| What the Garden Knows |
| Summary: | DREAMSCENE: Callisto and Daxton meet again on the dreamplain. |
| Date: | 2019-05-07 |
| Related: | NA |
| NPCs: | The memory/shade of 1970's Petal |
| Scene Runner: | NA |
| Players: |
 .. .. |
TP Room 1, OOC Areas
Tue May 07, 2019
Dreamscene!
Manifested location: Resembles a daisy field at 'night.'
(This photograph is not mine! CREDIT: 'East Sooke Park daisy field under the Milky Way' © Kove Photography
It is a spring evening. The weather is warm and sunny.
(OOC: Mood music - "Liquid Shadow Night" © Tim Story)
===
Daxton's been tying to get back into some semblance of normalcy. But until he gets a thumbs up from Inferno, there's no going back to delivering pizzas. Although he has been told anytime he wants to return, he can. Seems having a speedster on staff made Lighthouse Pizza rather popular. The Unit has been staying in one of their safe houses in town, a small 3 bedroom ranch, nothing fancy. Well, noting fancy besides ll the weapons and military things they have laying about. Dax has the smallest room, but at least he has it to himself. Currently he's laying on the bed, arm over his eyes while the radio plays some music he's not really paying attention too. It's just nice to have noise. The former Ares is already changed into sleepy pants and is just waiting for sleep to take him.
—
<FS3> Callisto rolls Psychic: Success.
Sometimes Callisto just allows herself to float free, in dreaming. She isn't seeking anyone during this foray… and sometimes not putting that pressure on herself is what makes her better able to find someone. Alas, it's hard. Across a town and body of water, in her dorm room with her roomie, Callisto is trying to rest. She has a lot on her mind at-present. Things are ok with Oridove as-of-late but the words she had with her sister last week are still kinda rattling around in her mind like loose change. She rolls over onto her back upon her bed, hands pressed to her face, trying to tune out Boomie's presence as the younger girl sweats over last-minute-test-cramming.
She enters those first 'stages' of slumber.. it's like easing into a warm pool. Only this is toe-length by toe-length. Slow. Callisto breathes deeply and just in her mind's eye.. the faint flicker of dreaming, and the subconscious thoughts of a great many people who surround her. Daxton, apart and away from Callisto, isn't the only one waiting for slumber. Eventually, Callisto finds her way there… and inadvertently searches. But for whom?
—
After a few more minutes, Daxton's breathing evens out and he too falls into a comfortable sleep. As always, he's running in the dream. The wind rushes past him and he feels focused, steady and right. His clothes have changed to the army green he used to wear when training but the color doesn't seem to bother him. The dog tags bounce on his chest as he moves, going faster and faster, side stepping moments of time.
—
Then, she's 'there'.
It takes some time until Callisto's train of 'dreaming' crosses trajectories with Daxton's. She immerses in a field, dark and ponderous; full of daisies. She might pad through it, think, search. But then the grass ripples and the flowers sway and suddenly she's no longer dreaming alone.
Daxton's speeding between the moments might just bring him into Callisto's field as their minds meet in dreaming.. the girl startles, stands. She watches the approaching blur, her eyes widening. Daxton…? Did she unconsciously reach for him? Callisto, in dreaming, is in her literal bedclothes that she went to bed in.. a lithe nightgown. No fey fanciness here.. she is caught completely off-guard.
—
<FS3> Daxton rolls Mind: Failure.
Daxton's aware. Well, he's as aware as one can be in a. dream. There's a girl ahead. Ina. Field, in the middle of no where. Weird. As quick as he's moving, suddenly he's standing right in front of her, breathing no harder than if he was moving in a light sprint. "Hey, you lost?" He smiles, warm and friendly, and is making eye contact.
