Junna Hoshimi ⭐ 星見 純那 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
thestarknows) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
yumemigaoka2025-02-18 05:17 pm
thestarknows) wrote in yumemigaoka2025-02-18 05:17 pm
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EVENT #10: AND MERELY PLAYERS
- By now, entering a Disturbance is familiar. That isn't a good thing -- the way that it takes that extra effort, like pushing your hand through molasses; like a wavering mirage that almost pushes back against your gaze. It's a sign of someone in distress.
But after entering the Slumbering City, the Dreamers have made their way into this newest Disturbance. And then, they've pushed onward... and everyone finds themselves on a long path through darkness, lit only by stage lights.
Welcome to Junna Hoshimi's Disturbance event! To recap from previous events and 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, Junna Hoshimi.
Using the descriptions in the log below, you may freely top level 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 top level. Pinging Tex on Discord may also help in case his emails and notifications act up.
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 March 3rd.
SUNSET BOULEVARD
- Upon entering the dream, all Dreamers will first find themselves walking down a long path through darkness, lit only by stoplights. In the way of a dream, though, at its end, it turns into the front of Promised Morning Academy at sunset.
The building is lit up by sunset, with weather that suggests it is spring. It seems almost pleasant... but there is a buzz of tension in the air. It should be the time that people have left for the day, but there are lights on inside the school. There are murmurs, stressed and worried, but wordless. Sunset -- the time people should have left and gone home, but are still working -- never seems to end.
In that light, it isn't such a pleasant image. Still, this is a place where Dreamers can return to, to rest, coordinate, and take a breather before exploring further.
The way forward is the double doors, leading into the school. They are larger than they should be, more imposing that the ones in real life, and heavier to push open.
!SCHOOL DAZE
Upon entering, the Dreamers find themselves in a warped, endless version of Promised Morning's first floor. The hallway stretches out east-to-west, but there is a subtle curve to it. And if someone walks the full length of the hallway, it loops back around, leaving them trapped.
The Dreamers aren't alone here. There are shadowy figures, like silhouettes, wearing the uniforms of Promised Morning. Each are carrying large stacks of paper.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: If someone touches them, they seem to fuzz and not quite feel real. But each of them will put stacks of paper that are quite real into an unwitting Dreamer's hands. So many papers, in fact, that a Dreamer could be literally weighed down by them.
After escaping the shadowy students, Dreamers can pass countless class rooms and clubrooms. Each of them has a locked door. It might feel hopeless, until a freight elevator is found at the end. There is a large, blinking red light and one button. The only way to progress is to go down.
The Dreamers aren't alone here. There are shadowy figures, like silhouettes, wearing the uniforms of Promised Morning. Each are carrying large stacks of paper.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: If someone touches them, they seem to fuzz and not quite feel real. But each of them will put stacks of paper that are quite real into an unwitting Dreamer's hands. So many papers, in fact, that a Dreamer could be literally weighed down by them.
After escaping the shadowy students, Dreamers can pass countless class rooms and clubrooms. Each of them has a locked door. It might feel hopeless, until a freight elevator is found at the end. There is a large, blinking red light and one button. The only way to progress is to go down.
!THE ONLY WAY DOWN
The freight elevator is not a comfortable ride down. The floor is made of steel, patterned to give some grip. There are no buttons to control it. Once the down button is pressed, all a Dreamer can do is ride it down to the bottom. And the railing on each side is woefully inadequate from a safety perspective: it's only a three foot high steel bar.
Which means, from the darkness, something can jump onto it.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: Torments begin to leap from the shadows, onto the 12 by 12 foot elevator platform. The Torments, initially, are only a Shadowy outline... but they respond to the Dreamers on the platform. A Dreamer with an idol theme finds them looking like crazed fans; a Dreamer with a sword finds ones carrying axes; a Dreamer with a ninja motif finds their foes include ones carrying katanas. The Torments are easily dispatched, but they keep coming in waves -- until the elevator reaches the bottom.
When it does, there is a ding. The door opens... revealing a hallway.
Which means, from the darkness, something can jump onto it.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: Torments begin to leap from the shadows, onto the 12 by 12 foot elevator platform. The Torments, initially, are only a Shadowy outline... but they respond to the Dreamers on the platform. A Dreamer with an idol theme finds them looking like crazed fans; a Dreamer with a sword finds ones carrying axes; a Dreamer with a ninja motif finds their foes include ones carrying katanas. The Torments are easily dispatched, but they keep coming in waves -- until the elevator reaches the bottom.
When it does, there is a ding. The door opens... revealing a hallway.
!BEHIND THE SCENES FEATURETTE
The elevator lets out in a darkly lit hallway. Just a short distance away is a large set of double doors, underneath a sign that declares it to be the "MAIN STAGE." And yet, try as someone might, that door will not open. It seems that the only way to get onto the main stage is through hard work.
