The Reason I Survive
Characters: Terra & Open [but ask first because I don't want TOO many responses to this XD]
Time: Late Evening
Location: Lobby
Content: Dream Sequence + Reaction
Format: Prose
Warnings: Angst?
Terra had not meant to doze off. He'd been avoiding sleep as much as possible and was usually pretty good about at least waiting to pass out from exhaustion in his own private room. Unfortunately, while he was sitting in the lobby (a break between his usual walks around the city and his own training) he nodded off...
He was home and it was just as he had left it...silent and dead. Terra stared up at the bleak skies covered in darkness. It made the pit of his stomach clench tightly but his heart ached even more. He stepped back as if he could just step out of the world that way but the empty castle loomed before him.
The sleeping figure of Terra twitched, his head was resting on his arms but it was obvious to whoever might see him that he was not dreaming pleasant things.
Knowing it would be empty and seeing it empty were two different things. Even knowing, he looked. He couldn't explain it but he just HAD to find someone. Aqua. Ven. Surely Master Eraqus would be here somewhere. His footsteps echoed over broken concrete and he was too self-conscious to call out their names. He felt that if he broke the silence the world itself would shatter into even more broken fragments.
His brow furrowed and he muttered something. Was it a name?
He was in the hallways now, still trying to find someone. The windows and doors danced with shadows but whenever he tried to turn and catch the detail of one it would vanish and move somewhere else in his vision. He started running, trying to catch even one of them. He ran and ran until he felt like he would be lost within his own home.
Suddenly, Terra came out in the large room where they had tested for the mark of Mastery. How long ago had that been? How much had he changed since then? How much darkness had consumed him now? Terra looked down at the floor, voices echoing around him...
"...what the HELL happened to not giving up? All it takes is some kid from the future and a bad dream and you're down for the count? That fast? SERIOUSLY? Hope is NOT a short-term commitment, Terra!"
"Fighting darkness is most worthwhile, but one cannot fight darkness with darkness"
"You don't win, you just keep from losing. And sure, they help some. But what happens when they're in danger? What happens when they die? Your emotions, friends make you do stupid things. Do you think you can fight that darkness when your emotions sync up with it so nicely?"
"But it wasn't you doing it, Terra! It was was Xehanort!"
Terra closed his eyes, willing it all to stop. He was so tired, even in his dreams. He was so tired of disappointing everyone...of worrying about what he would become...of pretending that he was okay. So, so, so tired. He opened his eyes again and the room seemed darker somehow. Terra frowned and looked about, trying to find the source. It wasn't hard. He followed his own length of shadow to where it stretched up and blotted out the stained glass window. His shadow turned, the darkness growing stronger and stronger around him...blotting out all of the light...
"NO! STOP!" Terra jerked upwards, sweat drenching his brow and causing his hair to cling to his forehead. He looked around wildly, eyes wide and rimmed with dark circles. When his eyes fell on his hands he nearly jumped, thinking he had seen dark tendrils curling around his hands but it had been a trick of the light. Terra stared at his hands for a few minutes. He made an indescribable sound, almost a sob, before bringing his palms to his eyes and burying his face in his hands.
Despite the sound, he didn't cry. He was too tired for that and besides, he hadn't cried about a nightmare since he was small...he wasn't going to start now. He just wanted to sleep. He just wanted the nightmares to stop. It was too much. Terra didn't move and just sat with his head in his hands. Who knew sleep deprivation could push someone so close to the brink.
Time: Late Evening
Location: Lobby
Content: Dream Sequence + Reaction
Format: Prose
Warnings: Angst?
Terra had not meant to doze off. He'd been avoiding sleep as much as possible and was usually pretty good about at least waiting to pass out from exhaustion in his own private room. Unfortunately, while he was sitting in the lobby (a break between his usual walks around the city and his own training) he nodded off...
He was home and it was just as he had left it...silent and dead. Terra stared up at the bleak skies covered in darkness. It made the pit of his stomach clench tightly but his heart ached even more. He stepped back as if he could just step out of the world that way but the empty castle loomed before him.
The sleeping figure of Terra twitched, his head was resting on his arms but it was obvious to whoever might see him that he was not dreaming pleasant things.
Knowing it would be empty and seeing it empty were two different things. Even knowing, he looked. He couldn't explain it but he just HAD to find someone. Aqua. Ven. Surely Master Eraqus would be here somewhere. His footsteps echoed over broken concrete and he was too self-conscious to call out their names. He felt that if he broke the silence the world itself would shatter into even more broken fragments.
His brow furrowed and he muttered something. Was it a name?
He was in the hallways now, still trying to find someone. The windows and doors danced with shadows but whenever he tried to turn and catch the detail of one it would vanish and move somewhere else in his vision. He started running, trying to catch even one of them. He ran and ran until he felt like he would be lost within his own home.
Suddenly, Terra came out in the large room where they had tested for the mark of Mastery. How long ago had that been? How much had he changed since then? How much darkness had consumed him now? Terra looked down at the floor, voices echoing around him...
"...what the HELL happened to not giving up? All it takes is some kid from the future and a bad dream and you're down for the count? That fast? SERIOUSLY? Hope is NOT a short-term commitment, Terra!"
"Fighting darkness is most worthwhile, but one cannot fight darkness with darkness"
"You don't win, you just keep from losing. And sure, they help some. But what happens when they're in danger? What happens when they die? Your emotions, friends make you do stupid things. Do you think you can fight that darkness when your emotions sync up with it so nicely?"
"But it wasn't you doing it, Terra! It was was Xehanort!"
Terra closed his eyes, willing it all to stop. He was so tired, even in his dreams. He was so tired of disappointing everyone...of worrying about what he would become...of pretending that he was okay. So, so, so tired. He opened his eyes again and the room seemed darker somehow. Terra frowned and looked about, trying to find the source. It wasn't hard. He followed his own length of shadow to where it stretched up and blotted out the stained glass window. His shadow turned, the darkness growing stronger and stronger around him...blotting out all of the light...
"NO! STOP!" Terra jerked upwards, sweat drenching his brow and causing his hair to cling to his forehead. He looked around wildly, eyes wide and rimmed with dark circles. When his eyes fell on his hands he nearly jumped, thinking he had seen dark tendrils curling around his hands but it had been a trick of the light. Terra stared at his hands for a few minutes. He made an indescribable sound, almost a sob, before bringing his palms to his eyes and burying his face in his hands.
Despite the sound, he didn't cry. He was too tired for that and besides, he hadn't cried about a nightmare since he was small...he wasn't going to start now. He just wanted to sleep. He just wanted the nightmares to stop. It was too much. Terra didn't move and just sat with his head in his hands. Who knew sleep deprivation could push someone so close to the brink.