—
What part of his mind is this? While he was friendly with her before.. there was always that sense of playfulness, sometimes even well-meaning sarcasm. Typical teenage boy. Callisto stands, still and near-motionless except for her hair, hanging long and loose and swaying in the 'breeze'. It's actually a fascinating sort of landscape.. the likes of a whimsical tale from Studio Ghibli. The silver-lined blades of grass tremble and the hundreds of daisies turn and lift slightly as if cultivated by Daxton's kindness.
Callisto watches him, startled by the eye-contact… takes a deep breath. "N-no… not really. Not truly. What of you? What brings you here?" Asked gently.. trying to play dumb. Her heart pounds a bit in dreaming, in sleeping.. petals quiver in-time with the beats.
—
Daxton's hand raises and he pushes back his hair, not that it's really long enough to get in the way yet. "I'm out running, clearing my head, ya know?" He looks around, if the flowers moving is weird, he doesn't seem to notice. "I think I've forgotten seething, so I figured I'd run till I remembered." He then laughs, loud and almost carefree, "I may be running a while!"
—
A twinge of pain… 'forgotten something' …? 'Running awhile to remember?' … Callisto's eyes soften.
"It must be frustrating." She offers, playing along. As far as he needs to be concerned, she's just a solitary maiden enjoying her field of daisies. He's not all anxious looking away from her so the fey girl observes her fill. "Can I help you remember some things? Sometimes if you talk to somebody about.. things…. it can just pop back into your head." A smile.. her hair is the same color as the unearthly daisies. "Let us see then.. is it having to do with your job? School? Something that you must do tomorrow or the day after?" Asked innocuously.
—
There's a shrug, "I'm sure I'll remember it in the shower or someplace stupid." Then he's smirking again, pretty girl, shower….Anyway! "I don't think so. I feel like maybe I've been trying. It's why I went for the run." But then she's asking Dax questions and he does try. He makes a thinking face, head shaking, "No…no…Maybe something I'm supposed to do?" While he thinks he eyes her hair, the breeze doesn't seem strong enough to make it move like that. Stepping closer, he reaching for a lock, "Your hair is pretty."
—
Even if this interaction does not bring them closer to anything; even if he awakens just as confused as before… seeing Daxton carefree and happy is… Callisto drinks it in. There's that smirk. The darkness of this ethereal field lightens some; a corona of golden light appears just at the horizon.
"Well, maybe-" Then he's touching her hair. Callisto freezes, the daisies blossom; more sprout forth. The tendril of light in the distance intensifies. She bows her head and allows him to handle a lock. "T-thank you.. t'is a hallmark of my people, I'm afraid. It tends to act of it's own volition sometimes." A little sigh.
She looks up at him from beneath her lashes. "What is your name?" Asked kindly. Silver blades of grass become golden. Will he say 'Tempo'? Daxton? Something else?
"My hair has nothing on your eyes. You've amazingly blue eyes. T'is a color that is far-and-few in my clan." Says the girl with the bluish-green gaze.
—
Daxton briefly wonders if he's Swedish or something, but he's not going to be rude, instead, he nods, rubbing the lock of hair between his finger and thumb. "It's cool." A deep breath, his chest expands, "Gero." He then rolls his eyes, dropping her hair, "It means spear or sword or something…." Always a weapon. That shit eating grin returns very quickly though hone she compliments his eyes, 'Thanks! I've had them my whole life." And then he laughs at his own joke, "Seriously though, what are you doing out here? Picking flowers?" Girls do that, right? Randomly pick flowers?
—
Bit of an accent there, yeah.. Northern. Not hugely prominent but there to color her words. Callisto's eyes widen briefly at this 'new' offering. "Gero." She bows her head. "Sword. Spear. I-" His grin debases her again. Lips twitch, there's a glow in her gaze. So nice to see. "I've a couple of languages to translate that into. In Danish, you would be called 'Klinge'…" Her expression screws up briefly, "T'is not suitable. But in my racial language.." She breathes a 'word'. It's not the starkness of the Unseelie court but that of the Seelie branch; 'Light'. Smooth and lyrical. Hard for a human tongue to even emulate. Cerulean eyes study him as she says the very word.