The hallway connects to many others. There are more hallways in this backstage area than any real theater could ever have. And there are doorways here, too, and each has a poster next to it, depicting a play or a movie. There isn't another door that clearly leads to the main stage... which means Dreamers will need to search the rooms.
The poster outside of each room gives an idea of its contents. Inside, there are people hard at work. Like before, in the school level, they are shadowy silhouettes of students. The shadowy students are engaged in some work based on the movie or play poster outside.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT #1: In this room, four silhouettes are hurriedly building props and backgrounds for a play. Wooden cut-outs of trees and houses that need to be built; organizing a closet full of costumes; painting details onto paper backdrops of a sky and a town. The work isn't done, and the silhouettes are in a panic about this. Dreamers who enter the room have tools pushed into their hands to help -- until the work is finished. If the Dreamers try to leave, they begin to screech and scream, and eventually attack with shadowed claws. The work will never stop, though. The props need to be put out of their sight or the silhouettes defeated.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT #2: Only one silhouette is inside here. A high school student, by the look of her. She cannot speak, but she mimics going through a play by herself. When Dreamers enter, she thrusts a script to them. Then, she tries to get them to act out Act 3, Scene 1 of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. The silhouette wants to play the part of Caesar. If they act it out, the silhouette will want to do it again. She can either be defeated in a fight, or made to play another role, which will stop the performance.
Once the Dreamers have time to thoroughly search the room with the silhouette that wishes to portray Caesar. There is a poster of Yonezawa's Last Paycheck, a movie that came out in April, on the wall. The other materials in here strictly apply to Julius Caesar, with posters of past performances and props related to it.
Pulling down the poster of Yonezawa's Last Paycheck reveals a door. Opening it leads to a hallway, dark, but with the bright lights of a main stage up ahead.
The hallway connects to many others. There are more hallways in this backstage area than any real theater could ever have. And there are doorways here, too, and each has a poster next to it, depicting a play or a movie. There isn't another door that clearly leads to the main stage... which means Dreamers will need to search the rooms.
The poster outside of each room gives an idea of its contents. Inside, there are people hard at work. Like before, in the school level, they are shadowy silhouettes of students. The shadowy students are engaged in some work based on the movie or play poster outside.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT #1: In this room, four silhouettes are hurriedly building props and backgrounds for a play. Wooden cut-outs of trees and houses that need to be built; organizing a closet full of costumes; painting details onto paper backdrops of a sky and a town. The work isn't done, and the silhouettes are in a panic about this. Dreamers who enter the room have tools pushed into their hands to help -- until the work is finished. If the Dreamers try to leave, they begin to screech and scream, and eventually attack with shadowed claws. The work will never stop, though. The props need to be put out of their sight or the silhouettes defeated.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT #2: Only one silhouette is inside here. A high school student, by the look of her. She cannot speak, but she mimics going through a play by herself. When Dreamers enter, she thrusts a script to them. Then, she tries to get them to act out Act 3, Scene 1 of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. The silhouette wants to play the part of Caesar. If they act it out, the silhouette will want to do it again. She can either be defeated in a fight, or made to play another role, which will stop the performance.
Once the Dreamers have time to thoroughly search the room with the silhouette that wishes to portray Caesar. There is a poster of Yonezawa's Last Paycheck, a movie that came out in April, on the wall. The other materials in here strictly apply to Julius Caesar, with posters of past performances and props related to it.
Pulling down the poster of Yonezawa's Last Paycheck reveals a door. Opening it leads to a hallway, dark, but with the bright lights of a main stage up ahead.
!TO SHINE ON THE MAIN STAGE
The doorway leads onward, until the Dreamers emerge onto the main stage. It is a massive, circular stage, but there is a raised circular platform at the center. Rich red curtains have fallen entirely across the elevated platform and hide whatever is behind. One set of steep stairs leads up to it.
But, it couldn't be as simple as approaching the stairs.
First, a bright stage light shines down, and falls into the audience. The chairs there are empty. There is only one living thing there, though it is not a person. It is a massive giraffe, with brilliant green eyes, a pink ribbon, and and a disaffected expression.
The giraffe bellows in a baritone, masculine voice: "To be a Dreamer is to be a performer! To struggle endlessly! To be a light that shines upon the people! I... UNDERSTAND!"
All around the stage, props and stage equipment rises up. Wooden walls, stairwells, and platforms create a maze. Each Dreamer is locked within them, separated from their fellows by a maze of different theater settings: from cut-outs of castle walls, Western towns, modern cities, cut-outs of trees, and backdrops of stars and nebulae.
