in a city this large. She's not much one for socializing, so she doubts she'll make use of the lounge and rec room, but it's at least good to know they exist.

The warning, however, piques her attention.]

"The last big incident?" Anything to do with Dreamer Crimson?

Similar, from what I gather. You heard about that idol who went missing in August, Kasuga Mio? Retreated into the Dream Sphere and got trapped in a huge distortion, and earthquakes started happening in the waking world. We've never seen anything like it. So we sent a bunch of Dreamers in to rescue her... It got pretty rough, but they got her out, and it looks like she Awakened while she was hiding in there. All came down to how much pressure her job put on the poor girl. She didn't even want to be an idol, much less carry her unit. That's why she quit once she was back -- you probably saw that part in the news.

[Between this and Dreamer Crimson, it appears this city is a magnet for trouble. So much for a peaceful life. But perhaps a distraction is exactly what Chifuyu needs.

Her familiarity with idols as a concept is limited; she had not, in fact, heard about this. By now it should be obvious that she's clueless about many things others take for granted. She hums noncommittally, then adds:]

Those are tough circumstances to Awaken in…

[The less-than-pleasant memories surrounding her own Awakening may be so distant and fuzzy as to feel dull in her mind, but the Nightmare attack that robbed her of some of her memories was fresh, barely a month old.

Chifuyu falls silent for a moment. She's been largely emotionless throughout the conversation, but now her eyes narrow, staring into nothing. The change is subtle enough to be easily missed, however.]

Sure are. But that's what we're here for, at least. The DU's gotten a lot more done than scattered Dreamers could alone. ...You doing okay there?

[Chifuyu blinks, any trace of emotion now wiped from her face.]

I'm fine.

[A beat.]

…In my experience, working with another Dreamer is by far the most efficient way of handling Nightmares.

[She had just been harshly reminded of that truth, after all. Another reason to join the DU.]

At any rate, I'm glad our philosophies align.

Yeah. [She nods, still looking Chifuyu over warily like she might faint or something.] Need anything else while you're here? Otherwise, you can check out the lounge upstairs. There might be some Dreamers up there you can talk to to get a sense of things.

(no subject)

timelessmage - 2023-11-11 16:55 (UTC) - Expand

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