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Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 8:53 pm
Nodding, she reached out and switched off the light before snuggling into her sleeping bag. Sleepovers were fun! They would have to have another one some time! But that being said, it was time to sleep. Rolling onto her side, Xiu closed her eyes.
...
...
...
...She wasn't sleepy at all. Frowning, Xiu rolled onto her other side, tried to get comfortable, and lay there with her eyes closed for a few minutes. Unfortunately, she found that as much as she tried, she just wasn't sleep enough to doze off. At least, not right this minute--perhaps she would be tired enough in another hour, but she didn't want to get up and do anything to disturb her friend's sleep! Especially since poor Mitsu seemed so tired.
Keeping her eyes closed, the Baku decided that...well, maybe she could pass the time through some other means, like...practicing! It had been a long time since she had practiced how to enter dreams. So long, in fact, that she was a little worried that she had forgotten how to do so. Frowning, she concentrated very carefully.
First, she needed to imagine...paths. Paths that led to the dreams of everyone that were in a certain radius of her. At first, she could come up with nothing, but then...there it was! A path had popped up! This was followed by others, but Xiu focused on the first path in particular. What was the next step? Oh, she was supposed to step on it and follow it. Eventually, she would be led into the dream.
Really, she didn't mean to actually walk into someone's dream. However, by the time she decided to stop walking, she had already found herself in a new scene.
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Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 10:47 pm
It seemed like mere minutes after she had closed her eyes that Mitsu had found herself asleep and even moments after that when a dream started to form. The imagery was fuzzy at first but quickly grew clarity. It was a garden of some sort, lush and full of halloween daylilies. A large house wasn't far away, and it seemed there was a maze of hedges leading up toward it. "Brother!" The voice was tiny but excited as a small white haired ghoul came popping in from around a bush. "Brother where are you!?" There was a bright smile on her face as she continued her searching, bright red eyes scanning the area around her. Without warning a tall grey haired boil, probably in his late teens, came from no where and plucked the small wolf girl off her feet tossing her lightly into the air before catching her and pulling her in for a hug. The little lycan squealed with delight, her tail wagging behind her fiercely as she wrapped her small arms around the boy's neck. "I was supposed to be finding you!" She giggled. "I guess I'm just not very good at hiding," The boy smiled. While his was facing the small girl it didn't really look like he was focused on her. The reason would become apparent upon closer inspection. His grey eyes were dull and clouded over, he was blind.
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Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 11:37 pm
...Aw Jack, she didn't mean to come in here! Xiu's first instinct was to turn right around and leave, but she found that the path had disappeared. She was now in the dream, and she honestly couldn't remember how to get out. She knew that it worked if the dreamer woke up, but who knew how long that would take?
...Whose dream was she in anyways?
She perked up upon hearing a child's voice, her attention immediately turning towards the source. There she found an adorable little ghoul, with white hair, pointed ears, and a fluffy tail.
Hold on just a second.
"Mitsu?" Xiu's eyes widened. Was it possible that she had wandered into her friend's dream? It made sense--she had chosen the first path to appear, and Mitsu was the one who was sleeping closest to her. She couldn't remember what else her uncle had told her about dreams. Something about the fact that everyone but the dreamer were unable to see, hear, or feel her?
Quietly, the Baku turned her attention back to the pair of werewolves, cocking her head to the side. Mitsu has a brother? This was the first that Xiu had heard of him, and she watched their interaction with a soft smile. However, her expression faltered slightly as she noted the boil's eyes. Poor thing.
Taking a few steps closer, she cleared her throat softly to see if the younger version of her friend would be able to notice her presence.
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2011 7:07 am
"Come on, we need to go meet Mom and Dad," The boy set Mitsu down so that she could walk on her own and started back in through the maze toward the house. Mitsu started to follow after but heard the noise that Xiu made as she cleared her throat.