Up high, though, a four point golden star lowers. The stage light vanishes from the giraffe. The golden star shines brilliantly -- and then at its center, a giant eye blinks, and opens to look down. This is a powerful Nightmare, though it is far out of reach.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: Navigating the maze -- whether while fighting the Star Nightmare or not -- is a complex matter. First, a powerful orchestral soundtrack fires up (accompanying vocals optional). Stairs and platforms rise up, to provide backdrops ranging from historical dramas to science fiction. These include pyrotechnics and water effects -- which can dazzle, though they can't hurt. Stage lights shine down and blind, sometimes at inopportune moments. Getting to the center of the stage requires navigating through these rising and lowering themed platforms.
But, additionally, the Star Nightmare causes illusions. Sometimes, Dreamers who encounter each other will see one another as powerful Torment, illusions altering their perceptions of each other and their attacks. They can fight each in the midst of the maze, but if they realize that they're fighting a friend, it will stop.
If you need a visual, this fight from Revue Starlight gives an idea of the shenanigans at work:
Dreamers caught here are also able to battle against the Star Nightmare as a Mid-Boss Encounter.
At the end of the maze are stairs, which lead up to the central platform. The stairs are long and steep, and the curtains have yet to rise. But now, the only way to go is up.
But, it couldn't be as simple as approaching the stairs.
First, a bright stage light shines down, and falls into the audience. The chairs there are empty. There is only one living thing there, though it is not a person. It is a massive giraffe, with brilliant green eyes, a pink ribbon, and and a disaffected expression.
The giraffe bellows in a baritone, masculine voice: "To be a Dreamer is to be a performer! To struggle endlessly! To be a light that shines upon the people! I... UNDERSTAND!"
All around the stage, props and stage equipment rises up. Wooden walls, stairwells, and platforms create a maze. Each Dreamer is locked within them, separated from their fellows by a maze of different theater settings: from cut-outs of castle walls, Western towns, modern cities, cut-outs of trees, and backdrops of stars and nebulae.
Up high, though, a four point golden star lowers. The stage light vanishes from the giraffe. The golden star shines brilliantly -- and then at its center, a giant eye blinks, and opens to look down. This is a powerful Nightmare, though it is far out of reach.
⧖ HAZARD ALERT: Navigating the maze -- whether while fighting the Star Nightmare or not -- is a complex matter. First, a powerful orchestral soundtrack fires up (accompanying vocals optional). Stairs and platforms rise up, to provide backdrops ranging from historical dramas to science fiction. These include pyrotechnics and water effects -- which can dazzle, though they can't hurt. Stage lights shine down and blind, sometimes at inopportune moments. Getting to the center of the stage requires navigating through these rising and lowering themed platforms.
But, additionally, the Star Nightmare causes illusions. Sometimes, Dreamers who encounter each other will see one another as powerful Torment, illusions altering their perceptions of each other and their attacks. They can fight each in the midst of the maze, but if they realize that they're fighting a friend, it will stop.
If you need a visual, this fight from Revue Starlight gives an idea of the shenanigans at work:
Dreamers caught here are also able to battle against the Star Nightmare as a Mid-Boss Encounter.
At the end of the maze are stairs, which lead up to the central platform. The stairs are long and steep, and the curtains have yet to rise. But now, the only way to go is up.
!POSITION ZERO
Those who find their way through the maze and make their way up to the stairs come to where the red curtains are. Once the first Dreamers reach them, the left up. The circular platform has Junna standing at the center, raising a hand up to shield her eyes.
Because every stage light here is shining directly onto her, which blinds her from seeing them. From up here, those stage lights can almost be reached.
They keep shining on Junna, as an elevator platform begins to lower her downward -- as an elevator. The stage lights all turn away, and shine down onto the Dreamers. They threaten to blind them.
Not everyone can go down after Junna. But it might be best to say some final remarks -- especially as Torments are beginning to move up the stairs. Those who descend will need to be protected.
And those who jump down after Junna hear a deep baritone voice bellow up, from below: "I UNDERSTAND."
Because every stage light here is shining directly onto her, which blinds her from seeing them. From up here, those stage lights can almost be reached.
They keep shining on Junna, as an elevator platform begins to lower her downward -- as an elevator. The stage lights all turn away, and shine down onto the Dreamers. They threaten to blind them.
Not everyone can go down after Junna. But it might be best to say some final remarks -- especially as Torments are beginning to move up the stairs. Those who descend will need to be protected.
And those who jump down after Junna hear a deep baritone voice bellow up, from below: "I UNDERSTAND."
no subject
[So, it's official: Hanako absolutely hates this place.
The school building and the shadowy figures were bad enough, eliciting a shiver of ice down his back the moment he stepped through those massive doors. Even if it'd been a year now since his own Disturbance, the sight of the warped halls and the silhouetted students still shake loose a sick feeling that he had thought he had buried... or at least managed better since the last time he had dealt with one of these things. It was hard enough navigating through this place with constant inadvertent reminders of one of his lowest points all around him, but that wasn't even the worse thing about all of this.
