Is There Someone I Can Pay To Let Me Go

[wilder]

Who: Zelos Wilder & YOU
What: Take a guess, no really, take a wild guess
When: All throughout the nightmare plot
Where: Dreamland
Rating: PG-13 to R....I sure hope it doesn't get higher than that.

[Hi everyone how has your weekend of nightmares gone? Terribly? Great! Ready for more? No? Too bad.]

[If you're traveling around in the nightmares, you'll come across an area that seems like no one has turned on the lights - it's pitch black and you can't see past that]

[Overall the space gives off a cold feeling. Really cold, like it should be snowing in here. Sound is easy to pick up, in fact it's almost like someone turned up the volume way loud on the world. You can hear your own heartbeat, that small squeak of your sneakers, your own breath. If you have bad lungs? Well now you know. Cut out those cigarettes or inhaling chemicals already! You sound terrible!]

[There doesn't seem to be anyone else around. In fact you get the overwhelming sense that you are nothing short but purely alone and that's the way it always is. ]

[Though, that will probably change real soon now that there are spectators]

[OOC: Same deal as Allen's post a couple days ago. Nightmares will sorta be tailored based on people's desires level of trauma or aspect. You can find out what sort of stuff you can be in for here! Anyone's welcomed!]

Comments

[luthored]

[ She hangs just outside the door's entrance at first, suddenly feeling like she's intruding. The air feels oppressive, despite Zelos's energetic greeting. She glances around to see if anybody else is around before nervously stepping just inside.

Wow, is there something for her to clean and a way for her to not be conspicuous? ]

[wilder]

[Uh sure I'm sure there's a vase somewhere. Rich people love vases.]

[The woman makes no acknowledgement of his greeting, in fact it almost seems like she's trying to ignore him as he approaches, though still keeping his distance talking at a bright yet normal volume]

Mother, how about we go out to the garden today? The weather is beautiful and I think you'd like the flowers! It'd be nice to go outside, wouldn't it?

[Finally, his mother will respond. Her tone is terse, cold and completely affectionate. More like she's simply talking to a nuisance than a son]

...Please be quiet, your voice echoes and it makes my head hurt.

[Zelos's cheerful demeanor suddenly gives into the anxiety he was showing earlier]

Ah, I'm sorry...

[And the mother continues to ignore him]

[luthored]

[ Sweet Lord, what did she just hear? She can, seriously, hardly believe it. And when she realizes she's staring (maybe gawking), she sets the vase down and quickly moves to the boy's side, once again trying to touch his shoulders. Her smile is so forced. ]

Um, do you want to pick some flowers for your mother? I'll go with you.

[wilder]

[he looks up at Lana, almost surprised that she's still there. Serv-- Assistants almost never interrupt all this. His mother seems a bit relieved at the interruption and lets out a slight sigh. She still doesn't look at her son]

Please take him away. Make sure he doesn't come near my room.

[And Zelos's face falls. yep. It's the same today as it was the days before. Just as he feared it wouldn't be. He'll nod to Lana since she offered]

Okay.

[luthored]

[ Lana can't resist shooting the woman a glare as she tries to guide Zelos around and out of the room. She's doing this for him, not for the mother. But she doubts the older woman will even notice, or care. If it wouldn't have just made things more painful for the boy, Lana would have spoken her mind right then and there.

She's unsure about all of this. She doesn't know if this is really a memory, or if it's supposed to represent something else. Dreams are so unreliable, but whatever it is, it makes her chest hurt as she pulls the door shut once they're out in the hall. Pain, yes, but pity is something she can't even muster, knowing how she herself detested it growing up.

Looking down at the boy, Lana tries holding out her hand again. ]

Do you mind showing me to the garden, too? I'm just all turned around.

[wilder]

[His mother doesn't notice the glare, she continues to go back staring out the window, brooding about her life. Zelos meanwhile follows Lana, his mood is subdue but he doesn't seem overwhelmingly upset- it's a much more accepting sadness. It's been this way for so long that he's gotten used to it]

[He nods at the question. Seeing the hand hold out, he hesitates once again - unsure of what to do. But after the hesitation passes he'll grab onto the hand in the way that's both a desperate cling and a cautious hold. As badly as he wants the affection, he's scared he'll drive it away. ]

This way.

[he'll start leading the way down the hall]

[luthored]

[ She's quick to curl her fingers in, gently holding his hand while following along. Lana can't help but think Clark would be even better in this sort of situation. He would be just as appalled as her, probably more-so. His faith in people was staggering. ]

Do you go to the garden a lot?

[wilder]

[He relaxes a little when her fingers curl around his, feeling a bit safer that she won't pull away. His footsteps as he walks are oddly near silent for a child - he's practiced a lot to make sure his footsteps don't cause his mother to say her head hurts more]

When I can, I like being outside. I'm not allowed to leave the house, but they'll let me go to the garden.

