Event || Once Upon A Dream

[eternitymods]

Who: All characters who signed-up!
When: May 31st - June 04th
Where: The Dream Width (+ Curti Center & Airships)
What: Event log for the Once Upon A Dream Event! Should your character have their own memory, start your own top-level with said memory. If not, then tag around in other characters's memories! Furthermore, feel free to use the Mingle threads at the Curti Center and in the Airships for non-memory related CR. Please refer to the OOC Post for details and plotting. Plot Memories and the second Airship Mingle will be unlocked on May 25th.
Warnings/Notes: Memories with specific warnings will be marked as such by their players.

Please use the following form for your memory's title line:
CHARACTER'S NAME | MEMORY TITLE | WARNINGS (IF ANY)
We will add links to your memories here as the event progresses!

Mingle: Curti Center | Airships #1 | Airships #2
Plot Memories: The Dream | The Nightmare | The Premonition
Holographic Messages

Adrien Agreste | Then and Now
Aqua | Thorny Pathway | cw: spoiler for kh 0.2
Castor | Lord of the Inferno | cw: fire, mind control
Ena | Zera Hamlet, Reprise | cw: mutilated corpses
Futaba Sakura | Early Days | cw: references to verbal abuse/neglect and auditory hallucinations
Ignis Scientia | For The Life of the Chosen | cw: spoilers, violence, death
Irhya Pendhula | The Parting Glass | cw: violence, amputation
Johnny D'Amico | United Earth Prisoner
Kanji Tatsumi | You're a BOY, you know! | cw: bullying, mild homophobia
Lelouch vi Britannia | Julius Kingsley
Monika | Just Monika | cw: spoilers, possible horror, possible deletion
Nanamo Ul Namo | A Good Memory
Noctis Lucis Caelum | Light of the Crystal | cw: chapter 13 spoilers
Okuyasu Nijimura | Lending a Hand | cw: blood/injuries
Prompto Argentum | I'm not one of your experiments! | cw: episode prompto spoilers
Selphie | The Answer | cw: gore/death
Takashi 'Shiro' Shirogane | The end of the beginning | cw: end of season 2 spoilers
Tidus | A Broken Dream | cw: death, bullying

Comments

Lelouch vi Britannia | "Julius Kingsley"

[likewishes]

((OOC: Possible mentioning of memory altering, violence, terrorism, not quite hallucinations but definitely voices... And maybe others, Unsure about that. Anyway. The full memory can be seen here. Will match style with yours so don't worry. He'll be trapped in it until someone breaks him out of it.))

[ Such a dark and elaborate hall to be playing chess in. The two at the table seem like polar opposites. One man dressed in white, Japanese, and the other clad in black. Off to the side, clearly not engaging in the game is a third man. Guard? Sentry? Jailer.

The conversation isn't anything interesting. Just two opponents moving their pieces across the board. Not until the mentioning of the Duke of Velaines. ]

It was foolish of the Duke of Velaines to defy the Emperor. [ Well, defy him. But Julius' word is the same as the Emperor's was it not? A smirk crosses Lelouch's Kingsley's features. ] Perhaps one could say his time has come and gone?

[ The following laugh is cold. Arrogant. As if he cares about that insect of a man. No, if anything, it seems as though Julius is enjoying the former Duke's misstep. That man's fate has already been decided. ]

He is under arrest for now, but he'll be beheaded before His Majesty.

[ Still playing the game, the Japanese man finally seems to speak. ] What of the Great Nobles?

[ Julius scoffs as he picks up a chess piece and plays with it. ] I doubt that they have the backbone to attack the Britannian homeland. I shall guide Euro Britannia. [ He places the piece back onto the chessboard and folds his hands. Arrogant smile never leaving his face. ] Checkmate.

[ Shin takes a moment to look at the board. After a moment of consideration, he sees no way out of it. ] Well played.

[ Julius isn't done though. He picks up the white queen - Shin's queen. A chuckle passes his lips as he weighs it in his hands. ] You projected the real world onto this game, didn't you? [ Shin now seems cautious, but Kingsley proceeds. ] At one point, I would have lost if only you had sacrificed your queen.

I'm afraid I don't understand.

There are things that you cannot bring yourself to sacrifice. [ Julius holds up the qhite queen as if to emphasize his point. ] Am I wrong?

