16 enchantments

[iknowmore]

[A young Christopher is standing at the edge of a valley, dressed in pyjamas far too small for him. Besides the valley there are nothing but cliffs, dark and gloomy, wet and slippery with rain. He doesn't seem to mind though, looking right at home there, just hesitating as though not sure whether to walk down that particular valley or choose

Comments

I love this idea.<3

[moresake]

Well, isn't this interesting?

[And it is, because traveling worlds in Yuuko's universe is really different! She comes up from behind, having somehow navigated the cliffs, and she smiles down at Christopher.]

glad you like =D

[iknowmore]

Oh, hello there.

[He turns to look at her, surprised at seeing someone there but smiling at her anyway.]

I don't usually come across anyone here. Not until I get into one of the Anywheres at least. Do you really think it's interesting?

[moresake]

I've never seen anything quite like it.

Where are the Anywheres, through that fog? [She points down into the valley.]

[iknowmore]

No, that's just one Anywhere. You need to go to the other valleys if you want a different one. There isn't any fog though...? [peering intently as if trying to see what she means.]

[moresake]

Well, you're younger, so perhaps you can see more clearly. [She glances around a bit. Perhaps there is a suggestion of valleys through the fog. Interesting.] What's in this one?

[iknowmore]

Maybe that's it.

A beach leading to a cove. I think this is the one where the silly ladies are. Do you want to go and see them?

[moresake]

Sure. Why are they silly? [She will follow him delicately down into the valley, then, not particularly concerned about being lost.]

[iknowmore]

[He leads the way, quite sure of himself, looking rather happier when there's warm sand under his bare feet.]

They never understand I'm a boy called Christopher...they think I'm some kind of creature called a clistoffer. And they never stop laughing.

They're very kind ladies, though, when they're not splashing me with water.

[moresake]

Perhaps they think you should be damper. [Well, now, this is interesting. Sand and beach... it really is another world in his universe. Or rather, a dream representation of one.]

[iknowmore]

[and soon enough they're walking by the sea on a warm summer's afternoon. If she looks behind her, there'll be no trace of the valley or cliffs where they had just been.]

Perhaps. I think they live in the sea. They have tails instead of feet - I used to think all ladies had tails under their dresses, but when I checked with some of mama's friends once she was very cross with me.

[moresake]

[Well, isn't that an interesting fact? Though that sort of thing happens in dreams a lot. She makes a mental note to ask Christopher if that happens normally when he is no longer dreaming.]

[She laughs a little at that.] Wouldn't it be hard for us to walk if we all had tails?

[iknowmore]

I supposed they balanced somehow and those enormous skirts helped them...[trailing off because he knows it sounds rather silly. Well, he'd been a bit younger when that had happened.]

They're usually on the rocks further ahead.

[moresake]

Children have unique reasoning. [She doesn't fault him for it, even if it's silly.]

Well, it's been some time since I've seen mermaids. Hopefully they'll be there.

[iknowmore]

Mermaids? Is that what they are?

[And since this is a dream, they really are there, laughing with each other, sitting in the sun and sometimes sending great waves of salt water up over themselves with their fins.]

[moresake]

That's one name for them. [She nods, and then she waves at the mermaids in a friendly fashion.] They do laugh a lot, don't they?

[iknowmore]

[They wave back, giggling, and some jump into the water to swim closer.]

I think anyone would laugh a lot, if all they had to do all day was swim and play in the sun. [looking wistful] But the governess would never let me do that.