[luthored]

Why can't you leave the house?

[ She assumes it's going to get her another weird look, but she doesn't care. ]

I wasn't told much when I accepted this job.

[wilder]

[It does, but...maybe she's from out of town or something. Some place that he's read about! Probably not...but it would be amazing, wouldn't it? ]

It's to keep me safe - that's what Sebastian, that's the butler, said.

[luthored]

[ Not much she can say about that. She doesn't know enough about this world to really comment. Maybe it's all out war beyond the walls. Or maybe he's really sick.

Curious, but trying to pick her route carefully, she tucks her hair back behind her ear. ]

I like being outside, too. When I really need to think, I go horseback riding.

[wilder]

Horseback riding?

[What is that]

[luthored]

You know, when you...

[ Oh maybe he means— ]

We ride horses where I come from. [ Blurgh, not really, but whatever. It's easier than explaining cars. ] Although I do it for fun.

[wilder]

I've never heard of that-

[He gasps!]

Do you come from somewhere faraway?!

[luthored]

Um, yeah. But it's nothing special.

[wilder]

I'm sure that's not true!

What's it like?

[luthored]

It's...

[ She tilts her head, glancing down to him. In the back of her mind, she's vaguely reminded that this isn't really a kid. This is Zelos, and he may remember what she says. But considering what she's seeing, what's been unwillingly revealed to her, it feels wrong not to share something. ]

It's a little different than other parts of the world, that's for sure. Because of a big...accident that occurred. Lots of people died, and...lots of other people became infected over time.

My parents died in the original accident, when I was three. My aunt took me in, but we never really, um...bonded the way I wanted to. [ She glances back down to him. She can't understand his kind of pain, she can't even close. But she can understand pain. ] You know?

[wilder]

[His small eyes widen with horror, shock and concern very apparent on his face. He had been hoping for some wonderful tale of adventure and exotic things, not...that. This was bad. Lana seemed so nice and she had lost her parents. And other people were sick and in pain. Suffering. ]

Zelos was young, but he knew what suffering was. At least, he felt he did. It's why the Chosen was born, after all. To fix people like Lana and those people's suffering. ]

[His hand will grasp her a little tighter]

Oh no...that sounds terrible! I'm so sorry!

[luthored]

[ She's quick to shake her head and hold out her other hand in a dismissive gesture. This isn't just for shock value, gosh. Even if she's aware this isn't a real child, she still feels bad about making him upset. ]

No, I've actually gained a lot. Just because things aren't in a...very happy place right now for someone doesn't mean it won't get better. I've found that you find family in the last places you'd expect, honestly. Sometimes it's not about where you come from, it's just about a connection; an...unbreakable bond.

It's hard, I think, to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But it is there.

[wilder]

[Sorry, but that's a life lesson Zelos will be learning in about 12 years. He meanwhile misunderstands entirely simply because he's been raised for one reason his entire life. ]

Wow, you're really strong, Lana! To keep going like that...

[He smiles and looks up at her with a nod, feeling a sense of conviction. There was something he could do to help this nice woman after all]

But you're right- there is a light! Don't worry! I'm the Chosen. That means one day I'll become an angel and save the world. Surely it'll help the people in your part of the world too - then they won't suffer anymore and everything will get better!

[luthored]

[ That's not quite what she meant, but she had known it was a long shot. At least it did have one good result, it got him to talk about something. Something she knows...absolutely nothing about.

She can play it cool, though, and not try to seem totally clueless. ]

Can you tell me more about the Chosen?

[wilder]

[And he's back to confusion since dude, you might have well asked can you tell me about air or something]

You don't know about the Chosen?

[luthored]

Well, just the basics! And it's hard to know what's...rumor. I'm from pretty far away, remember?

[ Why is lying to her husband easier than lying to a child? Chriminy, she's drowning. ]

[wilder]

[To be fair, the child is a friggin genius and observant. So have some dignity points there]

O...kay.

[So there was parts of the world that didn't know about the Chosen? That's...pretty weird to think about but okay. He can explain it to the lady. When he speaks, he almost sounds like he's reciting or paraphrasing. He's only heard this you know, his entire life]

The Chosen One was given to the world by the angels who serve the Goddess Martel. If the Goddess was to sleep, the world would suffer and eventually be destroyed. So it's the purpose of the Chosen to become and angel and ascend the stairs to Heaven to wake the Goddess.

And by doing that, the world will be saved and people will stop suffering!

[luthored]

[ Wow, that is just...kind of over her head in believability. But she tries to fashion some sense out of it using her own expectations. Still insane. Did that have something to do with his mother's behavior? Was she ill, or just a horrifying bitch?

Trying not to frown, afraid he'll think it's directed at him, Lana clears her throat. ]

That's a lot of pressure for one boy. Maybe right now we should just think about picking flowers. That's a pretty simple and easy way to make people happy.