Pausing Mitsu looked up at the baku and smiled broadly. It didn't seem like she was scared or timid at this point but full of a sense of adventure and excitement. Before anything else could happen the little girl darted into the maze giggling as she went. "Wait for me, Ginji!"
Twists and turns lead them through the maze but the little girl seemed to know just where to turn and just where to pass up. This place was familiar to her. She did not pause either or look back, not until she had reached the end of the maze looking up toward the house. There at the door stood her brother and two older looking lycans, a beautiful woman and a rather broad and rugged looking man. Mitsu seemed to be the odd one out of the bunch, her father had black hair while her mother had a light silver.
"Come on, Pumpkin," The woman called kneeling down to greet the child.
Happy as could be Mitsu started toward the house her arms out ready to hug the woman beckoning her forward but something about the scene felt off. Almost fuzzy. Without warning the scene changed almost like someone switching to different tv channels. This time it was dark and not much was visible outside of the fact that it was a large room, a window in the background bringing in the only source of light. It was night time though and not even much moonlight filtered in.
It was eerily quiet for the longest time, but suddenly there was the sound of sniffles. The source was hard to find since the room made the sound echo but it seemed like the noise was coming from the corner perhaps.
Huddled against the corner was a ball of white, it was hard to say why she was crying until a man stepped out of the shadows. This man remained mostly in darkness the light only really outlining his tall form. It looked like he was wearing a lab coat and there was something in his hand. As the lycan in the corner turned her eyes up toward the man a broad wicked smile crossed his lips the light reflecting off the glasses that he wore. It looked like she wanted to scream but just as suddenly the scene changed and they were back in front of the house once again.
Everything seemed normal, nothing out of place except Mitsu was older now and it was only her brother standing at the door waiting for her. There was no indication on what had happened to her parents but there was a feeling of loss in the air. It was apparent they were gone.
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2011 1:14 pm
Xiu was surprised at the smile, but she was quick to offer the little ghoul one of her own, marveling at how outgoing her friend seemed to be when she was a child. What had happened to change that, she wondered? Before she could give it much more thought, she followed after Mitsu and her the boil through the maze (albeit at a distance as not to alarm the ghoul about the fact that she was being followed).
Just as Xiu emerged, the young Mitsu had begun to run up to an older lycan for a hug. Her parents. It wasn't so much a question rather than a statement. They seemed to be a rather loving family as well, and the Baku was happy to see that her friend had such a warm family.
She never saw the next scene coming.
It was so sudden that Xiu staggered backwards in surprise when the setting suddenly flickered to a new one. This one definitely had a different atmosphere to it, and the Baku could feel her heart pick up the pace at the silence. By the time she heard and located the source of the sniffling, the man had already approached her. "...! Mitsu!" Whoever that man was, he definitely didn't carry a friendly air to him--not in the slightest.
But again, before she could reach the younger ghoul, the scene suddenly changed again. It was surprising how the same scene could have such a different atmosphere. Before, it had been warm and joyful, and now...it seemed kind of melancholy, didn't it?
Xiu took a few steps forward, ears drooping as she regarded her friend. What had happened? Who was that man? "...Mitsu?"
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2011 8:33 pm
The white haired ghoul paused in her path up to the house when Xiu called her name. Such a familiar voice to be calling out to her at a time like this. Looking back over her shoulder the young girl looked at the baku curiously a small attempt at a smile touching her lips. The confidence was waning but it was still there if only a little.
"Come on Mitsu, we don't want Mr. Adolphus to wait." Ginji called from the door.
Turning away from Xiu Mitsu darted up toward the house. In her wake leaves and flower petals were following her in a gust of wind. If Xiu managed to look back she would see that the maze of hedges that had only moments ago been so lush and full of life were now dying, the day lilies shriveling and falling to the ground. The garden was no longer being tended to and it was the last time Mitsu would really see the outdoors.
