melodiesofeternity | Event || Once Upon A Dream

Event || Once Upon A Dream

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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

His head pulsed as the vision came to an end. For a moment, he thought he heard Noct calling out to him but- that's impossible. He can see him there, laying on the cold, damp stone. Shaking his head, he tries to shake off the feeling of impending death from his back as he runs towards the altar.

"Noct!"

Ravus was standing above Lunafreya and Noct, watching the light slowly ebb away as her life does as well, her hand resting gently on Prince's shoulder. They were late... no matter how much they hurried through the streets of Altissia, they were late.

"...First, the Lucians stole from me my mother..." Ravus spoke up, his voice laced with anger and grief, eyes locked on Noctis, "...and now they make a sacrifice of my sister!"
Ignis had a second to react and come between the blade and his King, dagger manifesting in a flash of sparks to block the attack.

"Get out of my way!"

"What are you doing?!" Ignis asked, his dagger slowly losing a battle against the longer blade.

"What I should have done long ago- riding us of this menace!"

With every ounce of strength he had left, Ignis repelled the blade, sending Ravus back. When he made a move to go back, Ignis used his entire body to push him away, once, twice- before they were both away from the altar.

When Ignis doesn't so much as pause at his voice, Noctis runs after him. He doesn't stop until he sees himself and Luna lying there on the ground, her blood pooling beneath her as the pale, golden light fades.

It's all he can do not to break down again right then and there, remembering the words she'd shared as, he realizes now, she was dying. And now...

'You are the One, Noctis. The Stars shine for you now.'

He doesn't get to think hard on it, because when Ravus speaks, he can't help the tightness in his throat when he realizes what's happening.

Ravus is trying to kill him. And Ignis is protecting him, despite how exhausted he seems. His friend's well-being takes precedent, regardless of how his heart aches. "Ignis- please, you know what will happen! You've already- this has already happened!"

His armiger springs to life, phantom blades already flying to help add some resistance in this losing battle. Hoping against all hope that it somehow helps snap Ignis out of it - the sight of the Mystic's glaive blocking the rapier alongside his dagger, falling from view as he presses onward. Away from the unconscious him and dead Oracle. "Thank you, for saving me. Even if you can't hear me, I'm here, Iggy."

For a split second, Ignis tilts his head to the side- again? That voice... it definitively belongs to Noct. But- he doesn't have time to dwell on it at all- Ravus doesn't let him. His blade, imbued with electricity, take fast, harsh swings at Ignis- which he meets with his own electricity imbued blades.

"Stand in my way and you, too, shall meet the same fate: death!"

"Come to your senses man!" Ignis yells at him, caught in a stalemate, two crossed daggers and sword trying to cut through them. The magic repels their blades and again- he meets every one of Ravus' attacks, as speedy as they are before he finally finds an opening to kick him away. He's strong but the blinding rage and sorrow is what's keeping him from properly kicking Ignis' ass, he's sure of that.

He dodges one of the attacks, rolling off to the side and still tries to bring Ravus back to his senses. "I understand the pain you must feel, but Noct isn't one who did this to her!"

There's no way he could no that, even though it was painfully obvious that he never would have taken her life. How he wants to scream that it was Ardyn, and what truly happened before their arrival, but his words were not reaching them. And if his words were not reaching Ignis, then...

Noctis reached into his armiger, pulling out a vial of megalixir and crushing it. If words alone would not suffice, then he would take action as well. Support the best that he can, even as it tears him up inside to watch this. "Ravus... I'm sorry. I tried, but I was not strong enough to face the Tidemother and protect her."

If only he could have had the chance to tell him that. Knowing how important they were to one another, despite the different paths they tread.

He didn't hear Noct again, but he did feel a wave of energy rush to him. From where- Ignis has no clue. But he's thankful. Because Ravus came at him with everything he got. Ignis barely managed to dodge his attacks and land some of his own. But- it was like hitting a wall with a stick, while Ravus' magitek arm crushed the land beneath his hits. It sent Ignis stumbling back, but thankfully he remained on his feet.

"Lady Lunafreya came to her King's aid in his time of need," Ignis tried again, using his lightning abilities to dodge around Ravus' attacks. "She was fulfilling her calling!"

"Don't try to justify this! She didn't need to die!" This time the attack connected with Ignis' blades, making everything around them explode. It allowed Ignis to land some hits, but it was far from over.

"He's right... She didn't." He mutters under his breath, taking the opportunity to help land a few blows himself. Shield of the Just blocking a few attacks, and he might even feel a hand on his back in an effort to help steady Ignis every time he's knocked back. "Ignis. I'm here. You know what happens next. Focus. Think about what the next strike will be. What he will do next. What follows.

