Dream ☄ 003
((The following dream is FILTERED from Serph and Sera. They can't see this. Sorry, guys.))
Heat held it close, hidden in his cloak.
He was on his way home from the small-scale markets in Espoir. The little village never really had much to offer in the way of battle gear or useful items, but he had long ago given up trying to find something along those veins with these people. Instead, he explored the village for small, intriguing knicknacks. Beautiful things, sweet things, soft things. Things he didn’t necessarily care for, but he wasn’t searching for things aligned with his taste, anyway.
This time, the object was flat, round, attached to a stick. It smelled sugary. A lollipop was what it was called, large and colorful. Sera would like the colors and the taste, and it would last long enough for her to marvel while she suckled. And he would stay with her, watching the whole time. Hey, couldn’t have her get poisoned because of some stupid ass shop owner’s negligence, right? Better to watch and provide a dis-poison if she needed it.
But was there another reason why watching her devour a lollipop would be so enticing? Heat shrugged off the feeling. It didn’t matter.
“Sera...” Heat murmured to himself, navigating through the base in a hurry. He wanted to show her right away. Maybe, with enough of these daily presents, she’ll trust him again. He wanted nothing more than for her to...
He pushed open the door to her quarters, the lollipop concealed behind his back... and stopped dead, eyes wide.
Seated near the window, at a lavishly-decorated table lit (romantically?) with a pair of dainty candles were Serph and Sera. They were already feasting on strange creatures and objects. A large roasted beast, colorful green and red objects, a heaping flat frosted sweet (cake?) set aside for dessert.
“Heat,” said Sera uncertainly. She was surprised at her brash comrade’s sudden entrance, mild and meek. “Did you want some? I can’t eat it all on my own...”
Serph smiled innocently at the gesture, mockingly urging Heat to take a seat, his bright eyes giggling at the small candy object in his Second’s grasp.
With a loud snap, Heat crushed the lollipop in his thick hand.
----------------------------------------------
Cute.
That was the only word for it, its button eyes staring up at Heat in charming blankness. The tiger cub had a mane of synthetic polyester, stuffed with a soft, fluffy (cotton) material that made it pleasing to the touch. It wasn’t real, no, but it didn’t need to be. Heat had scoured Somarium far and wide and couldn’t find a single hint of what he really wanted to give Sera, so a stuffed animal would have to be the next best thing.
Hell, at least with some coercion the goddamn ghosts in the shop were willing to give it to him for free. Like hell would he get caught pay for something as wussy as a stuffed, fake creature. At least it was better than some stupid piece of candy.
Heat made a lame attempt to comb out his hair with his fingers and shouldered his way into Sera’s room, the familiar heaviness and anxiety settling into his chest. Would she fear him? Would she fear it? Would she trust what he’d gotten for her?
Whatever. He’d just leave it on her bed and wait for her to ask about it. He shut the door behind him and crossed toward her cot--
damn well near tripping over the small, furred creature that approached his leg.
It was a cat. Black with a single white ear, its eyes a bright pale blue. He affectionately rubbed his face against Heat’s ankle, the red-head’s face marred with shock and swiftly-swelling rage.
“Schroedinger!” giggled Sera. She reached out to scoop up the little kitten, snuggling it in her arms with unprecedented joy.
Heat was speechless. He looked down to his own inadequate toy numbly, crushing and concealing it in his grasp.
“He likes you, Heat!” Sera beamed. The cat purred loudly. “Do you like him, too? Serph found him for me...”
Heat’s gaze snapped over to the bed. There sat Serph, his eyes laughing and mocking him once more.
Not good enough.
“Why don’t you stay with us, Heat?”
The Embryon second scoffed gruffly and stormed out of the room, shoving the stuffed tiger in the trash along the way.
----------------------------------------------
This time would be a hell of a lot different. Serph couldn’t possibly better his idea.
Forget presents. Forget material things. Forget candy, ice cream, food. Heat was going to give her and experience of a lifetime, a taste of paradise, something that Sera had wanted since he had met her.