No, the worse thing was that there was someone he cared for at the heart of this whole mess this time-- and he had completely missed the warning signs until it was much too late.
It was easy to stay detached and impersonal through the other Disturbances he had been through-- he barely knew each of the victims enough to get too distressed about their disappearances-- but... this was Junna. His trainee, his schoolmate... his friend. Hanako had no leg to stand on when it came to talking others out of their Disturbances, but even his cynical heart realized that this wasn't what she really wanted or needed. Not with the bright future she had ahead of her...
So with that in mind, he wastes no time carving a path through the halls, ignoring the shadowy figures' offers of paper entirely and opting just to cut through them instead-- literally. The more time he focuses on fighting, the less he can think about how much this all hurts, and the strategy works well enough...
... that is, until he finally reaches the freight elevator.
It would have been easy enough if the emerging silhouettes stayed in the form of students, simple and unimposing-- but what manifests is something else entirely. Large, muscular, with just a suggestion of an eyepatch upon it's face, it lunges towards Hanako, hand outstretched, crackling with electricity and aimed towards his head. With a loud SHRIEK, he scrambles towards the other edge of the platform, trying to get away from the figure, only to be met by another emerging right behind him.]
GYAAAAAA!!!
[It's almost a bit funny, seeing him scurry from corner to corner trying to dodge these beefy assailants like some sparkly cockroach, but... it might be good to help him, maybe? (Or at least distract the Shadow Zekes, anyway--)]
Behind The Scenes
[Finally, though, he reaches the backstage area, and the grim determination from before returns. Had this been another time, or even a Disturbance involving somebody else, he might have felt more inclined to check out the inner workings of the show-- after all, he's never really been part of this sort of thing at school, so this was all entirely new to him. It would have been fun to color in a set, or maybe even finagle some sort of prop...
But instead, he callously tosses aside the bucket of paint one of the figures pushes onto him as he enters the room, the bright red pigment splashing messily upon the racks of finished costumes to the side. There's a resounding hush from the silhouettes as they take in the damage, the dripping spatters of paint off of the delicately beaded dresses and jackets as the bucket rolls away--
And suddenly, the air vibrates with a furious, deafening SCREECH, the students' attention solely on Hanako as they converge upon him with their shadowy sharp claws. From the look upon his face, he doesn't look particularly bothered by this turn of events-- in fact, this may have been what he wanted the whole time, with the way his knife slices through one of them as he dodges their attacks. Still, it is four against one, and while he probably could take them out on his own eventually, the need to get to Junna and her Night Terror was leaving him more than a bit impatient. His Orby Boi SLAMS into a couple of the figures, sending them barreling in the direction of whomever was nearby.]
Take care of these two, will you?
[Hanako, you started this fiasco, don't be a dick???]
To Shine On (tw: multiple eyes + hole in face in linked image)
[Of course getting to the Main Stage wasn't going to be that easy, was it? After all of the Disturbances he's been through (and one he's made), he knows that there's no straight path to what's essentially the center of someone's heart.
But even so, it was frustrating-- dodging around the swarms of dolls and bursts of star shaped confetti and all of those stupid desks. And what was that song following him around, anyway?? Sure, he was named after a school mystery, but this was getting a bit ridiculous...
With his annoyance and desperation at max tilt, however, he doesn't even stop to think twice about the Torments he's slashing in front of him, eyes cold and expression merciless.]
Out of my way!
[It just so happens that some of these Torments were putting up more of a fight than others... but that just means he had to double down harder, didn't he?
Those who may happen to run into Hanako while under the illusion's grip, however, may come across a sight that's distinctly at odds with the musical theater theme all around them. The body looks somewhat humanoid, clad in the vague make-ups of a sopping wet Dreamer costume, but that's where the similarities end-- numerous tentacles, embedded with squirming eyes, writhe and lash from it's back, oozing with noxious black sludge. And the face? Well... there isn't one-- instead, there's a gaping black void, similarly writhing with toxic tendrils that try to parry and whip at any incoming attacks. For those who may have been in Amane's Disturbance, the eyes and sludge may look very familiar... but surely that's just a coincidence, right?]
Position Zero
[After what feels like an eternity, Hanako finds himself finally emerging from the maze, the edge of the staircase tantalizingly within reach. He can see the curtains pull away, revealing Junna at the very top, and for the first time in the past few days, he can feel some sort of hope stirring in his chest. All he needs to do is sprint up those stairs, grab her, and then--
Suddenly, a groaning creak echoes through the air from high up above, followed by an abrupt SNAP. An intricate crystal chandelier plummets from the ceiling, landing with an ear-splitting SMASH upon the stage, sending glass, dust and debris flying all around. With a bitten off curse, he tries to find some way around the wreckage, to get some way onto the steps so he can reach her, but in the end, it's too late. She's gone, lowered into the chasm of the platform, and he can't help but yell out:]
JUNNA-SAN!!
