30 ★ v o i c e;

[kagayakashi]

[ You can hear the sound of her whimpers quite clearly. Gracia is clutching the SFC quite close. In the background, the loud barks of Futon is heard. The dog is directing its growls towards something. Or maybe someone. ]

This is a curse, right? I-I don't like it...It isn't like one of those party curses Vatheon used to have during this time of year, no not at all! What about all the lovely costumes, and the dancing, and the fireworks?

[ Her breath hitches in her throat. Futon's barking becomes louder. ]

No, stay back! Hiyaa!

[ Gracia's steps over Futon's tail by accident, causing the dog to yelp in surprise. Some static passes over the feed. Gracia frowns. ]

You're not real, and you'll go away if I ignore you! Mm, I-I won't talk to you! No, I won't! So leave right now! You're not even --

[ She pauses. Whoever it is, it's speaking to Gracia, yet she absolutely panics at the sound of its voice. Futon barks even louder, and Gracia abandons talking to the SFC. She stuffs the communicator inside her pocket and begins to run away, somewhere, anywhere....

...Away from Him. Futon's barking chases after the recording, until Gracia frantically switches it off. ]


(OOC: Replies will be ICly delayed. The shape of her living nightmare? An Akechi Mitsuhide (wavesoakedlegs) who does not know who Gracia is. MWAHAHAHAHA. But you won't know that until she spills, or you catch her running all over town xD So feel free to reply in ACTION, if you're up for it!)

Comments

[Voice]

[donotcomprehend]

[Gale himself hasn't been affected by this curse, but it's hard not to miss the effects of it in others. Especially in someone like Gracia, who has seemed cheerful whenever he spoke to her.]

Do you need assistance?

1/2 [Voice]

[kagayakashi]

[ Gracia answers his message thirty minutes later. When she first speaks, she is out of breath. ]

Gale?

2/2 [Voice]

[kagayakashi]

[ The redhead frowns before continuing. She's definitely shaken, even though she tries to hide it, but why...? ]

Ah, well...Muu, I don't know. Can I be helped with this curse at all? Gale, tell me! Are you affected by the curse too?

[Voice]

[donotcomprehend]

Having someone with you might serve as a distraction.

[He shakes his head.] As far as I am aware, none of the tribe is affected.

[Voice]

[kagayakashi]

[ She rationalizes that Gale is right, but is hesitant to bother her friend. Still, having someone around could cause her nightmare to disappear, just like when you wake up from one...

...the delay is shorter than before, the next time she replies. Her voice is hushed, as if she's speaking while crammed into a tight space. ]

I'm glad you're okay! Ooh...you're a wonderful friend, then! Maybe I will take you up on such an offer. [ She whispers this next part, tone filled with fear. ] I don't want to be alone with this curse. I can't stand it!

[Voice]

[donotcomprehend]

Tell me where to go. I can be there soon.

[It's not a direct answer to anything she said, but it is a response. And it seems to him that talking in person would be better than using the SFC, if she's so concerned by a curse like this. In fact, he's already leaving the Embryon base, even though he's not quite sure where in the bubble he's headed yet.]

[Voice]

[kagayakashi]

[ The only sound coming from her end is her shallow breathing, up until something shifts, and Gracia peeps out of the lid of the crate to check if she was still being followed. A momentary silence, and then she responds hastily. ]

I'm inside a box, by the marketplace!

[Voice/Action]

[donotcomprehend]

[...Inside a box?

That's probably a question to ask once he's there. Gale starts off for the marketplace at a steady pace. Once he's there, he'll look around for boxes and crates about the size a person could fit into, and start searching for Gracia in each one. Hopefully the locals won't mind too much, because he won't stop until he finds her.]

[Action]

[kagayakashi]

[ Gracia peeks from inside her hiding place to check if Gale was near. When she spots him - the lid slightly open, revealing a small portion of her forehead and eyes within the gap - Gracia whispers his name as loudly as she can without giving herself away to the nightmare following her.

Futon, her trusty dog, barks at Gale to grab his attention. However, the living nightmare that plagues Gracia is close by. As soon as Gale enters closer proximity to Gracia's box, he...might see what she is so afraid of. ]

[Voice]

[shirleyhopeful]

Gracia? What's wrong?

Where are you? Maybe I can help you out?

[Voice]

[kagayakashi]

[ There's some static, and a noticeable delay, before Gracia is heard again. She sounds completely out of breath. ]

Shirley -

[ Gracia coughs and her dog's loud barking fills up the feed. Gracia winces and begins to run again, so her words are cut-off at every pant. ]

- no, no you must be affected by this curse too! I don't want to - [bother you, but she has no chance to say it as she takes a sharp turn to the left, in a dark alley by the market place. ]

[Voice]

[shirleyhopeful]

[She raised an eyebrow at how Gracia was out of breath. What was going on? What happened to her? Was she being chased after?]

Bother you? But you're not, I'm worried about you!

It sounds like you're out of breath, I don't want you to run until you pass out!

[Voice]

[kagayakashi]

[ She huffs, slowing down her pace. ]

Muu, passing out sounds like a good option right now...

