the taste of dried up hopes in my mouth

[fallingdream]

Who: Song, Seph, and Jalen
What: It's time for another little "talk" with Medrau
When: Wednesday night, July 25
Where: Rainbow's End, Song's headspace
Posting Order: Whoever replies first determines the cycle



If there was anything untoward about waiting on her bed for two hale men who were both romantically involved elsewhere, Song didn't care a wit except to find it amusing (and with Josiah gone more often than not, could she really be blamed when her sense of humor listed in that direction?)

Not to mention that, given what she'd been dealing with lately, she'd take any excuse for a laugh.

She'd shooed Amy out, granting her permission to sneak back in and watch if she could get Larkin to sleep in the nursery. That task would surely give her enough time to get the spell cast on Seph and Jalen without the extra distraction of an over-protective wife - no offense to Amy.

To fill the time, she played at meditating. Song had never actually had much success with meditation, but she'd found that if she just listened very hard, locating and identifying the most distant sounds, she would start to lose her sense of gravity and feel as if she were floating or tilting to the side. Whether it counted as actual meditation or not, it felt cool, and also quite relaxing, so that's what she did.

Comments

[fallingdream]

Though the taunting whispers continued, Medrau made no further attempts to mislead Jalen or Seph. Either she was too focused on her counterpart, or she didn't care enough to bother.

Song, meanwhile, was declaring bold challenges at thin air.

"Quit with the games, Medrau, and let's talk face to face."

'Oh yes,' thin air whispered, 'because that worked out so well last time.'

"Why the show, then? Why even go to the trouble? Nightmares are hardly enough to shake us anymore."

'It is exactly that. A show. This is what you expect of me, is it not?' This was said to all of them. 'The Heartless. The Shadow. The grand villain set up to fall, just so you can keep feeling like heroes? If that is how you see me, and I am part of you, than how can I be anything else?'

[amys_keeper]

Jalen finally reached Song and stopped, craning his head up. He hoped she'd come down before he got a crick in his neck.

"Awiergan's doing quite a job of not being what we expect, doesn't matter how we see her." He muttered to himself.

[creepy_son_of_a]

When he got close enough Seph jumped to the rooftop nearest Song. He wasn't sure she realized that they'd found her already.

"I suppose we'll have to do this the hard way," he said loud enough for the others to hear.

[fallingdream]

'I'd rather not.'

There was, in the manner of near-meta understanding often granted by a dream, the impression of Medrau snapping her fingers.

The city was gone, or they were moved, and the sudden quiet made the previous ambiance of disaster seem deafening. The four of them were in a black room, or perhaps a simple void, as any walls that might exist here were just beyond the range of detection.

Medrau sat at the same wire-mesh table from Song's previous dream, sipping the same tea, but there was only one chair, and the whole of the set including its crafter appeared to be contained within a thick-walled glass box.

"For my protection," explained the dark-haired copy of Song, waving a hand at the box. "I'm afraid I'm not as generous as my other self with tea. I can make up for it with a peace offering, if you'll kindly listen."

[amys_keeper]

Jalen might've been more startled at the shift in surroundings if he hadn't been subject to his wife's repeated 'funtimes' of neon trees and multicolored bunny rabbits that wore tutus. The sudden silence was unnerving though - at least until Medrau's voice broke it. He stared at her in her little box and tried not to snicker. Something about it was striking him just a bit funny.

Now is not the time.

[creepy_son_of_a]

Seph was a bit disoriented by the shift but, recovered in an instant. His eyes fell on Medrau and...

...She was in a box. It was ridiculous and defied logic. Anywhere but in a dream they likely wouldn't be able to hear a word she said in there.

But it was a dream and physics went out the window.

Aria would certainly be at least giggling by now if she were here. And probably getting mental images that involved adding plants and turning it into a terrarium.

"Why would we want to listen to you?" Seph asked, banishing the silly thoughts from his mind.

[fallingdream]

"Because I am not the one threatening to do that to your home." She gestured again, this time indicating the ravaged city they'd just left.