[ Shin immediately puts his guard up, eyes narrowing a fraction. Kingsley doesn't seem bothered. ]

Everyone possesses such a weakness. A parent, a sibling, a friend. Perhaps a lover? Bu I am different.

You are?

What I must protect, what I am willing to lay down my life to protect is his Imperial Majesty and no one else!

[ 'What lies'... A voice within says. 'His Imperial Majesty? Is that who you really want to protect? After all he's done?' Julius drops the chess piece and clutches at his eye patch ( why does he have that anyway? ). Eyes wide, searching. As if he is in physical pain. He whispers, arguing with himself. In his mind a man with a strange glow to his eyes reaches out and the world goes black. In a fit of rage, Kinglsey sweeps his hand across the table and cries out. Wine and chess pieces clatter to the floor.

Wrong. Wrong... It is His Majesty he is loyal to. 'No! He is the enemy! He is to blame for everything! He did this!' Julius Kingsley curls on himself and Suzaku's eyes narrow. ]

Wh-who's there? Wh-where are you? [ He staggers away, in pain and muttering to himself as Shin rises from his seat. ] N-no! I-I'm different! Th-this place... What is this place? Where am I?

[ Things are conflicting within his mind. Faces of people he knows but also doesn't know. Someone is struggling to claw at his memories. They seem flimsy now, more like a movie or a story about him than anything he's actually done. 'False!' that voice in his head cries. 'This is not me! I won't lose to that man!' The tone shifts, Lelouch pushing through the weight of Charles' Geass, everything blurring together. He doesn't know where he is or what he is doing. ] The Tokyo Settlement? No.. Kamine Island?

[ He looks down at his hands. 'No! You're dead! There is now no one here but me! Me and my loyalty to Britannia. To the Emperor!' No. No that's not true. He is himself. He is Lelouch vi Britannia. Lelouch stands, struggling. ]

Get out of my head, Julius Kingsley!

[ The other two talk in the background. Suzaku stating he isn't well. Shin looking like the cat that ate the canary. All the while Lelouch and Kingsley struggle within the confines of Lelouch's mind. The pain is excruciating and Lelouch is on his knees. Charles has done something to his mind, but he doesn't know what. He doesn't know completely what is true and what isn't. The implanted memories and Julius threaten to choke Lelouch's and his own down. Yet Suzaku is in he background telling Shin that he has to leave.

Shin mentions Julius' plans. About how they remind him of a terrorist. The name of the terrorist in Area 11. The terrorist Zero. In fact, their plans are the same. Suzaku bristles, telling Shin that Zero is dead. Killed by the Emperor himself.

Yes. Yes, yes, yes. Lelouch is that person. He is Zero. It's a fact that he reminds himself over and over and over again. Yet Kingsley seems all to willing to keep fighting for control all the same. Lelouch isn't dead! Zero isn't dead! 'Oh no... But you are. All that remains now is me. So perish. Vanish!'

Suzaku and Shin continue to talk. Suzaku pulls out a gun, Lelouch thinks, but can't be sure. He can't be sure of anything at the moment. There are precious things he doesn't want to lose. That he can't lose. Everything he's done. Everything that he's worked for. The Japanese. His revenge...

And then it repeats. ]

[euphemia]

( Warnings: Genocide. Mind Manipulation. Also, spoiler if anyone would prefer not to but pretty sure everyone knows this about her.

This got ugly long, please do not feel the need to repeat. Euphemia was supposed to be rescuing her brother but apparently powers activate in the homeworld/memory dream. If you're Japanese, proceed with caution. If not, feel free to wrangle her out of the memory. Because it doesn't look like Euphy is going to be saving her brother after all.

Note: Anyone who goes to wake up Lelouch will likely have scene this scene.

____

[ It wasn't home. No, it wasn't home at all. And yet this all felt strangely familiar when she waltzed through the dark hall. She could feel it despite not recognizing the décor or hall. But as she entered further, something inside her told her this felt like home. It wasn't entirely clear just where she was now, but she could hear the voices centered towards the middle and cautiously began her approach. A voice she recognized. A voice she heard countless times through networks, recordings, and even in person herself. Yes, she knows that voice being used, but… how curious that the voice is not the masked vigilante himself.