The scene began to shift again, Mitsu's mind didn't seem to linger on one thing too long. She was nearly at the age she was as of current only a couple of years younger. They were inside the house now, a dimly lite place that felt so devoid of joy. Mitsu stuck out like a sore thumb with her bright white hair and pale skin. She was seated at the piano in the room, her fingers playing across the keys. Ginji, her brother was sitting beside her, playing along in tune and while the music was coming from that point it felt like it completely filled the area.
"You seem to have the tune down," Ginji mused as he paused in their happy melody to pat the girl on the head. "Even for a runt." He teased playfully ruffling up her hair.
"Aww, that's not very nice." Mitsu whined as she tried to shoo her brother's hand away. "They say that too me in school, I don't like it."
Ginji's smile faded for a moment before it became a little warmer and sympathetic. "I'm sorry." He said softly bringing the girl close for a moment. "You really shouldn't listen to them though. They only lash out because they are jealous."
"I don't know that I believe that.." Mitsu said softly her fingers idly playing with the keys still. "There's nothing to be jealous of."
"Of course there is," Ginji reassured with a smile. "You have talent, you are smart, and you're pretty."
"Now I know you're lying because you can't see me," But Mitsu smiled lightly nudging her brother in the side.
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2011 8:56 pm
Indeed, when the flower petals blew forward from behind them, Xiu did turn around to look at the garden. Honestly, it shocked her how drastically it had changed, and inside, the Baku lamented the loss of the beautiful garden...and with it, the happy atmosphere that had been there. Shivering slightly, she turned to follow Mitsu when she realized that the scene was changing once again.
Trying to keep up, Xiu took in as much of her new surroundings as she could. Mitsu. Her brother. The piano. They were...inside the house? A careful glance at her friend determined that she was a little bit older now, but still younger than her present-age.
Despite the fact that the warmth of the lycan siblings' parents seemed to be gone, Xiu was happy to note that Mitsu seemed to share a rather close relationship with her brother. The light, teasing banter between the two made her smile, as did the way the boil tried to reassure his sister. It was definitely a sweet relationship that they shared! As for the talented, smart, and pretty comment...well, for that, Xiu definitely had to agree that her friend held all three of those traits.
Knowing that the other ghoul would be able to see her, Xiu stuck to the shadows as she tried to maneuver around the room as quietly as possible. She couldn't wander too far from the dreamer, she knew, so there was no option of trying to slip away and explore the house on her own. Still, the question of what happened to the parents was still bothering her.
And who was that man with the glasses?
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2011 10:03 pm
"Hey, you should listen to your older brother," Ginji smiled. "I know best after all." Her ruffled the small lycan's hair once more before he pulled away and put his hands back on the clavier. "Do you want to play something else? We can-" "Ginji," The voice was new and from the sound of it rather cold and unfeeling. It took a moment for the owner of the voice to appear and when he did the image of a tall rather disheveled looking scientist came walking through one of the dark hallways. "I could use some help." Suto said plainly standing at the door, his bright golden eyes staring through his glasses at the two siblings. There was no smile on his face, it looked as though the man was incapable. His general demeanor gave way to a man that spent his life locked inside a room focused on his work and nothing else. Looking back Ginji let out a sad sigh before he started to stand though Mitsu was quick to grab hold of a sleeve. "I can come help too." She offered. Maybe the work would be done with faster. As she asked that though the scene from earlier flashed, like a nightmare just looming in the shadows waiting to pounce. Looking down at his younger sibling Ginji shook his head. "N...no you stay here." He almost sounded tense. Like he was telling her to stay where it was safe. "Just...continue to practice. We'll play again tomorrow." Her ears folding down in a disappointed way Mitsu gave a nod. "O..okay." Ginji smiled a bit patting Mitsu on the head. "That's a good girl." He said softly. "Just remember I'll always be here. We have all the time in the world so there will be plenty of chances to play the piano together." Letting his hand slip away from her head Ginji made his way across the room toward where he had last heard Suto. It seemed he managed to move around fairly easily despite not being able to see. "This way." Suto said coldly, his golden eyes glancing at Mitsu shortly before he turned leaving the room with Ginji close at his heels. Crimson eyes watched them both leave and Mitsu didn't turn away until they were both well out of sight. With a sigh she turned back toward the piano her hands touching the keys again. There was a pause before her fingers started to play but when they did the music didn't sound like a piano, instead it was distorted almost like a music box, the song a little on the eery side.