Ahem. "Gero is best. My name is Calli." Callisto offers as she looks toward the fields. "I come here to think.. picking flowers is one boon. I, too, am trying to remember something but t'is too far gone." She kneels, and goes about plucking some daisies. "I fear this could be boring for you."
—
"Klinge?" That gets a laugh, "Is that StarTrek?" His eyes widen though at the fey word. "Oh…wow. That's pretty cool." Gero watches her, before glancing around to make sure they're safe. He's still. Soldier, damn it. "Oh…well…good luck remembering." And then he grins, :Maybe you should run and I should pick flowers!"
—
"What is this StarTrek?" Callisto asks as she looks up from her nest of unassuming dream!flowers. A glance around the perimeter of this section of dream will fetch nothing… yet. Callisto was here for a reason, searching. Sometimes, however, the lines of erratic dreaming and memory… well, they blend.
"Hah! Do not even consider it. t'would be embarrassed. I am not the best 'runner'. You appear to have that covered.. and-"
The 'colors' shift, brighten some. Still a field; still restful with that hint of dawn light. But there is movement, just at the edge of this inner world. Something else is present.
—
Daxton's head tilts, "You know, StarTrek. Captain Kirk? Shooting aliens and kissing green aliens?" He's so not helpful. But he chuckles, "Okay, you pick your flowers. I'll just…" He trails off, eyeing the movement. Unsure what it is, he takes a few steps closer, unconsciously putting himself between it and Calli.
—
It doesn't feel nefarious.. Callisto can account for that much but Daxton, who us no mentalist, would probably just assume 'intruder'! Thing is, this 'arrival' is a memory; it's operating on a sort of pre-planned (already happened) script. There is no distinct sentience so to call out to this being at the edge of the field is to fetch no specific reply. A thin figure appears, moving in a confused manner along the daisy rows. The movements smack of… fear?
Callisto inhales sharply. She's had this dream before.
"Hello!? Help! I—what do I do? Help!" A man's voice cries out.
—
Daxton frowns, huh. It's a lost dude. Weird. "Hey man, you okay?" A hand will be raised to indicate where he and Calli are at, although his blue eyes clear stay on the man, making sure he's not a threat.
—
The anxiety of the memory 'wilts' the field some. Daisies droop, the grass loses it's luster. But Callisto.. her expression is aghast, pained. That was not supposed to arise here. All she can do is ride it out, try to 'push' the memory away. The figure doesn't respond to Daxton but so happens to amble in their direction. The man's attire is dated: late 1960s; an open-chest cotton blouse, loose pants, a lean body and kind, beautiful face. Long dark hair and unnerved eyes. Chin covered in the scruff of a thin beard. "I-I can't.. I can't remember anything… where am I?" Not a threat at all. The man, who must be mid-thirties, stops in front of the pair and 'looks' at Daxton. "Where am I? What's my name? I can't remember anything! Oh GOD I can't remember a thing!" Cries the hippy, clutching at his temples. Callisto pales.
—
Well, seems that all three can't remember something. Daxton frowns, "Hey….I think I need to go help him….You okay here?" He doesn't wait, but starts walking towards the man, speed gun to him may started him. The closer he gets, the more confused Dax gets, "Hey dude, stay calm, we'll get you help." Did this guy just step out of The Village or something?
—
Sure looks like it. Even with Daxton suddenly being right there, Petal looks at him sightlessly. "What did I do? What happened? Why?" He paws at his head, his hair, his chest. Hands over his heart for a few seconds. He stumbles away from Daxton as if on a pre-planned route. Perhaps very unsettling as this man, bawling for help, doesn't even respond when it appears in the form of Daxton. He's not flying off the handle, but he's not calming down either. Callisto glides forth, wanting to shift the dream.. but not ready to be apart from Daxton's 'calm, carefree' manifestation. Funny how she focuses more upon that than the oft-replayed vision of her lost love, Petal.
