[Dreamscape] To sleep

[spandexisyouth]

Characters: Maito Gai and OPEN
Date/Time: September 20th, 21st (if you want other dates that's fine too.)
Location: All in your head.
Rating: G?
Summary: Dreamland, where nothing can hurt you. Maybe. Semi-lucid dreaming.

Comments

[awokentospring]

Spring immediately felt at home when he found himself in the park. There was a tinge of gloom that was a bit painful, but generally he was comforted just being there. And he knew why as soon as he spotted Gai. He almost didn't want to approach, but he wouldn't turn back now. That was not the kind of person he was. Besides, this was Gai-sensei. Even if they weren't really comfortable with each other at the moment, that wouldn't change if he didn't try something.

"Hey, Dad," he said, moving closer but not too close. He didn't want to invade his sensei's personal space. Gai seemed to need a lot of space lately.

[spandexisyouth]

Dad. It was still a little hard to hear that, knowing he wasn't worthy of the title. Spring had finally begun calling him Dad and then... Gai managed a soft smile. He still felt so much for Spring, even though Spring wasn't actually his son. He would have to say that on the journals, sooner or later, too.

"Hello, Spring." Such a huge part of Gai wanted to still reach over and embrace his student, but he no longer knew if he had any right to. It wsn't like things with Bell, where he'd earned the right to hug Bell at any time. With Spring he'd barged in and claimed the right and had been wrong.

"Come. Sit with me." If the young man would. Gai still didn't know why Spring wanted to spend time with him. He'd fooled Spring, lied to him and Lotus both, lied to so many. "What brings you to this," a very small smile, "neck of the woods?" That was one phrase Gai knew, though if someone went wandering, they would see that the wooded area of the park was very much neck-shaped.

[awokentospring]

"Thank you." Having been invited closer, Spring allowed himself the closeness he felt would be acceptable for a student. He sat before his teacher, close by where he could listen attentively. He didn't think he was could be privileged with the right to sit next to Gai as he might have if they were really father and son.

Spring smiled but not as large and joyfully as he might have if things were different. Just a small smile. "I am... not certain. I think I was just drawn to this place."

He took a moment to gaze around at the trees immediately around them. The small Tree that held his mentor's focus from before was intriguing. "Do you know anything about this place, Dad?"

[spandexisyouth]

He missed the closeness he'd had with Spring. It left an almost tangible, aching gap. Here, as Spring sat just a bit away from him, the gap was visible too.

"I am glad that you were drawn here." Gai's voice was gentle and quiet. "It is a peaceful place, and it is nice to share it with you." He looked around, following Spring's gaze quietly. "I do not know. It feels familiar, but nothing about it specifically is. I think it is, in a way, my place." While he couldn't explain why exactly he felt that, the feeling permeated the woods.

[ghost_of_00]

00 was walking with herself. She wasn't comfortable with it... the other-her was staying just out of sight, appearing only in her peripheral vision. Any attempt to look directly at her, and she vanished.

The other her only had a head and wide, staring eyes, saying things that 00 couldn't hear. She wanted the other her to leave her alone... there ought to be only one. One 00. Hurrying through bleak grey corridors and rooms labeled Fred Growth Chamber, Stellaris Research Lab, and equally unsettling concepts, 00 found the one door that was unmarked. Sunlight was coming around the edges--pulling her ID card out of her pocket, she swiped it through the reader and stepped into the park.

"You're here." Her blank tone matched her stare.

My apologies for the lateness

[spandexisyouth]

Gai looked up, staring for a moment at the door that had appeared. Then he smiled at 00. "I am! And you are here as well!" It didn't seem too strange, them just being in the park, though Gai couldn't say how long he had been here.

"Would you like to have a seat with me? I think I can create tea. I am not sure. I have not tried it yet." This whole thing was a little confusing. He'd been trying not to think about it too much. Sometimes if he wanted something, it was there, and sometimes it just wasn't. He focused on a spot next to him, but instead of tea appearing, a giant tortoise wandered out of one shadowy area and into another.

Gai shrugged. "It seems there will not be tea. I am sorry. But you can still join me!"

Not a problem!

[ghost_of_00]

00 answered his question by sitting down beside him, looking curiously at the tree. Edensphere? But that was wrong. This was like... a bonsai; her mind supplied the term from somewhere. A carefully cultivated replica of the real thing. Ornamental. Something for thinking about.

She watched the tortoise as it ambled past, apparently unconcerned with either of them, and looked around again. "I can't see the other me. Did she follow me here?"

[spandexisyouth]

Gai frowned, searching for a moment. "The other you? I do not see anyone else. There are two of you? Or were there two before you came here?"

Carefully he pushed the bonsai-Tree closer to her, since she'd glanced at it. "If you would like to see you may. It has not yet given any of its secrets up, but who knows what more examination will give? I do not want to risk harsh handling, but..." Gai trailed off and shrugged again. It had fascinated him since he'd gotten to this park area. There was much that he couldn't put a finger on, couldn't figure out, but was here nonetheless.

[pinkmoonrabbit]

Well this is great! Chibiusa loved parks and they felt familiar to her. Pity there wasn't a swing set (she did so love swinging), but it was still a really pretty place! She skipped about a bit in her plaid dress and almost missed Gai blending in with the trees. She nearly jumped at him. "Papa!"

[spandexisyouth]

Gai beamed at the loud call, opening his arms up in a hug invitation. "Chibiusa! You are here!" A few people had been through here. Some he'd known, some he wasn't sure that he had. Sometimes they talked and sometimes they simply left. There was no telling what she would do, but he would approach her as if she was really there, just as he did with every one. After all, it was far better to live in the moment then to be aloof.

"Would you like to spend some time here?" He couldn't seem to leave. But he was in no rush to go anywhere, so this was fine.

[pinkmoonrabbit]

Chibiusa smiled brightly, hugging Gai as tight as her little body could. "I would! I like parks a lot~♥" Spending time with Gai was always great, especially in a park, which, at the moment, was her favorite place to be. She did love parks, but her dream mind seemed to single out that one place and label it favorite. And it was even more favorite now that she'd found a friend!

[spandexisyouth]

Gai hugged her back happily. "Then you are welcome to! I think..." His voice trailed off as he looked at an empty area that didn't have too much in the way of shadows. A few moments later there was a small swingset there with a slide, and Gai stood. "Would you like a push? We could see how high you can go!" And with the strangeness of wherever here was, it might be very high indeed.