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2011 10:36 pm
Was that...the same man as before? Or someone different? It was hard for her to tell since she had only seen him briefly before, but the Baku couldn't help but narrow her eyes suspiciously as he passed by the spot where she was standing. It was probably the aura that he emitted, but something about him just felt...unnerving. Uncaring perhaps, as well?
For all she knew, she was getting the wrong idea about this man, but Xiu stiffened when he requested that Ginji go with him. One look at Mitsu--and the fact that she had quickly grasped at her brother's sleeve--clearly indicated that she wasn't happy about this summoning either. Just who was this man? Where did he suddenly come from? The only possible explaination that she could come up with was that he was the siblings' new caretaker after their parents...disappeared.
They were gone, but she didn't know for sure that they were dead.
The Baku watched helplessly as the man took Mitsu's brother away, and then she turned her attention back to her friend. As she had thought before, the werewolf ghoul really was talented at playing the piano, though this particular song...well, it sent shivers up Xiu's spine. Not only the fact that it didn't even sound like a piano, but also because the melody itself sounded rather dark and haunting.
Moving forward into the light, she watched silently before she suddenly asked, "Who...who was that man?"
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Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 12:53 pm
It was not Mitsu who replied to Xiu's words but whispers that lingered in the young lycan's mind.
The guardian..
The caretaker..
The scientist..
The devil..
The last one was the quietest of all, barely an audible noise over the sounds of the melody that Mitsu had continued to play. "His name is Suto Adolphus." Mitsu finally said her focus solely on the piano before her. As she continued to play bright crimson liquid started to pour from between the keys with each hit, it was almost like the piano was bleeding. Still Mitsu continued to play as her dream seemed to lapse more into the nightmare she was so familiar with. Blood continued to pour from the piano painting the young lycan's hands and clothes red. It pooled in around her feet spreading outward like a scarlet rug and it only stopped when the sounds of the piano faded away.
Darkness closed in around them as Mitsu finally looked up for the first time, her dull eyes scanning the area with worry. She was on edge, it was easy to see in her posture. "B-brother?" The nightmare flashed, like someone switching to the scene and back again. It was trying to worm its way through, poisoning the dream Mitsu had once started with, a happy memory. For mere seconds that cold room was visible again, and the man from before with a wicked smile was there, but just as soon as he came into view they were back in the darkness.
"B-brother where are you?" As soon as Mitsu stood up from the piano it faded away into darkness only leaving the bloody stain on the floor in its place. Mitsu began to frantically search but there was nothing in the darkness except her and Xiu. "G...Ginji...." Her voice seemed like it had been stripped of all hope, she knew it was pointless to search. There was no one there to search for.
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Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 3:04 pm
The whispers--especially the last one, which she had just managed to catch--sent shivers up the ghoul's spine. And this man--the devil?--his name was...Suto Adolphus? Xiu glanced over to Mitsu in confusion at this name. She had never heard her mention him before...but then again, why would she? Up until now, she had never considered that her shy friend may have been hiding a tragic past.
Her stomach clenched at the sight of the blood, watching it run down the piano and drip from the lycan's hands. Is this what her dreams are always like? Xiu wondered, watching as her own feet were surrounded by the growing pool of liquid. Clutching a hand over her chest, the Baku took a step forward. "Mitsu--"
And then...darkness. The desperation in Mitsu's voice made Xiu's heart wrench. Her brother...what had that man done to him? She thought of the heavy air of foreboding that had hung in the air when the scientist had called Ginji away, and now...now he was gone, wasn't he? Gone where or gone how, she didn't know, but the look that the other ghoul was wearing on her face was enough evidence.