"This isn't really happening. We're in the Dream Width. Please, wake up." Noctis pleads, and yet, he continues to support his closest friend. Because if it hurt to witness this, the idea that he did and stood by to do nothing hurt even worse.

Something's going on here.

Either Ignis is going completely mad, or some of the Ravus' attacks didn't reach him right now. He doesn't remember doing anything... maybe it's some of the residual power of the Astrals. Titan was exceptionally angry.

Ravus charged at him and Ignis switched his blades to ice, hoping to slow down his attacks. Please, something, anything, reach him-!

"Kill him, and her sacrifice will have been for naught!" Ignis tries again, his own voice becoming desperate to calm the man down. "Kill him and you kill her hopes for the future!" Ignis thought that the words fell on deaf ears, again. However, it wasn't the case. Ravus heard him, loud and clear, and seemed more enraged than ever.

"What hope is there in a future that my sister will never see!?

It isn't just Titan who was angry. Yet both men's words cut him like hot knives through butter. He winces, but does not stop. He has to break through. Somehow. He has to.

He has to ignore the pain and guilt that he'll never see that future, either. Ravus, Ignis, or himself. The second in a far different way than the other two. That isn't important right now.

"Ignis! Please, you have to listen to me!" The Wanderer's blades this time, moving together to add a little more strength in Ignis' own attacks. "You've already lived through this. You know what he'll do next."

Now Ignis stops completely and turns around to stare at the Altar. If Noct is still passed out, why can he hear him speaking!? The distraction let Ravus send him flying against the wall and Ignis grunted in pain as he got back on his feet. Does he... not hear Noct speak?

"Wait... what is--" Ignis blocks the attack, gritting his teeth and pushes Ravus back with a kick. Does he know what will happen? Well... he did see the future. The prophecy- hallucination- whatever his tired mind came up with, he can't think about that right now. But- if Noct is right, and he lived through this-

Ravus charged at him again and Ignis brought up his hands in defense, closing his eyes tightly. He trusts him... he trusts Noct to be right about this.

I lived through this...

The blade passed through him without leaving any injury. Ignis gasped loudly, trying to catch his breath as the scene around him changed. What... what happened!?

"...Noct?"

Ignis turns around- Noct is still lying at the altar but- Ravus is standing there again. Not to attack Noct but-

"I always knew...that you would face your fate without fear, fulfill your duty without regret..."

...he did see this before. And it didn't make his chest hurt less. His hands clenched into fists- "Sister, please... don't go!...please, don't leave me...!"

"What's... going on?" Ignis whispered, feeling as if his head is going to explode.

Noctis winces again, watching Ignis get distracted by trying to piece together what he's seeing and what he's hearing. He wants nothing more than to touch him. Try and reach him where his words were failing him.

That's when he sees Ravus' blade go through him, unharmed, the scene speeding up and disappears to the point Ravus is standing -and then kneeling - by his sister.

He can't watch this. He wasn't meant to ever see this and yet this hell decided it was something he had to hear to pull one of those dearest to him he has left from his own reverie. Wetness stinging his eyes, Noctis rounds the taller man; the observer and his savior, his brother and just. lets his hands slip beneath Ignis' arms and wrap them around his waist. He doesn't care if he doesn't feel it, if he ends up phasing through or whatever. He's here. He's real, unlike-

"This isn't really happening. Not right now," he tries to explain, praying to Shiva that his words reach him. "It's the past, Iggy. We're in the Dream Width. Remember how we went to find the others they told us were lost to themselves here?"

Edited 2018-05-25 09:04 (UTC)

He lived through this. In fact, this memory, it happened only mere moments before he ended up on the ship.

Dream Width.

Ignis can still hear Noct's voice, the explanation and it is finally coming to him- the end of this, where he ended up, that Noct was on that ship with him, Prompto, Lord Clarus.

He can't see him but the voice was close. So close as if he was talking right in front of him. Ignis takes a shaky breath- Noct was right. There was no reason not to trust him. But, if this was the memory, then what happens next-
The pictures change with a blur- 'Gladio' running up to Ignis but without Prompto.

"Noct-" Ignis whispers, "-how do I get out of here?" There has to be a way out, right? He doesn't want Noct to see his Shield turn into Ardyn. "How do I break through this?"

Just as he thought. Ignis can't feel him, either. Only hear as hands seem to phase through his form. Like Noctis isn't even there, trying desperately to hold onto the fabric of his shirt.

No...

He shakes his head, and when he hears Gladio's voice but not see Prompto with him... Even without being told or seeing it, he can tell that something is wrong. Deadly wrong. His mind automatically goes back to how time seemed to stop, weeks later than this memory. How that bastard used some stitch in time to- To...