Heat took her to the beach.
“Oh, Heat,” whispered Sera in awe when he finally removed her blindfold (couldn’t have her seeing the surprise, now, could she?). The dawn had just begun to break over the distant waves. “It’s beautiful. Better than I’ve dreamed! You shouldn’t have gone through all this trouble...”
Heat fidgeted awkwardly. “It was nothing,” he murmured. Sure, he had to get them both a stupid ass pass out to the desert, and there were several bloody battles along the way, but she was happy. And it was all because of him. That’s what mattered.
“Just ...” he shrugged almost bashfully, far too nonchalant, his own hand reaching to take hers. “Enjoy it.”
“You don’t know what this means to me,” insisted Sera. She turned to face Heat, her large, dark eyes brimming with tears. Tears? That couldn’t be a good thing. But she was smiling... what could it mean? She opened her arms wide, leaning in for an all-encompassing, warm hug. Heat held his breath, bracing himself for her soothing touch. “Thank you...”
“SERA,” interrupted an infuriatingly cool, calm shout.
Heat’s blood ran cold, his brow drawn tight, nausea bubbling up in his gut. Sera didn’t get the chance to embrace Heat. She turned around at the sound of his voice, giving the other man a beautiful peal of laughter at the new sight.
“Serph!!!” she exclaimed. “It’s amazing! I’ve always wanted to go on a boat!”
There, right on top of the water, was none other than Serph at the healm of a gigantic, luxious boat, waving Sera over enthusiastically. A fucking... bastard ass... yacht. Sera climbed into the boat, eager to sink into Serph’s arms as they pulled onto the open sea.
And as they left, Serph’s mocking, smirking, cackling gray eyes seared Heat’s blazing red.
****************************************
[Heat awoke to a crash, his fist lashing out violently to splinter the floor with a swift punch. He breathed. A dream wasn’t real. A dream wasn’t real... But something strange caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. He turned his gaze to the new object.
Beside him, next to his Dreamberry, was a keycard labeled City Pass.
Hmph, at least those bastard ghosts weren’t liars.]
((City pass payment 2/2))
Heat held it close, hidden in his cloak.
He was on his way home from the small-scale markets in Espoir. The little village never really had much to offer in the way of battle gear or useful items, but he had long ago given up trying to find something along those veins with these people. Instead, he explored the village for small, intriguing knicknacks. Beautiful things, sweet things, soft things. Things he didn’t necessarily care for, but he wasn’t searching for things aligned with his taste, anyway.
This time, the object was flat, round, attached to a stick. It smelled sugary. A lollipop was what it was called, large and colorful. Sera would like the colors and the taste, and it would last long enough for her to marvel while she suckled. And he would stay with her, watching the whole time. Hey, couldn’t have her get poisoned because of some stupid ass shop owner’s negligence, right? Better to watch and provide a dis-poison if she needed it.
But was there another reason why watching her devour a lollipop would be so enticing? Heat shrugged off the feeling. It didn’t matter.
“Sera...” Heat murmured to himself, navigating through the base in a hurry. He wanted to show her right away. Maybe, with enough of these daily presents, she’ll trust him again. He wanted nothing more than for her to...
He pushed open the door to her quarters, the lollipop concealed behind his back... and stopped dead, eyes wide.
Seated near the window, at a lavishly-decorated table lit (romantically?) with a pair of dainty candles were Serph and Sera. They were already feasting on strange creatures and objects. A large roasted beast, colorful green and red objects, a heaping flat frosted sweet (cake?) set aside for dessert.
“Heat,” said Sera uncertainly. She was surprised at her brash comrade’s sudden entrance, mild and meek. “Did you want some? I can’t eat it all on my own...”
Serph smiled innocently at the gesture, mockingly urging Heat to take a seat, his bright eyes giggling at the small candy object in his Second’s grasp.
With a loud snap, Heat crushed the lollipop in his thick hand.
----------------------------------------------
Cute.