Was there anything she could do for her? This was such a sad dream to have, and such painful memories to relive. The most Xiu could do was stand close, reaching out as if she wanted to give the poor lycan a comforting hug, but hesitating at whether this was the right thing to do.
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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 2:36 am
Mitsu paced about like she was caged in with no where to go. Every once in a while her brother's name would slip from her mouth and she would look around almost hopeful like he might hear her and come find her....but he didn't. There was no one. No one except Xiu.
Looking toward the baku as she called her name it was easy to see the tears that had started to run down her cheeks. Mitsu was on the brink of sobbing her face scrunching up as she tried to fight it. The presence of another was something though and she had started toward the girl until a sudden chill hit her. A freezing cold seemed to settle in around them in a flash as the temperature plummeted. The lycan's breath was visible as she looked toward Xiu with confusion in her crimson eyes.
Then, he was there. A tall looming figure in the darkness came stepping up behind Mitsu. He was well over six foot dwarfing the much shorter girl before him. There were no visible features, only the dark outline, the reflection off his glasses, and that broad and wicked smile.
Mitsu froze as soon as the figure appeared as if sensing there was someone behind her. The fur on her tail began to bristle out in her fright, her eyes growing wide as she looked at Xiu almost pleaded the girl to tell her she was only imagining things. Her legs would take her no further, they were shaking far too much to even move.
The figure smiled down at the lycan, a hand reaching out toward the girl, long fingers wrapping around the back of the her neck. As soon as the contact was made the dream shifted back to that dark room, except this time the room grew a little more in clarity. There were counters and tabletops filled to the brim with medical supplies, beakers, test tubes, jars filled with random organics and body parts, scalpels and more. Splatters of blood lined the floor and it seemed the memory was so strong even the odor of formaldehyde was present.
The scream that Mitsu so desperately wanted to make was caught in her throat as she was forced to turn and face the man that had a hold of her, his other free hand reaching up to touch her face, blood leaving a trail from his fingers. When he saw the fright in her eyes the man seemed to smile all the more, the gesture almost threatening to slit his face in two.
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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 2:59 am
By this point, all Xiu wanted was for Mitsu to wake up right now. Unfortunately, as this was the first time in an extremely long time that she had practiced going into a dream, the Baku could not recall if there was any particular way she could prompt the dreamer to wake up. If only she could get into her own body, then she could simply shake the other ghoul awake, but...
This thought was immediately abandoned when she was distracted by the sudden drop in temperature. Eyes widening, she returned the confused stare with one of her own, instinctively wrapping her arms around herself to maintain warmth. Shivering, she briefly looked away from Mitsu to eye their surroundings again, only to feel her body stiffen when she turned back and spotted the figure looming behind her friend.
Before she could speak or warn her of the man, it seemed as if the lycan had already spotted him. Xiu tried to take a step forward--to snatch her out of the way before he could land a hand on her--but she found that she was frozen. Whether it was from the chill or from shock and dread, she wasn't sure. Either way, the Baku discovered that she was unable to move from where she was standing.
When the scene shifted again, the Baku gave a little shiver, her eyes having immediately fallen to the blood on the floor and the jars that lined the tables. And that smell. Xiu had nearly forgotten how life-like dreams could be until now. The scent made her want to gag, but she settled for cupping her hands over her nose and mouth, trying to breath in the scent as little as possible.
When her attention focused back on the man who had her friend, Xiu bristled slightly. She didn't know if she could do anything to help--if she tried to wrench Mitsu free, would the man be able to feel the tug and react, or would he act as if it had never happened? It would be one thing if he had his grasp on her wrist, but to be holding her neck. One wrong movement, and for all she knew, he may bring his hand to her throat and try to choke her.