As she nears the scene her suspicions are confirmed when the voice matches the name—her half-brother. Lelouch... ]

[ Confused, she studies him for a moment, then to the chair that faces him. Lelouch was one thing. The gentleman seated was another. Yet her eyes instantly catch sight of a figure looming in the distance hasn't seen in so long. One dressed in regalia that proudly states his Knightly presence. Ah, how her eyes told the story of sorrow, pain, longing as she studied him. They watered just a bit as a hand came to her mouth to see him there just standing. It was because seeing him hurt her heart just a little, a telling sign of how much she missed his presence. Yet his expression was firm and strangely distant, and it was that countenance he bore that made her brows furrow with worry. Where was the warmth? Where was the kindness? Where was that foolish yet sweet boy who treated her with kindness and never without a smile in her presence? ]

S- .. Suzaku...

[ A quiet murmur, a name she couldn't help but utter. But then the scene continues to unfold as her eyes watch Lelouch taunt the gentleman with his prowess over chess. She listened earnestly as he goaded the other with his clear weakness. It brings a small frown to her lips, but she can't really say anything but listen. She wants to know. She wants to understand. What reason could they have in here? Slowly, it becomes clear as if the memory wanted her to know. Her face twists a bit Lelouch proceeds to gloat his victory, point out the other’s weakness, then end it on a rather powerful note. One that has her eyes widening slightly in surprise as a gasp left her lips. That he would lay down his very life to protect the Emperor. Their father—Charles? This ... this was Lelouch? How?

Oh, she’d learn. Just like that, the answer came as Lelouch began to buckle with doubt over what he said. The Emperor? The Emperor?! Then came the fit of rage as both wine and chess pieces scattered about, and ... oh. Oh. How she gasped in shock that his mood just took a sudden dive. Gone was that confidence. Gone was his pride. In seconds he seemed confused, uncertain, and ... suffering from what? ]

LELOUCH!

[ Only then does she make a break towards him with intent to try and comfort his fallen form. She can't bear to watch this anymore and know he was suffering. She has to help him! She has to— ...except the name the man utters makes her stop just shy of reaching him. Wait. What was that? Julius Kingsley? Who? Who was that? No, this was Lelouch. Lelouch vi Britannia. How could someone from their world confuse him? He was unmistakable without his masked form.

It was baffling to hear and even more so to watch. To see him collapse to his knees and hold his head while shivering violently as though he was in tremendous pain. And all the while she watched as Suzaku seemed to not react much to his behavior. That expression on his face lacked the warmth she knew yet bore a look of disgust and distaste. Now she watched in horrid as Suzaku tried to dismiss the now smug gentleman. Lord Shaing. So that was who he was. A figure of nobility, and clearly someone of importance.

Suzaku appeared all too calm while disregarding Lelouch’s present state as he addressed the Lord just now. Yet the tables now seemed turned as the Lord himself appeared smug over what was transpiring now. The terrorist of Area 11 and the plan and the Ark Fleet Plan. It all bore a striking resemblance to another’s terrorist attack. Oh. He knew. He knew that this was not Julius at all. That the man who was crumbled just a ways away before them was not this Julius, no. He was the infidel, leader, mastermind, and terrorist known as the one and only Zero

Yet the words from Suzaku’s lips stuns her. Zero is dead. No. What? Killed by the Emperor, he said. That’s not true! He’s clearly here! But would Suzaku know this? Did he know who Zero was now? Why was Suzaku lying about this? Why would he lie at all? What was he gaining by hiding his identity from the man who appeared to not buy it at all? Yet his presence marks this fact said the Lord. After all, Suzaku was a Knight of the Rounds. Her expression then turns to shock to hear this. Suzaku ... he was promoted? When? Why? Then came the gun is drawn out by Suzaku to which the Lord seemed indifferent towards the threat. Why should he be? After all, he was the son of Japan’s final prime minister now a Knight of its Conqueror. ]

... w-what?

[ What? What? Since when? Why? What was happening? This didn’t seem right. Or maybe it did? Why was he—J-Japan? Why was he assisting the Emperor and—Japan. This was baffling, and she couldn’t—but Japan. That’s right, that’s right he was born in Japan. Japanese. He was Japanese. He was taunting him because he was a Japanese as an Honorary Britannian but he was also Japanese. Japanese. Suzaku was Japanese. And being Japanese… being Japanese … meant elimination. What? No. Him being Japanese meant nothing. So what if he was Japanese. No, it meant something. No. It did. No. Wrong. No, not Suzaku. Not him. ]

No... no, no. Oh please, no—I can’t, I can't...

