Fiona's catch-all dream log~

[braveatheart]

Who: England, Julie Grigio, James Potter, Bro Strider
What: Event thingssssss come and play
When: Feb 27th - March 3rd
Warnings: ... All of my characters. Possible nightmare themes depending on who tags.

---

[England]
[You're on a ship. The sea is rough, tossing waves over the deck and drenching the sailors scurrying back and forth to secure the sails and rigging. At the helm is England himself, leaning almost lazily against the wheel as he rides each wave with a slow turn of the ship.

The quartermaster is shouting orders but England is quiet, bright green eyes keen on the horizon and the sunlight filtering through the break in the clouds ahead.]


[Julie Grigio]
[In a trash-strewn street, Julie stands on her own, a gun held in lax fingers by her side. In front of her, there's a corpse, someone who looks like they've been dead for far longer than the fact Julie just shot them would suggest. The blonde girl sighs, rubbing one hand over her face and smearing blood across her cheek as she crouches and turns the body over.

It's a boy, young with dark hair, far younger than Julie herself and yet she seems to know him. Enough that she sits down and draws her knees up to her chest, dropping the gun to the ground.

There's a tension in the air that suggests it isn't safe to be sitting around, but she doesn't appear to care.]


[James Potter]
[It's a quidditch match! James is high above the field, scoring the winning goal as the final whistle blows. He lands with a whoop of triumph and it doesn't matter who you are, friend or stranger, he'll come running over with windswept hair and a gleeful expression on his face.]

Did you see that!? We wiped the pitch with them!


[Bro Strider]
[On the roof of an apartment block in downtown Houston against the backdrop of a setting sun with the sky lit up like fire, someone is watching you. There's no escape, the door to the stairs is locked and the only way down is to jump. You get the feeling that you're not entirely alone, faint footsteps and fleeting shadows tickling the edges of your senses.

If this is Bro Strider's dream, where is he? There's a tingle in the air like anticipation, but you get the feeling it's not you that he's waiting for.

That is, unless your name happens to be Dave Strider.]

Comments

Brobororoboro

[callbacks]

[This kid's name does just so happen to be Dave Strider, and Dave Strider doesn't even realize this time that he's in someone else's dream. He's tense, his hand stiff on a nameless, scratchless sword; Dave is tense, perspiring, and--in this dream--very, very young. He can't be more than thirteen. He may, in fact, still be eleven. But he's here, and he's armed, and he can't abscond, Bro.

He doesn't call his brother out. No need to invite the inevitable.]

[brotimaeus]

[Perfect.

Just who he was waiting for.

There's the flash of a shadow in the corner of the young boy's gaze, first one side, then the other, near silent steps hitting the roof and suddenly Bro Strider is there blade sweeping out - he'll graze the kid or disarm him, maybe miss if he's fast enough.

It's not as if he ever goes out to really hurt him, anyway.]

[callbacks]

[Dave just barely manages to get his sword up in time and then it's spinning out of his stinging hands. He's definitely eleven, because he can't hide the flash of dread and shame that crosses his face (at twelve it would be frustration, at thirteen the grim acceptance would barely be visible; at sixteen the hit wouldn't even have connected), and the sword was obviously a little too heavy for his frame, but he doesn't make a sound.

Instead he drops his center of gravity, gets his arms up to shield his vitals, and prepares for a desperate dive. If he can dodge the first blow, that's at least one hit he won't have to take.]

[brotimaeus]

[He lets him dodge it but hooks his foot under his little brother's ankles to trip him, sweeping the sword clear. Bro doesn't want to hurt him, he never wants to really hurt him, never pushes more on him than he knows he can take but always pushes.]

Not fast enough, li'l man. [His voice comes from the other side of the roof moments before his form joins it, the sunlight glinting off his shades.] Not fast enough.

[callbacks]

[He slaps the roof and rolls to diffuse the impact, just like Bro's taught him, and is up as fast as he fell. So it's looking at Bro that the criticism lands.

It's like Dave's heart stumbles, loses its footing and falls just like he did. This is more than disappointment. This is something deep and awful, something that doesn't belong to this self. It's something like fear, real fear that he's never known in Bro's shadow. It's something like despair.

So he doesn't whine, 'You're too fast.' He just goes back for his sword and clings to it with too-tight fingers. He has to be better. He has to do it right this time.]

Again.

Julie~

[librariansheart]

[Sheska has only really seen this sort of death and destruction in books and photographs... and dreams. But this isn't a city she knows. And Julie doesn't usually feature in her dreams. Stepping forward, she reaches out to touch the girl's shoulder, but thinks better of it.]

...Miss Julie?

[redwinekindofgirl]

[Julie jumps at the sound of the voice and her eyes are tearful as she turns to look up. Quickly, she scrubs her face with the back of her hand and stands.]

Sheska? [Okay, no, this is weird, why is Sheska here--]

Listen, you can't be here, it's not safe.

[librariansheart]

[Sheska stoops and lifts the gun, offering it to her friend.]