She felt helpless just standing there, and dearly wished that she have the ability to pry those fingers from her friend's neck. Moving closer, she reached out and attempted to grasp at her hand, just hoping that it would provide some comfort, and that--if the man were to let go even for the briefest moments--she could tug her free.
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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 1:29 pm
Mitsu was completely frozen in fear as she stared up at the shadow with no face, his smile twisting into something wicked and cruel. Without warning there was pain, something small at first but it slowly began to radiate out making Mitsu cringe, her eyes clenching shut. The hand that Xiu offered her was grasped firmly, wishing that she could be pulled away from this horrible place but she was anchored down with no hope of escape.
It was hard to say what was hurting Mitsu, it didn't look as though the man was doing more than holding her in place, though when the lycan took Xiu's hand there was a curious tilt of the head from the figure. His gaze shifted to the side and while he could not see Xiu it was almost like he knew she was there. Whether it was because Mitsu knew she was there was uncertain but the man focused his full attention on the spot where Xiu stood his mouth splitting open in his smile to reveal rows upon rows of sharp pointed teeth.
There was a staggered cry as Mitsu released the baku's hand so she could run. She didn't want to keep her here. Mitsu didn't want to be alone but she certainly didn't want someone else to suffer with her.
As she continued to writhe in pain, blood started to creep up the walls of the laboratory, oozing from cracks, and seeping from under furniture. Beakers were boiling over with the same liquid and for a moment it looked as though a mass of people had been slaughtered. Bodies even lay on the floor some of them looking familiar to those who had been seen earlier. Was this a memory, what Mitsu imagined, or was it simply what Mitsu knew in her subconscious?
"P..please...help me.." Mitsu whimpered softly, though she really didn't expect the aid to come. It seemed that in her time in the man's grasp wounds had opened up along her body, crimson staining her clothes a new. The figure's grip tightened, his free hand reaching toward Mitsu's face, his fingers moving toward her eyes like he threatened to take them. Just when he was close prepared to pluck the orbs from their sockets a pair of arms wrapped around Mitsu's shoulder and pulled her back.
The man's grasp was so easily broken and the figure that had saved Mitsu from the scene seemed to vanish as soon as he had appeared in wisps of black. It seemed to be male, a bit taller than the girl, the only thing that had really been visible were the sleeves of the leather jacket. But with that action the dream had been broken..
...and suddenly Mitsu awoke with a start. Crimson eyes flew wide as the lycan sat up out of her sleeping bag with a dazed expression looking around the room wondering for a moment where she was.
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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 3:01 pm
Xiu's heart almost stopped when the man turned to look at her. Eyes widening, the Baku immediately began to tell herself that it was a coincidence. The fact that he was looking in her direction--right at her--was merely a coincidence. He was seeing her, but seeing through her...right?
She was shocked when Mitsu let go of her hand, and she immediately reached out in an attempt to grasp it again, but...no. Horrified, she watched her friend writhe and as their settings began to change around them. Bloody, bodies...just what kind of nightmare was this? Surely not a memory? Hopefully not a memory.
The ghoul gave her own whimper at Mitsu's, wanting so very much to wrench her free and run away, but knowing that the grasp the man had was unmovable. When she saw him go for the lycan's eyes, she panicked. What could she do? She had to act now!
Before she knew what had happened, there was...a figure. A dark figure, and while Xiu panicked at first upon seeing him, she began to watch with a kind of wonder as the masculine figure saved Mitsu. She tried to get a better glimpse of him, but all she caught was that he was wearing a jacket before he vanished. The Baku turned to move towards her friend when she suddenly felt herself sharply being jerked out of the dream.
Xiu sat up quickly, panting as she glanced around in the darkness. From beside her, she could hear that Mitsu had woken up. "Mitsu?" She whispered, reaching out to flick on the little lamp so that they could see. "Are you okay?"
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