[ Not ever. Not in a million years would she—but Japanese. NO. There was no reason, she couldn’t. She wouldn’t! She CAN’T—but she MUST! Because he was JAPANESE—and they all must— ]

No, please! NO!

[ A cry. A plea. A beg for mercy that this terrible, monstrous, utterly unfair and cruel of heart thought to leave her MIND. It ran through and coursed through her body like an inferior presence, an order she can never deny She refused! She will NEVER! Yet it reminds her, and its already decided. It squeezed, and it SHOUTED. And every ounce of her crumbled her to wilt as she found herself falling to the floor succumbing to its will. It was cruel. It was disgusting. How could she ever—but they were Japanese. Japanese. Kill the Japanese. Kill the Japanese. Kill the Japanese. Kill them. Kill them all. Euphemia, you will— ]

That's r-right... I have to.

I have to kill all the Japanese.

[chefbayardee]

[ As Hunk came to, he realized that no, he was not safely back in the airship. In fact it seemed like another memory. Of course it is. At first, he had a hunch it was Euphy's, since she was there, but as she called out to her brother Lelouch and he started having, well, some sort of mental breakdown? He thought he knew what might've been going on.

But as Euphy started to mutter and shout rejections and pleas into the air, Hunk realized just how much he didn't know. About Lelouch, about Euphy, about what was even going on! His muscles tensed, because deep down he knew something was horribly wrong, and he wasn't sure how to react. And then she said those words. "I have to kill all the Japanese." ]

Wh-what are you talking about, Euphy?! [ The words are shaky, worried, scared. This isn't like her. She couldn't kill a fly! Why... Why the Japanese? What'd they do to her? The fear overtakes him, because they need to fix whatever's going on, and they need to do it fast. ] Your brother needs your help!

[ But then Hunk realizes he's not entirely sure this is Lelouch's dream... ]

[modelcivilian]

[So far, Adrien has not been finding himself in the most pleasant memories of those enraptured by the Dream Width. Fortunately, he's not the only one as the outsider in this instance, coming to stand beside Hunk after first watching Lelouch's breakdown and then Euphemia's... he doesn't know what. Mental deterioration? Possession? He only considers the latter because of how quickly her attitude just changed... and having some prior experience.]

[Still, nothing to the levels of potential genocide. No wonder talking about Japan is awkward. Thoughts aside, she didn't start acting like that until Lelouch did...]

... Hunk, I think Euphy's gotten lost in her own memory. We have to snap her out of it...!

[euphemia]

[ Voices? People! Feeling much better and in control, Euphemia stands to her feet and turns about to those who were here with her. She had a very important question, after all! ]

Are you Japanese?!

[ Studying them both. No. Maybe not. ]

Oh. Hunk! Adrien! [ She smiles, delighted to see them both. ] Forgive me, I thought you were both Japanese. Would you be so kind as to help me locate them and perhaps help my brother, as well? I know it's terribly inconvenient, but I have something I must do.

[likewishes]

[ Lelouch - or is it Julius? Even he doesn't know where one ends and the other starts right now - struggles to maintain some semblance of sanity. What does catch his attention is the yelling. People in the background.

Where they always there? They aren't supposed to be. They don't belong. She doesn't belong. A ghost? A hallucination? His mind can't really make sense of it. ]

Euphy...?

[ It doesn't actually help. Now it's just even more confusing. ]

[chefbayardee]

[ He just nods at Adrien's suggestion, at least until Julius, who looked a lot like Lelouch, seemed to react to her presence. Most others within the memories weren't capable of reacting to their presence. So Hunk wasn't sure what to make of that. Instead, he focused his attention on Euphy, eyes still darting over towards Julius, who still looked like he was having a bad time. ]

Euphy, you just said you wanted to kill the Japanese. [ His eyes are still wide, and he looks absolutely terrified. If she's worried about the Japanese and her brother, is that just convenience, or does she want to kill him, too? Who is she?! ]

What's going on? You're kinda... scary. [ This, coming from the guy twice her size. But he leans in towards her, trying to figure out whether or not she was actually going to cause a problem. Because there are a lot of Japanese people in their little group of outsiders. ]

[modelcivilian]

Lelouch...?

