( open ) i'm looking up my symptoms

[reluctants]

⭐ Who: Illya and you!
⭐ When: The first half of April
⭐ Where: In the Dream Sphere
⭐ What: Of course powers go wild just when Illya decides to practice..

[ Illya knows she has to get stronger. Considering the sheer amount of those wild Disturbances they've had lately, the girl knows she has to try and practice more, especially when she knows she still isn't very strong at all compared to other Dreamers.

Hence why you might come across the young girl if you're out in the Dream Sphere. Dreamer Prisma seems to at least have moved on from the zones that are for utter beginners, but she's still sticking to anything that doesn't rise above a medium level of risk for now.

.. though Prisma might not be the first thing you'd notice if you encounter her. No, rather than the young Dreamer, there's a ball of energy - which you might recognize as her standard attack, if you've seen it - heading your way. Not flying through the air as it always does, though. No, it's.. bouncing across the ground like a kangaroo, weirdly enough..?

It hasn't reached you yet, so there's time to dodge or otherwise avoid it, but there is a shriek of: ]

W-Watch out, they bounce!

[ That's definitely Illya's voice. And she sounds so alarmed, even though it's not like this bouncing ball is super threatening or anything.. It's like the world's most anticlimactic horror movie. ]

Comments

[determinationtofist]

[ Alas... no, this is just Hibiki for you. ]

Hm? Oh, right! Was that a new attack you were practicing? What about it?

[ She glances over in the direction she sent the ball in, still not grasping why Illya is so panicked. ]

Huh... it's still going?

[greaterspeed]

[the ears on top of his head twitch as he listens to her. She sounds... Really young? In a way that pointed to inexperience more than any actual age difference. He remembers when he first started Dreaming... Well, who are we kidding? Sonic came into the Dream Sphere running, crashing through on a train with wings.

Nothing to it then. He'll just have to lead by example]

Relax! [even in Engrish, he sounds so at ease, like there's no where else in the world he'd rather be] Leave that part to me. I'll make sure we stay on track.

[angelolatry]

[Colette nods, following when the other starts running. She might not necessarily be sure on just how to stop this but at the least in the meantime while they figure something out they can hopefully help warn others that might be nearby. She at least wants to try.

So she follows, trying to pace herself and her breathing as best she can as she follows after the other, after the ball of energy.]

It is! Just don't lose sight of it. We'll figure something. Or at least we can warn anyone nearby to be careful.

[smalltall]

[It is definitely a gun. But its a PINK gun, matching the girl's outfit, so it was totally an outstanding fit. In LLENN's eyes, it was the most lovely weapon around, cute beyond belief. Sometimes she liked to hug it when she thought no one was looking. She definitely does NOT talk to it, though. No matter what people may think they see her doing.

She's wearing a triumphant grin on her face as she opens fire. Thankfully, it seems the trouble she's having with her speed doesn't translate to something like taking aim and firing. Illya doesn't have to worry about her suddenly facing the wrong direction and finding herself assaulted by a hail of magical bullets.

And its only a second before that grin fades into a look of disbelief. She just took one big problem and turned it into a bunch of little ones. On the bright side, the little bouncing pink balls were actually pretty cute.]

G...gah! I made it SO much worse! They're all over the place! The whole area is turning pink! And for once I don't like it!

[She turns to flee from the mess she'd made, but this time it seems like her speed had been turned off entirely. She's barely able to move at all, and the little orbs bound around her. Its a small miracle none of them make contact with her before, suddenly, she's over a hundred feet BEHIND Illya's hiding place. Her sigh is easily heard from the distance.]

Today is not fun at all.

[reluctants]

[ The girl frowns. Not about her little power problem though - even if that's still a problem, the worst of it seems to be covered by the rats right now. No, instead Prisma is thinking about both of the things the other Dreamer says, wondering which one to address first. They both feel important..

But considering she can't help but want to make sure everyone knows how amazing they are, she knows she has to address the first part first. She can always ask about that other thing later. ]

No way..! They're not just rats!

[ She shakes her head. It's easy to say this, considering she was already so surprised and amazed by them last time around. ]

You're able to summon all sorts of little helpers! Don't you think that's a really cool thing to do..? It makes you seem really powerful! [ To her, anyway. Even though she might be a very impressionable child. ]

[reluctants]

.. um.. a little confused, mostly.

[ At least she's being honest. Though perhaps a little too honest right now - but at least she's saying it to someone she knows she can trust.

It is a lot to take in though. The advice, this entire chaotic situation, his explanation for what's going on to show that it's not her.. But Prisma is doing her best. ]

I mean, I've-- [ There's a nervous glance in the direction of the ball, and then another nervous glance at the Hakujoudai which she's only noticing right now.. Which only make things even more confusing. ] My powers never did anything like this before. Do you mean that when you say there's something weird going on..?

[ At least she does sound calmer, even if she still sounds pretty confused. Look, Keiwa, you're doing a good job! You're breaking the anxiety spiral! ]

[reluctants]

[ Guess who nearly manages to trip when the person dragging her along suddenly stops. This girl, of course. She lets out a yelp, only managing to regain her balance just in time to avoid falling on the ground on her butt..