Song, for her part, seemed to be hanging back. Medrau was right to shield herself. Her Other was in no real mood for talking this time.

Setting her teacup down and steepling her fingers, Medrau said, "Let's discuss the First Darkness."

[amys_keeper]

At Medrau's words, Jalen's eyebrows almost went up into his hair. Now wasn't this interesting?

"What's wrong, tired of being a lackey?"

Great, Amy's tendency to be a smartass was rubbing off on him. He was sure she'd find it hysterically funny when he told her...after she was done hitting him with Igor.

[creepy_son_of_a]

Seph's first thought was to say that it wasn't his home but, he held his tongue. It was likely that she didn't just mean Radiant Garden.

Did he want to know what she had to say? He wasn't sure.

He glanced at Song and remained silent.

[fallingdream]

"I am tired of being controlled by what I am."

Song snorted derisively at that, but then bit her lip, feeling a bit hypocritical. Then again, it was difficult to avoid hypocrisy where Medrau was involved, given their relationship.

"I see no great benefit for me in staying on as an enemy to the Refugees," Medrau continued. "Apparently I haven't been spared Song's incessantly rebellious nature." This she said with some wry humor. "I am aware that my change of heart," she smirked slightly, "is due in part to recent reconnections made with the Light I abandoned, but who am I to argue with the gift of a broader perspective?"

She laid her hands down flat on the table now, leaning forward slightly. Change of heart or not, she was still a sucker for the cliche.

"To get to the point, I want to help you eliminate a threat greater than me, and to do that, we'll have to summon him first."

[amys_keeper]

Jalen was, surprisingly, rendered speechless by this turn of events. Oh, he was still making comments in his head, along the lines of 'Trap' and 'She's more insane than I gave her credit for', but as far as words coming out of his mouth? Nada. He stared hard at Medrau for a moment before turning to give Song the same look.

[creepy_son_of_a]

"Interesting."

Seph was trying to look at this objectively. Which was not easy under the circumstances.

"You must realize how insane this sounds."

He turns away, looking at nothing except the darkness surrounding them.

"If you are sincere... Why? And where did you learn of this?" He didn't feel the need to state the obvious. The obvious being that they would likely believe she was trying to fool them despite her claims of a 'change of heart'.

[fallingdream]

"I am a child of Darkness," she responded to the last question first. "We're all part of the same entity. You know I'm just another Heartless, in the end. It is only this link to my Other's mind that gives me sense of self enough to speak with you."

Song looked as if she was tasting something sour, but held in check the scathing, mocking tones she was tempted to take. More or less.
"Back to the point, why summon the First Darkness? How would that be any better than leaving the whole mess alone?"

Medrau's smile seemed very nearly sad... or perhaps she was trying at pity. She did take the time to catch each of their gazes before replying.
"The First Darkness will come again whether or not we summon him. I am giving you the choice to catch him off guard, instead of sitting on your hands until he deems himself ready. After three embarrassing defeats, I somehow doubt he'll underestimate the lot of you again."

[amys_keeper]

Jalen remembered being pulled into a pool of Darkness; being trapped in Alexandria away from his wife and son. It wasn't something he ever wanted to experience again, but he had his doubts about Medrau's sincerity, and dealing with the First Darkness before they absolutely needed to...

Though she had a point.

"I don't think a decision like this should be made just among the three of us."

Yes, he was purposely leaving out the Shadow.

[creepy_son_of_a]

Seph stared off into the darkness, his expression carefully blank. There were so many risks here. Both in trusting her and in disregarding her.

"It is not a decision to make without a great deal of thought and more information either."

[fallingdream]

Medrau indulged in a satisfied smirk.
"Of course. By all means, discuss it with the rest of the gang. You know where to find me when you come to a decision. I have only one more warning that might sway you."

She met Jalen's eyes, unblinking, and then flicked her gaze to Song, targeting them specifically with her next words.

"If the First opts for patience and bides his time until your lives are spent, he will target those you've personally trained. Your children, and whatever families they've built for themselves by that point." She sipped her tea. "Something to keep in mind."