"Lady!" Petal bellows, back to Daxton now, "Where did you go? What'd you do? Tell me! Tell me where to go!" Exclaimed as he outright begins to walk away from Daxton. Callisto presses her palms to her face. She knows the script.. in a few moments, 'Petal' will fade.
—
Daxton stops, hands raising trying to show the man he's not a danger, "Hey….dude, are you blind?" Are maybe he's deaf too? Weird. The teen starts patting his pockets for his phone. This dude needs help. Lady? Well, that's definitely not Dax. He'll keep up with teh man, "Stay come, my man. We'll get you help…" IS there seriously no reception here? Where the hell did he run himself to?
—
"Gero." Callisto whispers feebly, "He is but a ghost. Replaying, over and over, a great downfall. T-there is nothing that we can do." She pleads.. this vision has arisen frequently since Oridove went and told her what became of Petal in real-time. A happy ending. So why is he being replayed here, doomed to represent how he behaved right after his memories were wiped? Callisto watches sadly as the shade of the flower child stumbles away, ignoring the two of them blatantly. Petal looks over a shoulder, eyes wide and blank, before a few steps carry him onwards into the field of daisies. He fades, enveloping into the darkness.
Callisto wipes her face.. damnit she'll have wet cheeks in waking, too. "Forgiveness. He is a spirit of the fields. He was wronged greatly. I pick flowers to try to appease him but sometimes… he appears. There is nothing we can do."
—
Woah. Dude just vanished. "A ghost?" Ghosts are real? Holy shit. The teen wets his lips before slipping his phone back into his pocket and then speeding over next to Callisto. "How was he wronged? Can't it be…rectified or something? Or salt and burn?" He's almost helpful there. Almost. Dax's head tilts, and he'll reach up to wipe a tear from her cheek, "Hey….don't be sad. You're trying to help. How about I pick you a bunch of flowers, will that help?"
—
Does that help? Will it help in the long-run to agree to 'Gero' picking flowers to her, only to have him awaken and be unsure of her? Callisto kneels again, brow furrowed. "He was attacked… he had his mind altered. Taken from him." Wait, how can that bridge memory loss and being a ghost? Isn't death involved? As far as Callisto is concerned, the Petal that she knew is dead. "The madness killed him." She fabricates and despite herself a tear falls. Is caught. Wiped. Oh Gods.
It is with honest heartache and remembrance that Callisto supplies next "Would you?" She asks of him. "I am not keeping you from anything? Anyone?"
What level of memory is he at, now? Is he at the chapter of broken-neck girl, yet?
—
"Well…maybe if you tell him what he forgot. Would that be enough to calm him?" It's a dream, so he doesn't seem to concerned with the ghost not ghost definition. A nod and Daxton smiles down at her, "I offered, didn't I?" And then there's a gust of air movement as he speeds off, picking a mad ton of the daisies for her.
—
Interesting, how once memories and dreams of Petal once dominated Callisto's sleeping mind. Now when she dismisses this wayward 'ghost' and instead chooses to focus upon Daxton, harvesting daisies…wow.
How times change. Callisto, kneeling and lamenting the messes that her mother seems to always be at the root of… finds herself surrounded by daisies. Humble, unoriginal, invasive daisies. She loves them. Her lips press together and despite herself some tears skitter past her nose. He won't remember this.
You are so kind, Gero. Thank you." Whispered as she stands, and slides a daisy in behind his ear.
—
"Oh…hey, I wasn't trying to make you cry more…"The flower shower stops and he'll move infant of her, seemingly comfortable enough to reach for her and try to pull her into a hug, "Come on Strawberry…. Don't cry…"
—
<FS3> Callisto rolls Psychic: Good Success.
Oh Gods—he's hugging her. He calls her that.
Is this a cruel joke? Callisto can't help it, she clings. Just eases into the hug and holds on but doesn't do anything too overbearing. Wasn't she too passionate in the waking world? Can she feel the hugging of his form, in a dream? Are her nerves being fooled? It sure feels real. Callisto hugs tight and allows herself to cry. Really cry. She hasn't done so — not visibly — since everything.