That was the only word for it, its button eyes staring up at Heat in charming blankness. The tiger cub had a mane of synthetic polyester, stuffed with a soft, fluffy (cotton) material that made it pleasing to the touch. It wasn’t real, no, but it didn’t need to be. Heat had scoured Somarium far and wide and couldn’t find a single hint of what he really wanted to give Sera, so a stuffed animal would have to be the next best thing.
Hell, at least with some coercion the goddamn ghosts in the shop were willing to give it to him for free. Like hell would he get caught pay for something as wussy as a stuffed, fake creature. At least it was better than some stupid piece of candy.
Heat made a lame attempt to comb out his hair with his fingers and shouldered his way into Sera’s room, the familiar heaviness and anxiety settling into his chest. Would she fear him? Would she fear it? Would she trust what he’d gotten for her?
Whatever. He’d just leave it on her bed and wait for her to ask about it. He shut the door behind him and crossed toward her cot--
damn well near tripping over the small, furred creature that approached his leg.
It was a cat. Black with a single white ear, its eyes a bright pale blue. He affectionately rubbed his face against Heat’s ankle, the red-head’s face marred with shock and swiftly-swelling rage.
“Schroedinger!” giggled Sera. She reached out to scoop up the little kitten, snuggling it in her arms with unprecedented joy.
Heat was speechless. He looked down to his own inadequate toy numbly, crushing and concealing it in his grasp.
“He likes you, Heat!” Sera beamed. The cat purred loudly. “Do you like him, too? Serph found him for me...”
Heat’s gaze snapped over to the bed. There sat Serph, his eyes laughing and mocking him once more.
Not good enough.
“Why don’t you stay with us, Heat?”
The Embryon second scoffed gruffly and stormed out of the room, shoving the stuffed tiger in the trash along the way.
----------------------------------------------
This time would be a hell of a lot different. Serph couldn’t possibly better his idea.
Forget presents. Forget material things. Forget candy, ice cream, food. Heat was going to give her and experience of a lifetime, a taste of paradise, something that Sera had wanted since he had met her.
Heat took her to the beach.
“Oh, Heat,” whispered Sera in awe when he finally removed her blindfold (couldn’t have her seeing the surprise, now, could she?). The dawn had just begun to break over the distant waves. “It’s beautiful. Better than I’ve dreamed! You shouldn’t have gone through all this trouble...”
Heat fidgeted awkwardly. “It was nothing,” he murmured. Sure, he had to get them both a stupid ass pass out to the desert, and there were several bloody battles along the way, but she was happy. And it was all because of him. That’s what mattered.
“Just ...” he shrugged almost bashfully, far too nonchalant, his own hand reaching to take hers. “Enjoy it.”
“You don’t know what this means to me,” insisted Sera. She turned to face Heat, her large, dark eyes brimming with tears. Tears? That couldn’t be a good thing. But she was smiling... what could it mean? She opened her arms wide, leaning in for an all-encompassing, warm hug. Heat held his breath, bracing himself for her soothing touch. “Thank you...”
“SERA,” interrupted an infuriatingly cool, calm shout.
Heat’s blood ran cold, his brow drawn tight, nausea bubbling up in his gut. Sera didn’t get the chance to embrace Heat. She turned around at the sound of his voice, giving the other man a beautiful peal of laughter at the new sight.
“Serph!!!” she exclaimed. “It’s amazing! I’ve always wanted to go on a boat!”
There, right on top of the water, was none other than Serph at the healm of a gigantic, luxious boat, waving Sera over enthusiastically. A fucking... bastard ass... yacht. Sera climbed into the boat, eager to sink into Serph’s arms as they pulled onto the open sea.
And as they left, Serph’s mocking, smirking, cackling gray eyes seared Heat’s blazing red.
****************************************
[Heat awoke to a crash, his fist lashing out violently to splinter the floor with a swift punch. He breathed. A dream wasn’t real. A dream wasn’t real... But something strange caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. He turned his gaze to the new object.
Beside him, next to his Dreamberry, was a keycard labeled City Pass.
Hmph, at least those bastard ghosts weren’t liars.]
((City pass payment 2/2))