.. though she would be more worked up if it wasn't for the fact that he's actually giving her a solution she hadn't considered yet herself. She stares at him with wide eyes.. ]

Do you think that would work..?

[ It'd be quicker to just try it out immediately, but considering what the girl is like, Prisma definitely needs someone else's explicit agreement before she dares to actually do it. What is self confidence? No such concept in her dictionary? ]

[reluctants]

[ Thankfully for Dreamer Mind, it doesn't explode!

Usually it would have, which is why Prisma was freaking out so much about it just bouncing everywhere and potentially hitting people.. But the moment Mind hits it with her staff, it has the same effect as hitting a tennis ball with a racket.

.. which is to say, it just changes the course of the ball, instead sending it bouncing right back into Prisma's direction. The young girl manages to notice it just in time to let out a shriek before diving out of the way, the ball just bouncing on in the empty path left in the wake of Prisma's jump. ]

W-W-What happened?! [ She squeaks as she drags herself back up off the ground, clearly having been too startled to realise what Mind just did. ]

[reluctants]

Yes! That's the problem..!

[ At least she doesn't sound angry with Hibiki for not getting it - please, this is Illya, she'd never dare to get angry with anyone over something like that, especially not someone older and cooler than her - as much as she just sounds like she's still fretting. And that it's why her voice is turning into what's practically just a squeak of worry and panic. ]

My attacks never bounce! B-But right now they're just bouncing everywhere..! [ She waves her hands in the air to 'aid' her panicked explanation. ] I.. I don't know how to stop them..!

[predecir]

Uh, heh -

[Bruno chuckles a little, plainly sort of flustered. People don't usually compliment his powers: one of them was admittedly hated more, but the rat thing was never too great for publicity either.]

- well, thanks. It's, um - they're pretty small, but I'm really more of a Sentry than a Striker. Saw a kid once who could summon, like, panthers.

[Antonio did it once, but it's pretty noticeable even when you're a dream spy!]

[determinationtofist]

Hm...

[ Maybe it's just because of their gap in experience, but while she can see the problem now... she does think Illya is overreacting a bit. ]

Hey, hey! Calm down! It's fine, it's not going anywhere! Er, fast, that is! Though I am surprised it's still going...

[ That's quite the ability, Illya-chan... ]

Mm... maybe I can try and catch it?

[i_peace]

Yeah... [he seems relieved? A quick glance is directed at the orb bouncing steadily farther... Maybe if they're lucky it'll just disappear? Does magic persist when the Dreamer that used it wakes up?] Yeah. Similar to what happened a couple of months ago, where people were forcibly being moved around the Dream Sphere.

[he sort of hopes that Prisma didn't experience it. A Nightmare that could unsettle even Chaosbringer? Definitely not something he wanted Prisma to come across]

... Hopefully, it's nothing as big as that. But if your powers are suddenly different, it might not be your fault. Not right now at least.

[He would be joining her on the anxiety spiral, but he's gotten better at keeping himself under control after the Tanuki Incident(tm)!! Can't fix the problem if you can't stay calm, right? ... He's had these weird powers for a couple of trips into the Dream Sphere now though. Hopefully it changes back soon... As useful as Hanako's powers are, they aren't his and it feels odd to use]

[flatcola]

Oh.

[ Tennis WAS something she was...

She wasn't good at it, but she could hit a thing in gym class if she could get to it. ]

You should've probably hit it back.

[coorow]

[He beams back at her, holding up a finger.]

It’s worth a try, right?

[He actually has no idea, but it’s better than nothing!]

[reluctants]

[ S-Sonic, please! Don't you know that you being so cool and reliable and totally not worried at all is very distracting?

At least it does mean she's instantly willing to believe the words. Surely no one would say something like that so confidently if they didn't believe they could live up to it, right? So rather than further fussing about it, the young girl tries to put the worry out of her mind, just relying on Sonic to keep running. To make sure they won't lose the ball of energy.

Instead she focuses on what she can do. Which, in this case, means sucking in a deep breath of air, closing her eyes.. and doing her best to focus. She has never tried dismissing her power before, but surely it must be possible. If she made it, then she can.. unmake it, right?

For a few moments Prisma says nothing. She just rests there in his arms while he runs, looking like she's trying really hard to concentrate, judging by the frown on her face. She breathes in, out, in her head casting something that almost feels like a desperate prayer for the attack to vanish..

.. and then it seemingly does. The bigger ball splits up into various smaller balls of energy, and those then slowly fade away until there's nothing left.

Not that Prisma knows that's what's happened. She still has her eyes closed, even after the attack has disappeared. ]

[reluctants]

[ It's true, they can at least call out if they see anyone else in the direction of where the ball is bouncing off to.. Though the girl sure hopes they'd get out of the way in time.

It's hard to think and run at the same time, but something does suddenly occur to the girl as she keeps moving. ]

Don't you have some sort of power that could maybe stop it..?

[ She may be pretty sure her own currently screwed up powers would probably just make all of this worse, but maybe Colette can help..? Her powers are probably normal, right? ]

[reluctants]

[ Illya was actually in the middle of jumping out to try and help the other, especially when Karen wasn't using the gun anymore.. But it's like one moment Karen is standing right between all the little bouncing balls, and the next moment she's suddenly gone.

