Dream a Dream

[dark_thespian]

Characters: Allen Walker and YOU
When: During the Dreamscape event
Where: Inside Allen's dreams.
Rating: Subject to change.
Summary: Within the mind of Allen Walker many things lie in wait for those that explore it.

Comments

[dreams_are_mine]

Rhode watched the battle for a while, the grinning chess pieces, black versus white. When the first black king fell, she touched her cheek, to make sure there weren't any tears there. Just to make sure. When the second black king fell, a smirk tugged at her features, the clattering of the crown too loud as the armies stopped. Waiting

[dark_thespian]

The gray knight stands before her as she speaks and shakes his head when she asks him if he would champion for the Black Army. No. His time with them

[dreams_are_mine]

Rhode watches, frowning. She marches through the snow, ignoring the memory/dream of Akuma, of Allen. Ignoring the shadowy background people, the landscape itself.

"I don't want to watch this." She complains, hands still dripping blood on the snow, a trail of dark black instead of red in ever place she steps--spreading slowly from each drop of blood like a toxic corruption.

[dark_thespian]

As she walks away from the scene, that strange visage of Allen is back, crafted from gray light and intangible. It comes to a stop before her and peers down at her with the naked sword held point low so as to not harm her. Then what, do you wish to see?

The voice of this aspect of the boy she knows rumbles like thunder. He watches her from behind his mask and gestures about him. You picked this way.

[dreams_are_mine]

"You picked it." Rhode frowns, lifting a hand to touch where black vines writhe beneath the skin of her own face. But her eyes are on Allen.

"I want to see you."

[dark_thespian]

The figure says nothing and turns away from her. Allen lifts the sword again, the steel blade catching the rays of sun light and running down the metal to pierce through his woven body. They punch through him like spears as the blade falls from his lifeless fingers and he crumples to the snow. He looks almost like the fallen Black King as the shadows lengthen and stretch. They rise up in the shapes of members of the Noah clan. Rhode herself, Tyki Mikk, Lulubell...

Each one that has affected him unleash their power to form a cage of violet lightning. It tears up the soil as it shatters the memory. All that's left is empty space with thick iron chains winding down over the edges of the pitch black pit the battered and bloody Allen rises slowly and steps up to the hole. He wordlessly points down and gestures to a worn staircase now revealed as the sky turns to night. Go, he seems to say with his eyes. You'll find what you're after.

[dreams_are_mine]

Rhode sighs, ignoring the hole to step towards Allen, taking his hands in hers, ignoring the blood to lean forward and kiss him. And then abruptly she reaches up to pinch and stretch his cheeks, clearly annoyed.

"You're such an idiot Allen!" she complains, no heat in her voice, just fondness and exasperation.

[dark_thespian]

He freezes in place like regular Allen would. Despite being crafted of gray light and bleeding darkness he still makes a face at her pinching his cheeks. He tries to pull free and points again to the darkness. GO. See what you seek! He seems to try saying once more as the Noah sentinels kneel at the sides of the hole with their backs to it. Like guards for the dream's intruder, responding to Allen's own desires of belonging.

[dreams_are_mine]

Rhode takes his hand, ignoring the idea that she should go alone. She tugs hard, pulling Allen with her with her surprising strength as she finally does move to enter the dark pit.

Her fingers lace with the gray Allen's, a silent insistence that he not leave her. He can't leave her. She wants him here.

[dark_thespian]

He resists at first but when she pulls the gray knight follows her into the darkness. The chains rattle angrily as if not taking kindly to an intruder to their realm. Allen shakes his head and holds his hands up to pacify the metal links. They rattle louder before falling silent and he strides on, letting Rhode keep her hold on his arm. He feels like Allen always does despite the strangeness of his body. Down, down the dusty and winding staircase they go. The stone walls grow rough as if they had long ago been hastily cut from the quarry and lifted into place without refinement

[dreams_are_mine]

She clings to him, not for protection but because his presence is comforting, she likes him around. Allen, Innocence... She might hate Innocence but it's part of Allen. This knight is part of Allen. Whatever is down here in the dark--she knows who it is--it's also part of Allen.

All of it is Allen, even if she doesn't think Allen quite realizes that consciously. She lops her arms tighter around the knight's elbow, looking into the dark for a moment before meeting the gray eyes.

"You don't have to be scared." she promises, as if she were the one escorting the knight, as if she were the one protecting him and leading him to something he's afraid of. Tugging gently but insistently, she steps into the darkness.

[dark_thespian]

The gesture of affection makes the knight's gaze soften a fraction as he leans into the point of contact. He takes two breaths of air before he nods and follows Rhode into the shadows. The walls are harsh and sharp in the dim light. It's as if an animal tore it's claws down the gray stone. Beneath their feet the cold ground is slowly turning to ice. Here and there a painting from the old Black Order base watches the pair pass. The chill grows with each passing minute like chains trying to keep them from getting closer

[dreams_are_mine]

Rhode watches the struggle silently for a short while before she steps forward, still holding the knight's arm. He has to come too. As far as she's concerned they all belong here, everyone but the Cardinal. He's the only thing that doesn't belong, and when she stops by Allen she finally lets go of the knight, because the Innocence is raising it's hand for a devastating blow.

Even in dreams instinct propels her forward, to intercept the blow. Unlike in reality, where such an attack would hurt her, she shields Allen with both herself and a purple barrier of evil magic. At the same time candles materialize to pin the Apocryphos to the floor, perhaps defeated, perhaps not, but even in the dream Rhode can feel the impact of the blow to her face.

It's nothing like it might be in reality, but a living Innocence, even in Allen's dreams, is a powerful force.

The shadow gnawing at Allen is ignored. It's something she can't, or won't, interfere with.

[dark_thespian]

Both Allens cry out in alarm when Rhode is hit. The knight surges forward, while the chained warrior struggles to get free. Neither wants to see her hurt and strive to protect her. Yet the Cardinal rises up again, taller than before as if growing due to the uncertainty of the outcome - of the future. The Knight brandishes his sword with a fierce glare right before everything inverts to a room in the Order.

--

Robes figures seek to carry Allen away from General Cross. "Wait what do you mean I might have to kill someone I love?!"

[dreams_are_mine]

Rhode wavers a little from the abrupt transition. And because it's only a dream, the Apocryphos shouldn't have hurt like that. It shocks her. The surprise leaves her staring a little dumbly at the scene of Allen and Cross, not quite registering the scene at first.

"Allen." She tries to step up, step forward to reach him but finds she can't move. This is wrong, no dreams should be able to trap her so. She tries again, reaching out to Allen, but again finds herself hindered.

"Allen!"

[dark_thespian]

Allen is struggling against the robed Crow and cursing despite his master ignoring him. "I said," And then promptly headbutts Timcampi into the back of Cross's head. "WAIT!" Dead silence fell in a comical way until Cross turned around with the intent to maim his student.

"Sir, your time is up!"

"What was that? I didn't hear you." The General growled until Allen tensed and angry shouted across the room. "The day I joined the Order..."

"I promised Mana I'd always keep moving forward. That I'd never give up until the end!"

The boy struggled still, huffing and snarling at the guards. "I honestly don't know how to take what he did! But I still love him! These are my feelings! They come from the real me. I..."

His eyes hardened as he finally had enough leverage to straighten up and look his now silent master in the face. "I don't care about the Fourteenth! He can't have this!"