"I am so sorry." She exhales, unable to stop the tears from falling. Perhaps as far as 'Gero' knows, she is apologizing for this transgression of a confused spirit in a field. But the mood of the dream speaks of intense guilt, sadness, and caring. "I am sorry." She says again, apologizing for everything. Her mother. The struggle. Everything.
—
<FS3> Daxton rolls Mind: Failure.
Daxton makes soothing noises, "It's alright…" This ghost things really has her upset. He'll shift, letting he nestle into his arms. Dream girl is pretty and needs to be held, of course he's going to hold her. "Don't apologize. Let's just…fix it, yeah?" As if it's going to be that easy. "Why don't we bring the flowers to his grave and you can tell him what was taken. That'll make it right, right? Then he can move on." Boom, fixed. His hand reaches up and pets the back of her head, "It's ok…"
—
Naturally it went over his head. What was Callisto expecting? It just felt right to say it.. maybe echoes of it will reach Daxton in waking, when he sits up in bed confused and muddled. Maybe that 'I'm sorry' will resonate. Or perhaps it won't at all. She's been dying to say it to him but just couldn't. Not now, not yet. But even in dreaming to be held is nice. Callisto's dark fey nature — impulsive and physical — wants to grab him and lay one on him. Her more sensible side wins out. She sighs as her head is stroked, reluctant to let go. She will take what she can get, even in the flimsy happenstance of dreams.
"I know naught of where his grave is. Perhaps somewhere in this field. We can look but I wish not to waste you time. For haven't you things.. to remember?" Asked as she eases back and looks into Daxton's face.
—
Daxton makes a very him noise, clearly thinking that finding the grave will be easy. "When I get bars, I'll call my Unit, we'll find it for you. No problem." But then she's reminding him and he frowns, "Oh…yeah. I guess I do…" Huh, but what? Looking down at her, it's like whatever he's forgetting is at the tip of his tongue. But it's just not coming to mind. How frustrating! "I….guess I should go?" He doesn't let go of her though.
—
She startles, holds fast. "N-no!" Blink, flush. Oridove would laugh at her. How mortal. But fuck Oridove. Callisto eases in, clings. Even if he's feeling sorry for her or just doing the gentlemanly thing, even in dreaming, she will take it. He feels nice to hold onto and hopefully she does as well, in turn. "Do not go. Not yet. Stay with me a-and take your time and simply think. See if you remember what you have been searching for." Either an errant memory or fates willing.. maybe her? What if Daxton goes in sequence and remembers broken-neck girl before her?
"Please, never go. Keep being you, ok?" Asked in a whisper as she rests her head to his shoulder.
—
That makes the speedster smirk, "Ooookay. I can be me." Easy enough. Look at him, hero by being himself! "I don't think that's how lost memories are found, Calli. They come when you're not searching for them." He'll shift his arms though, letting her stay in them. She is nice to hold. "I won't go anywhere. You might, but I won't."
—
When they're not searching for them…
… it makes somewhat sense. Maybe she's been wrong all along, trying to stuff memories and experiences down Daxton's throat, in waking. AfterThought was wright. She, without breaking the hold, leans up to press a kiss to his cheek. It pains her to have to do this but she has to; let herself wake up. MAKE herself wake up. Any longer and she can't trust herself. Damn her, she is indeed having to go 'somewhere' without him. "Thank you, Gero." Callisto says gently. "I hope you find what you're looking for, alright?" She pauses, smiles sadly. "You are a wonderful person. Do not forget that." She's beginning to fade out.
—
Daxton is confused, but he seems to be that in both waking and sleeping now a days. A sharp intake at the kiss, and he turns his gaze to look down t her as she pulls away. "Yeah…you too." And then she's like smoke, fading away. A sigh, he'll run more in the dream, but now that feeling for forgetting something is stronger.