And the wind smells slow and sour when it blows

[whichwayyoulean]

Who: The Once-ler and YOU!
What: Nightmares
When: Friday
Where: HIS MIND
Rating: Uh PG/PG13.


[You'd be forgiven for thinking you've entered a pleasant dream, rather than a horrific nightmare here. You've arrived in Truffula Valley, a peaceful, wonderful place that almost puts Paradisa's created beauty to shame. Forest creatures are scurrying about, singing and playing and generally going about their business.

The sky is bright blue, the sun is shining and the waters of the nearby river and pond are crystal clear. And most importantly there are miles upon miles upon miles of Truffula trees. For anyone the Once-ler described these trees to, he wasn't kidding. The touch of their tufts really is softer than silk and that comforting, wonderful smell? Fresh butterfly milk baby.

Nothing good lasts forever, and there's a general unease about the place. A disjointed sort of feel, like someone's putting on a play and you've already been told everyone dies at the end]

[[ooc: Sections: Pretty Valley | Dying Valley | Dead Valley ]]

Comments

[ino]

Out of the river? Why was it in the river?

[whichwayyoulean]

Oh right. I didn't tell you that part of the story. Did I tell you about the Lorax?

[ino]

Kind of, yeah.

[whichwayyoulean]

Well, after I refused to leave the Valley, he decided to make me leave...by putting my bed in the nearby river.

With me in it.

[ino]

... [lmfao]

Is that why you didn't want to get on the boats?

[whichwayyoulean]

Well, that and the fact that I can't swim. Anyway, it gets worse. You see the Lorax didn't plan on the boat steering off course, so I ended up nearly going down a giant waterfall.

He managed to get me out and did...something to stop me from uh...dying. But me and rivers haven't been the best of buddies since then.

[ino]

Why don't you learn how to swim? When we're back at the castle, I mean.

[whichwayyoulean]

Well for a start that means leaving my room. [And you know how much he doesn't like that] And...I don't know, I guess I never thought to try.

[ino]

Yeah, but it could come in handy. There's been a couple of floods during world changes and stuff, it'd be handy to know how to swim even if you didn't do it normally.

[whichwayyoulean]

...Oh goodie. Floods.

I guess it couldn't hurt to learn.

[ino]

See. [she pauses, discreetly covering her mouth to clear her throat] I have some good suggestions.

[whichwayyoulean]

[Too bad he catches that, missy. A pained look crosses his face for a moment, before he levels it out into something a little more blank]

Oh? You do?

[ino]

[fff. she totally catches that :( but she plays it off like she didn't, smiling]

I just gave you one, duh. But all the other suggestions I've given you have been pretty good, too.

[whichwayyoulean]

...I have to admit, you are pretty good at that.

[Yeah he's still eyeing you worriedly. Ino please don't die from smogulous smoke]

[ino]

That's because I know what I'm talking about! You should just appoint me your official Suggestion-Giver.

[whichwayyoulean]

You can get a little badge and a sash and everything. [He kicks at the blanket with his foot, trying to make it hold back the smog, at least for a little longer]

Maybe even a crown.

[ino]

Even better, a tiara. [she'll pick up a little piece of metal off the floor and set it on her head, like a ... lopsided crown lmfao]

[whichwayyoulean]

[Okay, despite how worried he is, he can't help but laugh at that] Yep, having a crown definitely suits you.

[ino]

[she grins. look, see? she's fine!]

Dad always did call me his little princess. Though I guess in a sense, I sort of am.

[whichwayyoulean]

[No hold up, wait, this is brand new information]

...You're 'sort of' a princess?

[ino]

Well, I definitely wouldn't be called that. All of the princesses in my world aren't ninja like me, they're just regular civilians with a lot of money.

But within my village, my family is pretty important, and holds a lot of prestige. We're really well known for a particular type of technique that's really handy. Since my dad's the head of my clan right now, once he gets too old, I'll take his place. Since we're a military village, it's more like a "General" than royalty, though.

[whichwayyoulean]

[He listens, nodding carefully doing his best to understand that]

Still, that's pretty gosh darn important. [Then, he pauses, glancing at the door again, his brow furrowing] Just...do me a favour. When you do get into power? Remember where you've come from.

[ino]

Eh? [she blinks at him ... well, she can kind of guess why he's saying that, but --] Don't worry, I'll be fine. And that's a long time in the future, anyways.

[whichwayyoulean]

I know, but it's still important. [It's hard to explain, how getting so much power and influence can change you. Can make you into someone you never wanted to be. He doesn't want that to happen to her, nothing good ever comes of it] It's easy to get...lost.

[ino]

[ ... well, she can't really imagine that happening -- mostly because they don't have THAT much power to actually, you know, take over anything ... and she isn't really interested in that, anyways. but to soothe his worries, she'll smile]

I'll keep it in mind, then.