[amys_keeper]

He'd had enough. As if that wasn't something he tried not to think about late at night. Jalen turned to Song and Seph.

"I'm going back," He said, gesturing off toward the void around them. He was pretty sure he could wake himself up with no trouble. Part of him felt like he was deserting, but Song would be safe enough with Seph if Medrau acted up at the last minute, and Amy could help from the other side.

Without giving the others a chance to reply to his statement, he faded from the dream.

When he opened his eyes back in Song's room, it was to see his wife bent over him, face inches from his, just staring. He blinked, and she yelped, jumping back.

"WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG, DAMN IT?"

"...How long were we gone?"

Amy frowned for a second, thinking. "A couple minutes. IT WAS FOREVER, JALE. DON'T DO THAT AGAIN."

Jalen almost laughed, but rubbed his ears instead. "Stop the shouting, they can probably hear you in the dream."

[creepy_son_of_a]

Seph frowned. It seemed that their reason for coming here had been completely derailed. It could simply be a ploy to distract them so she had time to plan something. But they couldn't really ignore what she'd said.

He didn't really blame Jalen for going.

There wasn't much else he could say so, he waited for Song's response. He didn't feel comfortable leaving her alone or he might have decided to leave too.

[fallingdream]

Song had reached the same conclusion as Seph, but she also had an idea. It wasn't a fool-proof test, but she could perhaps judge the truthfulness of Medrau's proposal based on whether or not she continued to pester Song with all the anxiety and unwanted dye jobs.
For that reason, she didn't say a word of it to her Shadow. Even if Medrau backed off as part of an act, it would solve the immediate problem she'd come here to deal with.
Win/win... from a very optimistic standpoint.

"We'll talk about it, Shadow. I'll be in touch, seeing as I don't have much choice."
Very much done with this encounter, Song turned on her heel, and the dream shattered as if it were the glass of Medrau's box.

[amys_keeper]

When the others wake up, they'll find Jalen still in Song's room, with Amy sitting in his lap, playing with a strand of his hair and quizzing him on the dream.

"So did she try anything?"

"Define 'anything'".

"You know."

Jalen smirked a bit. He thought he knew what she was getting at.

"No, I don't, really. Enlighten me?"

Instead she just punched him in the arm.

[creepy_son_of_a]

Seph sat with his eyes closed for a few moments. He was still thinking about what they'd been told. The others would probably have an... interesting reaction to this.

He tilted his head slightly as he cracked open an eye.

"Couldn't even wait a few moments for us to wake up?" he muttered, slightly amused.

[fallingdream]

Song draped herself across the bed, braced on elbows with her hands curled over the edge like the paws of a beast - the 'Mama Wolf' pose. She regarded the others wordlessly for a time, taking in Seph's relaxed demeanor and the antics of Amy and her husband. This would be interesting no matter which way it went.

"So..." she said during a suitable silence, "do either of you particularly want to tell the Refs all about what just happened, or does it fall to me?"

[amys_keeper]

"Since it's your Shadow, you should do it?" Jalen half-heartedly suggested, only to be elbowed in the side. He winced.

"All right, maybe we should leave it to the strange girl trying to crack my ribs."

"Hey! Wait, what exactly happened? I didn't get much outta him before you woke up."

Amy looked between Song and Seph, scowling a little. Still kinda miffed about being left behind? Yep.

[creepy_son_of_a]

Seph sighed. "Complications," he said simply.

Is he going to elaborate?

...Apparently not. Okay yeah, he is.

"Medrau has proposed we summon the First Darkness and take him out before he can put a destructive plan into motion."

He didn't really want to be the one to inform everyone else but, he'd do it if the others continued to be childish about it.

[fallingdream]

Instead of volunteering to make the Post of Doom, or elaborating on Seph's explanation, Song changed the subject.

"How's Larkin? Did she get to sleep alright?" The faintest gleam of wry mischief in her eyes suggested she'd tacked this on at the end of Seph's words intentionally, just to make it a little more difficult for Amy to absorb the news.

Messing with her friend's head was a stress-relief method.