★ blind the masses with a grin, stir up the media

[liedol]

⭐ Who: Ai and you!
⭐ When: End of May through July
⭐ Where: Various prompts around Yumemigaoka and the Dream Sphere
⭐ What: An Ai catchall for the next month! After a suspiciously well timed vacation out to Hokkaido, Ai's back in Yumemigaoka and ready to catch up on everything she missed. I'm also down for doing closed/private prompts so hit me up on Discord if you'd like to plan something!

Comments

June 5th - Dream Sphere Excursion (Zeke, Shu, Makoto)

[liedol]

Alright! Now we're all ready, let's head out!

[ You wouldn't think a woman who's just gotten back from vacation would be flinging herself into this much work this fast but here Ai-Doll is on her section Excursion of the week with another pair of newbies under her belt. Funnily, the second verse is almost the same as the first – Chaosbringer and Cerulean's presence had been planned but coming across Peach had been another of those happy accidents that had turned the trio into a group of four. All the better to get them accustomed to working in groups as far as Ai-Doll's concerned.

She leads the group cheerily from the city's west exist, wading following the train tracks and wading through water with the practiced ease of a woman to whom this is all but second nature by now. ]

Anybody feeling nervous? Excited, maybe?

[illrested]

Ah...

[ He wasn't sure how he'd gotten pulled into this, exactly. He'd been poking at the edges of the Dream Sphere, gauging just how her felt about being part of this world and whether or not being a hero was something he should commit himself to the whole thing. Now here he is, tagging along to be... a hero. ]

Nervous, mostly.

[ He mumbles. ]

[thezekeinator]

[Chaosbringer 100% expects Ai-Doll to be charging forward like this again. He'd learned it from her, after all.]

Bloody impatient. A forced week off's no fun.

[None the worse for wear from his recent incineration, Zeke really is all energy. Normal sleep with normal dreams just doesn't do much for him any more.]

[He does shoot a confident grin Peach's way, though.] The Dream Sphere isn't a perfectly safe place, but the sights out here are amazing. Once you get comfortable traveling, there's no end to the wonders you'll see!

[breezyplayboy]

[Cerulean claps a friendly hand to Peach's shoulder. Which hopefully isn't too much of a jolt considering his gauntlets.]

Safety in numbers, right? Besides, Ai-Doll sensei has our backs, we'll be fine. I'm feeling... curious, mostly. Lots to learn.

[He's excited for the chance to see some experienced Dreamers in action, too.]

[liedol]

[ She shoots an encouraging smile back over her shoulder at her two trainees. ]

Those are both good! Nervous means you'll stay on your toes and you won't get too caught off guard and curious means you're ready to learn. Hopefully with us all working together, we'll get to see something really cool!

[ They're far enough out from the city that the air around them starts to fluctuate – the sure sign of a dream not quite fully formed but one they should be able to may their way into soon. ]

Looks like we're close...! What're you all hoping to see?

[illrested]

Ah... nothing too scary, please.

[ Peach says awkwardly. ]

I'm sure she does! Chaosbringer-sensei, too. I'm just still getting used to this whole thing.

[ He edges nearer to the others as the air begins to fluctuate, his heart beating a little faster. ]

[thezekeinator]

[Heh, that's fine. Chaosbringer isn't normally the guy you'd think is competent, especially in Ai's shadow.]

I've been running into a few incredible places lately. I hope you all get to see something like a ocean cliff I ran into a while back. Bloody gorgeous. The kind of thing that makes you feel deep down in your heart why you're out here in the first place.

[breezyplayboy]

[Shu looks around like a tourist in a new city as the air begins to fluctuate, trying to take it all in at once.]

I don't even know what to hope for. [He hasn't really seen enough yet to draw from.] Something really dream-logic and fantastical, maybe.

[He nods at Chaosbringer. A really amazing view sounds pretty cool.]

[liedol]

Something really fantastical, huh? [ Ai-Doll giggles to herself. ] Well, I can't make any promises, but I do have a good feeling about this one.

[ And just like that, the water lapping at their ankles recedes, leaving solid ground under their feet. It takes an extra few seconds for the dream to solidify, but once it does a whole flurry of balloons get let loose into the sky and Ai-Doll claps her hands together in glee. ]

Oh wow, just look at this! Looks like my instincts were right on!

[illrested]

Ehh?

[ Peach actually jumps a little as the flurry of balloons rushes by them, then takes a moment to gauge their surroundings. ]

...Is this a kid's dream? Feels like something a kid would dream up.

[thezekeinator]

I never expect places like this. Couldn't tell you why.

[A carnival. Is this a wonder of a location, or some sort of haunted ghost carnival? It looks lovely and innocent, but especially here, looks can be deceiving!]

It's something special for sure, though. Quite a dream indeed!

[breezyplayboy]

Woah!

[Technicolor to the face! The sudden brightness, sound, and balloons flying by startle Cerulean a little, and he blinks widened eyes as he takes it all in. He recovers quickly enough, though, approaching a giant lollipop tree right off of the path.]

Cool... It looks like something out of a kid's movie.

[He snaps off a branch and taste-tests it.]

Nice, strawberry.

[liedol]

[ She gives a delighted laugh. ]

It is a little something special, isn't it? I feel a little bad that somebody dreamed this up but we're the ones who are getting to explore it.

[ Not that bad, evidently, given that she's following in Cerulean's lead and grabbing herself some candy from the tree. If they're gonna be here, she might as well enjoy herself! ]

How big do you think this place is? It looks like a full carnival to me...

[illrested]

Whoah. It's... huge.

[ Peach agrees with Ai. They step forward to look up at the tree of candy with a wry expression. ]

...I wonder if all the rides work?

[thezekeinator]

Plenty of places to be suspicious of, though. House of mirrors, haunted house, bumper cars, and I'll bet all the games are rigged too.

[Sure, he says it lightly, but having said it he's now a bit suspicious of at least the first two of those places. Carnivals just seem like the sort of place that could have a very dark shadow indeed.]

I might check out a couple of those before we get too comfortable.

[breezyplayboy]

[Suspicions or not, Cerulean is not letting that get in the way of his snacking. Apparently he's one of those horrible feral children who bites lollipops.]

Oh yeah, those sound like places for torments to hide, I bet. We should all go together, right?

[Safety in numbers and better for the newbies to learn. Shu peers over the tops of some rides and things, looking for a horror house or the like.]

I think I see the bumper cars from here.

[liedol]

Bumper cars... [ she sounds thoughtful and a little wistful. or uh, maybe her voice is just a little muffled because she has a lollipop in her mouth. it's fine to talk with food in your mouth if it's a candy like this, right? ] You know, I've never actually been on those before. I don't even know how they work.

[ She titters to herself then gives the other three a cheery grin. ]

Should we check it out, then? Even if there's nothing to worry about, giving it a look should be fun.