"Wake up," he answers simply, a note of panic in his voice. "You need to wake up."

How is something that he has to figure out on his own.

"Sounds simple enough..."

Yet Ignis feels that executing it will be far harder than it seems. He takes a deep breath, looking around to see if there's something, anything that could help him snap out of this. He can feel the panic in Noct's voice and it makes Ignis pause.

"Noct-" he raises his hand, not knowing where he is but- taking a guess, wanting to place it on Noct's head or shoulder or anywhere, to reassure him. "-don't worry. I won't leave you." His eyes glance up at Ravus who just accused Gladio of being- he wishes he could somehow blur this memory out so Noct won't hear or see the end of it.

"I will get out of here, I promise." One way or another.

The memory will soon end because the last thing that Ignis remembers is- Ardyn knocking him out.

Ignis finds that his hand rests on something solid. The head of black hair hopefully becoming visible at the touch just like he's finally able to cling onto the leopard print of the front of Ignis' shirt. He wishes he could shield Ignis from the rest of this memory, but he doesn't know how. He doesn't and this makes it all the more painful as he looks up, hoping that familiar green gaze meets blue.

"No," he starts to argue, trying to ignore how Ravus' voice begins to sound more and more like an angry hiss. "I won't leave you."

It's a statement of fact that means far more than anyone else aside from Prompto could possibly understand. He clings tighter, until something throws him back towards his own body and Luna's, causing him to lose his grip. Just as the MTs show up. "Iggy!"

He's here. Noct has been here, in this memory, this whole time. How much... how much did he see? As Noct finally materialized underneath his hand, his other grasped him firmly, returning the hug. 'Please... forgive me for not telling you-'.

"I know you won't. You never do," Ignis says, his hands cupping Noct's head as their eyes meet and he nods. The memory will end soon and, hopefully, since he's aware of it- he'll wake up. He'll wake up and he'll find Noct when he does.

He doesn't get to say anything else as the MTs show up, and tug Ignis to the side, then pin him to the ground with force after slamming one of their heavy guns in the back of his leg. It doesn't hurt, not now at least, because it's a memory. Ignis chants that in his head as Ardyn walks up to him. He glares up at him, wishing he could set him on fire right now- memory or no, the hate he has for this man can't be measured.

But- his eyes don't stay on him. In a split second before Ardyn knocks him out, his eyes search for Noct. The MTs don't see him. Ardyn doesn't see him. Good.

Let's end this.

He'd be more than willing to answer that question if he was allowed to. Instead, he tries to hold onto him as much as he can before they're inevitably split apart by the memory itself. Yet when he sees Ardyn, it's like everything else doesn't matter. He wants to bowl them all over. Send ephemeral blades into metal and daemonic flesh and have them scatter. Yet that doesn't matter nearly as much as reaching Ignis. He slides on wet stone, until he's right beside him and that foot is about to slam down on Ignis' head and-

He grabs a hold, right as the memory ends.

Noctis opens his eyes, realizing where they are now. The Dream Width. That's right, they... they need to get back to the airship. Before it's too late. Noctis looks around, finding the one Ignis was supposed to be in not far from them. Airlock open and waiting. If he could just get them both there, then they'd both be fine.

He really didn't leave my side... are the last words that went through Ignis' mind before the memory knocked him out. And it didn't repeat. Ignis felt being weightless in some kind of darkness for an unknown amount of time. Was it seconds? Minutes? Since the memory ended? He can't tell.

Be he can feel someone gripping tightly onto him. Was that also some kind of dream? Another memory?

Ignis forces his eyes open just in time to see Noct shove him towards the airlock. What-

His hand reached out to grab onto Noct and pull him in with him but another turbulence in the nebula pushed them apart- Ignis inside of the ship and Noct still floating out there. And he can't accept that- not with how Noct's eyes are slipping close.

...He's going after him. There is no chance Ignis will let Noct stay there for any longer. Not after what they just went through in Ignis' memory.

Noctis smiles faintly, relief washing over him in an instant as Ignis opens his eyes. But, he knows it wouldn't work. That they could both die if they're exposed to the Dream Width too long without the protection of memories. That's when it hit him.

'You can breathe once you leave the ship. The danger is being trapped in your own memories.'

Ignis already had his time, and he has no way of getting them both to safety. So, going by that logic...

"See you soon." He mutters, before pushing Ignis away and toward the ship and safety. Right as another nebula forms around him. 'I'm sorry, Iggy.'

Don't... die on me.

He's going to regret that errant thought when next they meet and he knows it, but without any further fanfare... his eyes slip closed. Light... So much light...

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Event || Once Upon A Dream

R.I.P

Casually places heart in a chest and buries it until this is over T_T

praying for our survival

ditto /megalixirs

bless

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