[But somehow, things only seem to get worse: out of the corner of his eye, he sees a flutter of green tipped hair, dashing the top of the steps, and before he can even process it, she leaps on in after Junna. He can only stare on in horror, and before he even realizes it, he screams, voice practically rasping:]
NO, YASHIRO--!!
[But then she, too, is gone, and he falls to his knees, the broken crystal and wood from the chandelier digging into his skin. He's vaguely aware of the swarm of Torments rushing in behind him, crawling around the wreckage and up the staircase, but at the moment, he can't summon the will to move. How did everything suddenly get so much worse...?]
Boulevard of Broken Dreams
[When the fighting gets to be too much (or when he's forced to resort to using the NPC Healers to patch him up), one can find Hanako sitting against one of the trees in school courtyard, knees tucked up and arms curled around himself. He seems to be checked out to the activity of the other Dreamers around him, staring listlessly into space as he broods. Almost to himself, he murmurs:]
How did it get this bad...?
[At least with the fighting, he could ignore his thoughts for a while. But here, in this space tinted with the red-orange glow of sunset... it can't help but creep back in.]
one way down
Well, he doesn't.
A little pew pew and the oncoming assailant staggers back. He aimed for the head and got the shoulder. Close enough.]
You alright there, loser?
no subject
Thankfully, this Shadow Zeke seems to be a lot less durable than his real-life counterpart (because the only thing worse than a persistent monster is an indestructible one!!), as it lets out an overdramatic shriek before poofing into a cloud of dark wisps. Hanako, in the meanwhile, gapes over at his rescuer as he tries to catch his breath, putting a hand against the guard rail for support. This guy looked familiar... wasn't he the one who helped rescue Ango from his Disturbance a while ago? Though on the subject of Ango--]
Aren't you the one who's friends with that old guy...?
[You can't be calling the loser kettle black here, Misfire!! But if he's (figuratively) sniping back at the guy who saved his behind, then he's probably not in too bad shape, anyway...? He's just about to straighten up and try to reclaim whatever shred of dignity he has left, when a shadowy mass just beyond the other man catches his eye, starting to coalesce into a new imposing form.]
...!! Behind you!
no subject
[Misfire struggles to piece together just who Amane’s referring to - until he’s interrupted by something far more pressing.
He swivels round to fire off another dart at the oncoming shadow, missing the head and clipping the ear.]
How come we’re getting assaulted by Zekes?
no subject
[Hanako, you know Ango's name damn well, you can stop being a pain and just say it!! But this wasn't the time to jog Misfire's memory on the guy
or constantly fire strays in his direction, not with the mass of attacking Zekes refreshing anew. The clipped ear does nothing to deter the shadowy figure, lunging forward once again to try to get either of their heads in it's grasp. Hanako manages to scramble away by just the skin of his teeth, though he does shoot the other man a befuddled look at his question.]I dunno!! They just started popping up here once I stepped onto this thing--!
[But then the Nega Zeke starts bellowing as it continues on, punctuating each lunge with a yelled phrase:]
"STOP AVOIDING YOUR PROBLEMS!"
"TALK TO OTHER PEOPLE!"
"TELL THAT GIRL YOU LIKE HER, CHUM!!"
[... yeah, draw your own conclusions here, Misfire]
no subject
“Tell that girl you like her…?”
[Misfire turns to face Hanako with a quirked eyebrow and a sly grin.]
This is about girl problems?
no subject
Definitely not.
[Luckily for the both of them, though, the shots are enough to fend off a chunk of the advancing Zekes, sending them careening down the shaft as they're hit. A couple Zekes still remain, however, and they pounce simultaneously, arms outstretched and crackling with electricity.]
"WHAT'S WRONG WITH LIKING A GIRL? I LIKE A GIRL! IF I CAN DO IT, SO CAN YOU!!!"
[... yeah, this might be a liiiil bit about girl problems, probably]
no subject
[He teases, either confident enough in fending off the threat that he can play around, or so easily distracted that he’s re prioritised. Who could possibly guess which one it is.]
There’s nothing wrong with liking a girl. Hell, even I’ve liked a girl before. It’s the most normal thing you can do at your age.
[Are you feeling the cringe, Amane…?????
Absentmindedly, he shoots at the Zeke again.]
You need some tips from an experienced wingman?
no subject
I think I'd have better odds jumping off of this elevator shaft, actually.