You're out here by yourself. It can't be safe for you, either. ...Especially while you're hurting.

[redwinekindofgirl]

[She takes it quickly, shoving it through her belt, then grabs Sheska by the hand to pull her along.]

I'm fine, but we have to move, they'll be here soon.

[librariansheart]

[She's not fine, but Sheska doesn't have time to protest, exactly, and squeaks, almost stumbling. Still, she keeps her feet, and risks a glance back at the dark-haired boy's corpse as they move out.]

Julie, wait, who's "they"? Where are we going?

James!

[librariansheart]

[Wrapped in a gold and black Hufflepuff scarf, though she has a Gryffindor button pinned to her coat lapel, Sheska jumps up and down with a glee she only partly understands.]

That was amazing! You all did such a fantastic job!

[Wait. A fantastic job at what, exactly?]

[braveatheart]

[He's grinning brightly enough to light up a room as he slings one arm around Sheska and hugs her tightly.]

We couldn't do it without the support of our loyal fans. [James tells her with a cheeky wink, eyes flashing to the badge on her lapel.]

There was hardly any point to catching the snitch in the end.

[librariansheart]

[She laughs and hugs him back, obscurely flattered. Ah! Snitch! The goalposts! Of course, Sirius had told her about quidditch. If only she could remember this game a little more clearly... But how could she dream about this when she's never seen it? Still... there are a few things she seems to know.]

Maybe not, but it was a thrilling catch! And really, I'd feel bad if we had to watch them get beaten so solidly for another hour...

[She glances briefly back at the losing team.]

What are you all going to do now? Is Gryffindor holding a party?

[braveatheart]

We have the best seeker in the school, that's why. [James says, flashing a grin over to said player who gives him a confident thumbs up in return. For James' part, he's the best damn chaser on the team.

You know, not that he's going to get too cocky about it.]

You bet we're having a party! I've got to ask McGonagall if she'll let us have it in the Great Hall so everyone can come.

[librariansheart]

Oh, that would be lovely! I would wager that I could get the kitchens to send up special treats, if you like, and just look!

[She points up at the masses of bumblebee-striped Hufflepuff fans waving red and gold pennants as they leaned over the edges of the stands, waiting for the pitch to clear a little.]

I'd say that there would be quite a large attendance, if you managed it! Do you and Sirius have plans for, ah, adding to the celebration?

[Her attempt at a frown doesn't do a terribly good job of hiding her amusement at the notion of their possible pranks.]

Bro! Because maybe new CR?

[coimiceoir]

[Well this is awful.

Aisling crouches, ready to bound away if necessary, the light turning her hair into a sheet of flame. She doesn't know this place - it's not New Moore, and it's not home, and she isn't sure how she came to be here. This doesn't feel like the dream of the person she was aiming for.

For the moment, she waits.]

[brotimaeus]

... Well, if this ain't the last place I'd expect to find a little bird like you.

[The thing about Bro Strider is that even when it's not his own dream he can sneak up on just about anyone. He's leaning casually against his sword in a spot that he wasn't occupying a heartbeat ago as he eyes Aisling up and down, one pale eyebrow arched.]

Just what do you think you're doin' here?

[coimiceoir]

[She's not used to people actually being able to sneak up on her - particularly in such an open environment - and for a moment she arches up and bares teeth far too sharp for her in a silent snarl. Almost immediately, however, she deflates and shrinks lower against the burning rooftop, looking almost humble and more than a little apprehensive.]

I'm walking.

[brotimaeus]

'Walking'.

[He doesn't seem perturbed by her but one eyebrow lifts as she snarls. This is his dream, and he's pretty sure he didn't dream her up.]

In someone else's head. You make a habit of that?

[coimiceoir]

[He's not immediately attacking, and his accusation makes her sit bolt upright, visibly affronted. If she had a tail right now, it would be lashing.]

Do you make a habit of pulling in travelers?

Bro~<3

[tookthename]

[Carol doesn't like the feeling of someone watching her. She's felt it too often and it's never anything good. She falls back into a ready stance.]

Who's there?

[brotimaeus]

[There's no answer save for a responding soft chuckle as that shadow moves across the roof. Then, he's there, standing on top of the ventilation shaft. Bro tilts his head up, the light from the sunset glinting across his shades.]

Huh. Different from the usual dreams includin' you, but I'll take it.

[tookthename]

[Carol relaxes out of her stance, moving to stand with her feet wide and her arms crossed. A smirk crosses her face.]

Funny, I could say the same for you.

[She looks around]

So where are we?

[brotimaeus]

[Lucky for both of them that Bro can lucid dream or they'd be tearing up downtown Houston right now. He jumps down from the shaft and leans back against it, thumbs hooked into his pockets.]

Houston, Texas. This is the roof of the apartment block where I lived. [He gives a brief shrug.] I was waitin' for Dave.

[When he's here, he's always waiting for Dave.]

[tookthename]

"I see." She walks over to stand next to him against the shaft.

"Sunset's beautiful."