[Oh man, he needs to get away...]

[This is really beginning to freak him out, but it seems like everyone was freaking out in their own way. If one person has to stay calm right now, he guesses it has to be him.]

Euphy, no... We're not going to do that! You're not acting like yourself! You're not a killer! [How did... Who might've possessed her into thinking she should basically commit genocide?]

[euphemia]

[ Euphemia frowned, confused at their troubled replies. What was so unusual about what she said? It seemed fairly simple: she was going to kill the Japanese. Was that really a bad thing? No, of course not. Not even if the tiniest voice might have screamed yes, it was disappointing to see them so opposed. ]

I'm sorry. I don't mean to worry either of you. It's a very important task, you see. [ She states apologetically, then turns to glance at her half-brother with a mix of concern and disinterest. To stay and help him would only delay what she must do. And besides, he understood more than anyone. ] Please forgive me, Lelouch. I'm sure they'll get you out.

[ It simply could not wait, and they seemed willing to help. Hopefully? Glancing back to Adrien and Hunk both, Euphy gave a small smile before walking ahead in an attempt to find a way out of this 'memory'. She at least seemed to know this place wasn't real. ]

Do ... you either of you know which way to get back to on the ship? I have to kill them. I have to kill the Japanese. Is... is it this way? Ah, no ... maybe this way?

[ At least it looked like getting her out wouldn't be too problematic. If she was no longer in this world, then she was no longer influenced by the Geass. ]

[chefbayardee]

[ As much as he wants to leave Euphy to her own devices, there's a chance she might actually try to kill a Japanese person. And as soon as he reaches a hand out towards her, his mouth open and about to tell her to wait, he remembers:

The people in this memory aren't real. The only ones who are are Euphy, Lelouch, Adrien, and himself. As much as he wants to worry, that means... ]

Hey Lelouch, what's wrong with your sister? [ Hunk shouts the words across the room, loud and impossible to ignore. Sometimes when the computer doesn't work, you just gotta smack it a bit. ] How worried do we need to be? Do we need to stop her?

[ And then he looks at Adrien, eyes wide with confusion because he has no idea what he's doing or if this even is Lelouch. Please save him, roomie... ]

ugh i am so bad. i am so sorry

[likewishes]

[ The problem here is that Lelouch is unstable. These memories are unstable. This one in particular is the worst. Charles' Geass never really took hold well enough this first time. Lelouch had been fighting it, as it is too abhorrent for him to be so blindly loyal to his father.

So it's difficult to distinguish between what is really going on and what is all part of the illusion that Charles had spun. However, no matter how many times this thing repeats and knocks Lelouch back into a feverish haze, Hunk and Adrien are still there. Euphy is still there.

Ironically that grounds him, for a moment. ]

Out. Get her out.

[ Because her Geass isn't active outside of there. Part of him knows this and realizes this. He can't explain why it's active here. Can't explain it at all, really. ]

[modelcivilian]

[It's weird; this is weird. They have to get Euphemia out, but how do they get her out? Was this her memory? Wouldn't she have already found some... people to kill if that was the case because they're the only ones here still?]

[... Wait, she remembered the ship? It was about that time his memory came apart, but...]

... This isn't Euphy's memory. The memory should begin collapsing, but she knows about the ship and we're still here. I don't know how to get her out!

[He looks back at Hunk in a panic.]

[chefbayardee]

[ Hunk just lets out an anxious whine as he brings his fists close to his chest and looks back to Adrien. He's panicking too. ] We can't get her out, not until everything falls apart.

[ And then he brings a hand to his chin and tries to think, to shove aside Euphy's troubling remarks and Adrien's worries and Lelouch's- ] Wait! [ Lelouch reacted to them. To Euphy. Nobody else in the room seems to notice them, so this has to be Lelouch's memory. Right? Hopefully? ]

Lelouch, [ A few steps towards Julius Kinglsey for good measure. Euphy seemed to think he was Lelouch, so... he was gonna trust her. ] we can't get her out of here until you... remember where you are? [ He shrugs. Hunk's winging this. ]

What's even going on with you?