[Seriously, he already has a hard enough time getting Nene to notice him as it is, he doesn't need a sketchy adult to make things even worse!!! (Though, honestly, yeeting himself out of this scenario really doesn't sound so bad at the moment... he can float, the fall wouldn't hurt him...!!)]
Is this seriously the time...? You missed that Zeke by like, 2 meters, easy.
[Maybe you should do less dodging of the subject and more dodging of these Zekes, Hanako--!!]
no subject
[He considers the criticism.]
Seems like the time. Maybe if you got over your girl troubles, these guys would ease up.
i walk a lonely road, etc;
We let her take on too much. We didn't cut off her ass- [she censors herself, unwilling to speak vulgarly of them in a place Junna may kinda-sorta hear her-] um, helicopter parents before they got on her for chasing her dreams. And I know I... didn't do enough, with the extra influence I have. Had.
[Lisa glances over at Hanako. He looks more or less like she feels, which either means she looks worse than she feels or he's politely trying not to go full depresso aloud.]
You and I both know she didn't tell us everything, though.
no subject
... well. That didn't really matter at the moment. He's silent as he listens to her talk, his gaze shifting away to focus on his hands as they ball into his sleeves. Did they let her do too much? Junna had always seemed more capable, more put-together than most, so what may have seemed like "too much" might have been perfectly manageable in her hands. But then, what did he know? He hardly knew how bad her parents truly were before it was too late, and even if he did... what was he even supposed to do? Amane was just a kid-- he had a hard enough time standing up to his own Mom and Dad, let alone somebody else's. He could talk a big talk, bend some rules when he wanted to, but at the end of the day... he was only as powerful as he was in the Dream Sphere. And it sucked.
He's quiet for a long moment, eyes still focused on his hands, and finally, he rasps out:]
... I know.
But... I didn't wanna pry, y'know...? Sometimes there's just some stuff you want people to stay out of, and I didn't wanna make her talk about anything she didn't want to, either.
[But then... was he just applying his own experiences on her, and assumed it was for the best? Maybe she would have been happy to have a person to talk to about this sort of thing, even if it was painful at first. He curls in on himself further, looking more and more like the unsure teenage boy he tried so hard not to let people see.]
... I dunno, though. Was that the right thing to do? Maybe if we had known a little more, then...
no subject
I didn't want to either. I did it anyway, sometimes. Told myself it was for her own good. She still didn't... show all her cards, though. I think- [Lisa scowls into the middle distance, eyes briefly looking into a classroom.] she didn't want us to worry about her. Not even me. I made it my job to worry about her. [The hurt surges back into her tone. It's not about her, and yet it's definitely about her.] I wanted to take on her worries. I just gave her more.
[She stops. Takes a deep breath or two. It doesn't calm her down any, but it forces her to organize her thoughts.]
Even if we knew more, what could we have done? We couldn't have changed her parents' minds about acting. About her classes. About... me. [Her instinct is to shrink in on herself further, only to fine Amane's already doing that; she scoots a bit closer, and gently, tentatively, puts an arm around his back. He needs comfort just as much as she does.] We'd have been able to comfort her a little, while she slowly drove herself to her breaking point. We'd just... get here a little later. But we'd still be sitting under this tree, wishing we could do more.
no subject
"... didn't want us to worry about her..."
"... wanted to take on her worries..."
Something twists uncomfortably inside of him as she speaks, the familiarity of it all dawning with awful clarity. Wasn't that just what he was doing last year, when his health was hitting its low point? It was so easy to sympathize with Junna, understand her reasoning behind keeping this all to herself, but...
... even so, why did being on the other end of it still hurt so badly? Was it because he assumed she would know better? Or was it just the unfortunate realization that this is what he had put others through with his own reticence?
This shouldn't be about him, though-- this was about Junna, and, by a certain degree, Lisa as well. He couldn't sit here wallowing in his own collective guilt when she was hit so much harder by this than anyone else here. If anyone needed the comfort right now, it should be her.
Carefully, he leans against Lisa, shoulder touching against hers as she puts that arm around his back. For as clingy as he could be at times, he couldn't exactly summon the energy for it at the moment.]
Who knows-- maybe we might have helped her find an option she hadn't considered before. [A beat, and then, with a small sigh:] Or maybe not. I guess it's hard to say with everything said and done now.
...
... I don't think you did anything wrong by trying to shoulder her worries, though. But... sometimes you don't want to be a burden on others, either. She probably didn't want to weigh you down with her problems and be the cause of your own stress.
