Dream 2

[nameless_river]

Kohaku is standing in...Yubaba's office? What is he doing back here?

The door behind him opens. He turns, and sees the witch herself come in, followed by a sniveling frog-man spirit. He panics for a moment, but realizes as they pass him that they can't see him.

"Have you discovered a way in yet?" Yubaba asks the spirit, settling herself at her desk

Comments

[justwantsafety]

*doesn't get it -- but he recognizes the reaction to it easily enough.*

....something really bad happened, didn't it.

[nameless_river]

[Sighs.] It would have been really bad if it was going to happen.

[justwantsafety]

Oh. So it... wasn't a memory? Or did something happen to stop... whatever it was?

[nameless_river]

No, it wasn't a memory. It was just a nightmare. [Sighs again.] A very bad one.

[justwantsafety]

*more to himself* So... dreams aren't always memories?

Are you going to be okay?

[nameless_river]

[Raises an eyebrow.] No...they can be anything at all. Anything you can imagine.

Yes, yes, I'll be fine. It's just...the idea of that happening is...[He trails off, but the message is clear.]

[justwantsafety]

*sighs and nods, quiet for a sec -- yeah, he gets it. He gets it all too well.*

Something did happen before, though, didn't it. I mean... to make the idea of whatever this was ever happening... such a bad thing?

[nameless_river]

Not really. The idea of the person who used to control me coming here and enslaving me again, not to mention everyone else here, is a pretty all-around bad thing.

[justwantsafety]

...

*enslaving? That's...*

[justwantsafety]

That's....

*yeah, that's... a really bad thing...! isn't it?*

[justwantsafety]

I'll be sure to let you know if I ever do see her or those others.

[nameless_river]

[Smiles slightly.] Thank you. But I doubt she WILL come here. After all, there's not much here to interest her besides me, and I doubt she could get me back.

By the way, what's your name?

[justwantsafety]

*a little relieved, but he'll be keeping an eye out anyway*

Oh... I'm Harley.

....and you?

[nameless_river]

[Smiles.] You saw my name in the dream. Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi. But if that's too long for you, call me Kohaku.

[justwantsafety]

Kohaku?

*slight pause; he's curious about this too* Do people usually have such long names, where you're from?

[nameless_river]

Well, not as long as mine, but certainly long, and probably longer than you're used to. Yubaba, Chihiro, Zeniba, these are all names from where I'm from.