.. or way behind her, actually. Illya only realises that last part as soon as she hears the other girl's voice, and she whips her head around to find Karen standing quite a distance away.. ]

We.. We have to do something to solve this!

[ The obvious conclusion. Both Karen's problem and Illya's own. ]

We can't just let this go on! People will get hurt..! Or-- Or you'll get hurt! [ Because that sudden teleportation definitely seems like it'd just put Karen in trouble sooner or later.. And Illya doesn't want that either! It doesn't matter that she doesn't know the other girl all that well-- she still doesn't want to see her hurt. ]

[greaterspeed]

[Accidentally swooning random girls you come across? #justSonicthings

In the Dream Sphere, when he's not using his Boost ability, his speed is constant and takes very little energy for him to maintain. Agility is something he's learned over time and is second nature now. Should have seen him running into walls when he first started, made a cute little startled 'wah!' pose and everything! But we don't talk about those dark days. Really, stamina is hardly a concern in a place that operates on Dream Logic. More so when the Dreamer themselves keeps fit in real life too.

While Prisma focuses on getting her magic back under control, Sonic keeps mindful to make the run as smooth as possible for her. Since he is keeping an eye on the runaway magic orb though, he does get to see it split up like some very cute, mochi consistency firework]

Oh!

[Prisma will feel him taking a few long, loping steps before he skids to a stop a short ways away from where the orb disappeared. He's going to at least wait until her eyes are opened before he puts her down though]

Will you look at that? You did it!

[reluctants]

.. well, all I can make are balls of energy.

[ Rats feel way cooler in comparison. At least they're like.. cute little animal companions. She would love to have some cute animal companions. Isn't that what makes you a true magical girl?

That statement seems to remind her of her current problem, since her facial expression drops even further as she adds: ]

And they won't even listen to me right now. They're bouncing all over the place, even though they never did that before..

[reluctants]

[ ...

That's such an uncertain silence. And Illya knows they really don't have the time for that silence, for her thinking, but she just really does feel that uncertain about this specific question! ]

Do you.. think it's a good idea to touch it..?

[ It is still an attack, after all.

And it's not like Illya wants to imply the other isn't strong - far from it! - but she's still worried about Hibiki potentially getting hurt because of her! Especially when she's being nice enough to help! ]

[predecir]

Huh! Well, that's something - means you're developing your powers, right? Did you, um...do something different?

[reluctants]

[ Not her fault.

At least the girl is willing to believe that much when it's coming from him. It's not her fault that her powers are different if he's saying it, sure, but that still makes it pretty difficult to not feel responsible all the same for whatever comes from those changes in her power..

So after the girl thinks about it for a moment, with a small concentrated frown, she slowly speaks up. ]

Then what can we do about it..?

[ Sorry, Tycoon. You're still the Responsible Older Person here compared to her, so she can't help but ask. ]

There has to be something, right? [ Because she doesn't feel right just causing mayhem around the Dream Sphere every single time she uses her powers.. but on the other hand, it's not like she can suddenly quit training either while this is going on! She's already not that powerful, so she knows she sure can't fall behind on her training.. ]

[reluctants]

[ Just look at the difference in energy levels here.. It's usually already pretty apparent with these two, but right now? It's definitely night and day.

Especially since Prisma doesn't seem to calm down in the slightest in the face of what the other is saying. ]

Y-You shouldn't do that! I shouldn't do that! It's magical energy, so it's dangerous..!

[ Please, what if it had exploded when she hit it? Prisma doesn't even know how her own magic works anymore, it just seems scary and unpredictable now! ]

[reluctants]

W-Well, if it goes wrong, we'll have double as many of them bouncing around..

[ A prospect that the girl really doesn't seem to look forward to, judging by how she's saying it, sounding a little discouraged..

But it's true that they don't know what will happen until she tries. So the girl looks like she's trying to steel herself, sucking in a deep breath - and then she raises her wand to create another one of those energy balls, swinging it away from her and towards the existing bouncing ball the way she'd usually fire off an attack--

Except.. the same thing happens. The attacks collide, but rather than that force destroying both of them, it just makes two of the big balls of energy clash against each other and then start bouncing absolutely all over the place, even faster than before. It makes Prisma absolutely yelp with fear. ]

S-S-S-S.. See!! See! Oh gosh, we have to duck..!

[ Crow, one of the balls is bouncing right over towards you now..! ]

[angelolatry]

Um. Well. I don't think my chakrams would do much. I'm not sure that is exactly uh, physical? Solid? For me to hit it with that. And I'm not sure Angel Feathers would do much either. But now you have me wondering. If your abilities changed. Maybe other's changed too. Maybe mine did. I'm not sure if it's a good idea for me to try or not?

[Colette half muses aloud to herself near the end there, trailing off as she tries to keep her breath as they run. Panting a little as she tries to keep up with this energy ball thing and then also not get too far ahead of the other in wanting to make sure Illya is alright. Even as she tries to keep an eye out for anyone that might potentially be in the path of this thing.]