[... Amane, is this really about Junna or are you projecting your own issues onto this again]
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I think she was treading water, with all our help. She always looked a little better after she had some time with you, or me, or the others. It just... her mind got pushed over the edge when the stuff with her parents went bad. I knew it was bad, the first time her mother called and I was there, but I underestimated it. I underestimated them. [A dark look crosses her face.] I'm... I'm really mad at them, and I don't have an outlet for that. I haven't even met them. I'm afraid to, now, since she'll have to explain how she knows me. But... if Junna weren't having to shape who she is around what they want from her, we wouldn't be here. She could be openly proud of who she is, what she likes... who she likes. But I'm causing part of her stress, too, because I'm part of the problem, and I... I don't know how I'm supposed to help her with that. And that just stresses me out, anyway. [Lisa's expression crumples even further, like saying it aloud just makes it more true.] She's a lot more put together than I am. A more amazing person than I am. She deserves better.
tw talk of homophobia
But on the other hand... there was something comforting about having somebody there to support him too, without any judgement or strings attached. It felt like a way to purge his churning emotions, to let himself crumble a bit and not have to worry about being the one people tended to rely on. There's a part of him that realizes, dimly, that perhaps he should be reciprocating some of this too-- he may have lost a friend and trainee, but Lisa lost somebody she loved-- but he feels too drained to do more than just lean against her, latching his hand loosely in the fabric of her Promised Morning blazer. Maybe, when this was all over, he could give her a proper hug or headpat, but...]
... That's more than I ever knew about it. She told me about the stuff with her parents once, briefly, but... I didn't realize how bad it actually was.
[Not that her parents being unsupportive of whom she loved wasn't awful in its own right, of course, but...]
It doesn't make sense to me. It's not like she's doing anything terrible. I'd get it if she was like-- trying to become an idol or some gravure model or something, but acting? I mean... it's not like Dreamers have a long shelf life, either. It's just as stupid to pin their hopes on this instead of what she wants to do.
[But that was just one facet of this problem, of course.]
And she shouldn't be ashamed of you either, Lisa-san. Any parent would be thrilled their kid is dating somebody kind, caring and generous, and if the only thing they find fault is in your gender... then that's on them, not you two.
Besides... at the end of the day, she picked you to be with. Wouldn't it be insulting to question that decision she made for herself, despite what her parents wanted?
[... sorry Zeke, he's stealing your advice here, but somehow he feels it'd probably apply to this situation as well!!]
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I'm sure she wouldn't talk about it unless she got called on it. I wouldn't talk about most of my stuff if I had a choice, either, but... sometimes I need to talk or I'll explode. And then, well. [She nods her head toward the school, as if to indicate it. The Disturbance at large.] Besides, some of those other things aren't weird in our culture, either. Look at Senpai. I don't think idol would be my first choice, if I ever have a daughter, but... I protect people's dreams. I want them to be able to see them through, if they want. I think people put Dreamers on a pedestal, anyway. I did, when I was younger. So it doesn't surprise me that they want her to do something really noticeable and well-regarded.
[Her, though... Lisa's grip on him tightens a little, and tears silently stream down her face. He's... he's not wrong. It's hard for her to accept, and she wouldn't say it about herself, but he's not wrong. Her expression lightens, enough to notice.]
T-thanks... thank you, Amane-kun. You're right. She... she did choose me. I don't know if she'll still choose me when this is all over, but- [A short, quiet sob.] -for now, I should honor that. [Her tone briefly turns... almost teasing, complete with a tiny smile, despite still being thick with sadness.] I dunno if I believe the rest of that, though, that sounds like propaganda. My being a woman, sure, that's on them. But the rest is up for debate.
[...take the compliment, Lisa. Amane, of all people, doesn't give those lightly.
behind the scenes
Apparently not. The moment she enters, there's Hanako-- and more importantly, there's those figures Hanako is sending her way through the attack.
And Prisma feels like she's having a heart attack on the spot. Panic levels rising. So much anxiety--
At least it doesn't make her fully freeze up. Flight or fight kicks in, but thankfully training has made her lean towards the latter rather than the former a little bit more. The girl instantly raises her wand, already sending some of her usual pink energy balls in the direction of the two silhouettes to push them back a little, creating more space to fight. ]
What-- What happened in here?!
[ Prisma can see the red paint. But considering she entered a moment too late, she has no idea it's paint in the first place.. What if it's Hanako's blood?! ]
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Don't worry about it. Just fight.
[His voice is brisk and a little clipped, a far cry from the usual impish, playful tone he usually liked to use around others. He'll kick himself about it later-- he didn't want Illya to think he was bullying her again!!-- but right now, the situation was too dire to mess around in. The faster they beat these things, the sooner they'd find Junna and drag her out of here, and they didn't have a moment to spare. At least Illya seemed to be getting past her stage fright (so to speak) when it came to fighting Torments, but it was hard to say whether or not she was going to get overwhelmed in the process.]
Summon that familiar of yours if you have to!
[And at that, he slashes one of the figures with his blade, the sharp edge digging deep into it's inky frame. For creatures that looked like theater kids, they sure were tough...!]
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The upside is that it means the attitude she encounters here doesn't fully cut deep into her soul. But it's still not great all the same. It's difficult enough to end up in a chaotic dangerous situation like this in the first place!
But Prisma knows she has no choice. Regardless of Hanako's attitude, she's got no choice but to try and deal with the threats here. For his sake, for her sake - even for Junna's, technically speaking.
So she starts shooting off some of her usual balls of pink energy. A little slower than the usual, because she's trying to keep an eye on where Hanako is, making sure that the balls won't hit him. The fact that they mostly gravitate in the direction of the shadowy figures is helping, at least.
They're still not the most powerful though. Prisma is well aware Hanako is a more powerful Dreamer than she is, so she's mostly thinking in terms of support here. Maybe that's why the star on her wand starts glowing and she does summon the weird little familiar, because-- ]
He'll keep the one on the left busy! [ She calls out to Hanako. ] Focus on the other ones first..!
[ You're being a MEANIE but she will help you anyway, Hanako!!! ]
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Except that's absolutely no reason to be a dick, Hanako!!It looks like Illya's got some grit to her now, at least, which is something he probably should commend her for later (along with an apology for his shitty attitude, tbh--), but for the time being, his attention is squarely on the battle they're in the midst of. He can hear the "pew pew pew" of her wand firing off it's shots, can see the nearby shadow student being knocked back by her little gremlin thing, and he nods at her order, eyes already on a figure ahead of him. She may not be as powerful as he was, comparatively, but having someone take some of the heat off of him was help enough.]
Got it!
[At that, he kicks away one of the figures he'd just sliced, sending it barreling into it's companion behind it. Whirling around, he gestures to his Hakujoudai, sending one of the orby bois plowing straight through the third student and into the far wall. Amidst the chaos, however, one of the shadowy figures breaks free of the weight of it's friend atop it, lunging to grab Hanako's back bow and yeeting him straight into the garment rack with a colossal CRASH.]
GH--!!
[LOOKS LIKE HE'S GONNA NEED THE SUPPORT NOW MORE THAN EVER....]
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The girl quickly turns her head, gasping when she sees what happened. Hanako may be rude, and Prisma still isn't really sure how to feel about him because of it, but it's not like she's just going to stand there while he's getting hurt. Especially when she witnesses the shadow that threw Hanako in the first place starting to approach his current spot, like it's trying to get him while he's down.
Running over might not get her there in time - but her power involuntarily kicks in through sheer helpful instinct, and when Prisma jumps, she very briefly flies through the room, up and over the shadow, until she lands between it and where Hanako landed into a very inelegant pile of clothes. ]
Stay away from him! [ She says - trying her darnest to sound tough as she waves her wand, shooting more of her energy bubbles at the shadow. It's not enough to fully stop it or defeat it, but Prisma figures all she has to do is hold it back until Hanako can get up.
(Which-- S-Surely he can, right? He's got to be okay, she thinks!) ]
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[For as speedy and strong as Hanako could be, he was still very much a glass cannon when it came to handling damage. Even with a Dreamer's durability, being thrown full force into a whole garment rack still hurt, and the impact plus the resulting mountain of clothing burying him certainly didn't help matters, either. It takes him a few moments to regain his bearings through it all, the ringing in his ears and the extra weight of the costumes atop him feeling like he was swimming through a muffled haze. He could hear Prisma shouting out something, the faint pings of her wand firing off, but it was so hard to tell what was going on buried all of this. (And wasn't Prisma farther away...? How'd she get over here so fast??)
Well... he'll try to figure it out later! Right now, he had to get back on his feet, or else he was going to look like a massive hypocrite after the attitude he gave Illya. His hand struggles through the massive pile of costumes, emerging from the depths like a zombie from the grave, straining to reach something outside of his grasp. The leftover red paint streaking his skin certainly didn't help the optics either...]
H-Haku... joudai!
[One of his orby bois immediately beckons at his call, darting to smack into the closest shadow student to Prisma. Or... it tries to, anyway. Without Hanako guiding it properly, its aim is all sorts of off, but at least it's... something, anyway!]
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[ This time the exclamation of surprise coming from Prisma is at least not born out of fear or anything. She's just surprised when Hanako's summon starts flying around in a way that doesn't exactly seem targeted. For a moment the girl is even worried it might slam into her, and she's doing a quick side-step to prevent that..
But even when it flies past her, it's still not moving in the direction of the shadow. Prisma fires off some more attacks to keep it at bay, but her eyes are on the orby thing, calling out to it: ]
No, not that way! A little bit more to the left! Just-- Just a little bit more! [ Does she think it can hear her?
Who knows. Apparently she does, because Prisma sounds - if not also panicked - incredibly sincere about her directions as she calls them out. ]