[ Gracia shakes her head and her pet dog's barking increases in volume once again. She was getting rather desperate - it didn't seem like she could outrun it at all. Shirley was definitely on to something, albeit indirectly...Maybe if Gracia could hang around friends for a bit? Maybe it'll go away...? ]

Shirley...Ooh, I'd hate to trouble you, but I'd want nothing more than to see a friendly face right about now! Where are you?

[Voice]

[shirleyhopeful]

[Shirley can't hear the barking but she can tell that something is off.]

Gracia...I don't think that would be a good idea...

[However, when she heard that she wanted to meet up with her, Shirley smiled a bit. She would be able to keep a good eye on her friend hat way]

I'm in my apartment right now but where are you? I'll go to where you are?

[Voice]

[kagayakashi]

[ She stops to catch her breath, looking behind her from time to time. It was still there, still following her, and Gracia could not help but sound desperate when she replies next. ]

Near the forest quadrant! I just passed the market place! Ah - !

[ The nightmare begins to catch up to her, so Gracia runs, Futon trailing by her heels. If Shirley does follow Gracia, she might require further instruction as soon as she gets to the midpoint of the market and the forest. Gracia refuses to stop running. ]

[Voice]

[shirleyhopeful]

[With Gracia's reply, Shirley quickly turned off the SFC and rushed straight to the forest. Whatever that was after her friend, it was enough to make her panic. Trying to run as fast she could, she was at the entrance of the forest. She was looking around for a familiar person until she turned on the SFC]

Gracia, where are you? I'm at the entrance of the forest but...I don't see you anywhere!

[Don't panic Shirley, that's the last thing you can do right now]

[Voice]

[kagayakashi]

[ She gasps for breath behind a tree, determined to lose the nightmare, even for just a bit. When the SFC whirs back to life, Shirley's voice ringing loud and clear, Gracia pauses for a second before she answers with a cautious tone. ]

Ooh, I'm sorry, Shirley! I ended up farther away from you. [ Bushes rustle; Gracia yelps and hurriedly finishes her response. ] Stay right there, please! I-I'll come back!

[ And with that, Gracia bolts to the opposite direction, Futon tailing her as fast as he can. She ends up getting lost here and there, if only to remove the trail from her pesky shadow. Ten minutes later, Gracia emerges from the thick onset of trees and foliage, taking a few shaky steps towards Shirley before falling on her knees in fatigue. ]

[video]

[wavesoakedlegs]

[Mitsuhide looks tired; beyond tired, in fact. Almost exhausted. One look at his face is likely enough to inform anyone that he is suffering with this curse himself.]

[But he makes an effort at looking calm, at least.]

You are being haunted by the shadows of this curse too, my girl?

1/2 [video]

[kagayakashi]

[ And just like that, Gracia's nightmares suddenly turn much darker, so much more real. If her Father was speaking to her on the SFC, then at least she has comfort in the fact that nothing bad happened to him. But one look at his face tells Gracia how wrong she is...The nightmares were haunting him too. Was it the same? Did the fairies betray them in the same way?

It hurt to look at him. She turns away from the SFC so quickly, her red hair is left behind at the edge of the screen, becoming a blur. A sharp intake of breath is heard, before Gracia looks back at the video.

Her eyes are watery with unshed tears. ]

2/2 [video]

[kagayakashi]

It's -

[ She could never hide anything from him. She closes her eyes and covers her ears with her hands. It hurt so much to even hear them speak, because the nightmare chasing her seems like it could pass off as the real Mitsuhide, even if they were so different. But she didn't know why it affected her so much.

"But who are you? I don't have a daughter, I'm afraid."

She shivers. Gracia shakes her head almost violently, before Futon drowns out her quiet whimpers with his growling. No, no don't listen. It's not true; it's not going to happen. Father - the real one - he said! He said!

"And I don't plan on having one, as well. So tell me, who are you?"

He said he couldn't support a wife, no wife meant no child, no child meant no -

- and marriage meant no - ]

No, stop! You're not my Father, quit saying such things!

[ She bolts for the nearest corner, Futon trailing after her. The SFC shows a dizzying view of the concrete, as her hands grip the communicator tightly. ]

[video]

[wavesoakedlegs]

[Without being physically close to Gracia, Mitsuhide cannot see the vision that afflicts her at all. From her words, however, he can guess that it's something to do with him.]

[That is not surprising at all.]

Running won't help, Tama.

[Mitsuhide sighs softly, deep and pained. It's a good job his child cannot see or hear the shadow that haunts Mitsuhide himself right now; its commentry would definitely not help.]

The shadows never venture far. I fear it shall be so until the end of the week.

[He lowers his head.]

Deep breaths... and I advise you do not speak back to whatever it is speaking to you. It only seems to make matters worse...

[video]

[kagayakashi]

[ She halts for a moment, allowing his words to sink in. Gracia grips the SFC, staring at her Father's face until she could feel some sort of comfort or warmth but...she cannot. Not like before, when all she needed to hear was his voice, and it would all be alright. The nightmare that follows her took the safety away.

But for what reason? Was this the curse's true intention? To make her vulnerable - if that was even the right word for it? She shakes her head and glimpses that the nightmare has followed her, close enough for his words to be heard. They give her shivers, and her eyes involuntarily grow wide by the time she returns her gaze back to the SFC. ]

I...I...I can't -

[ "Why won't you tell me who you are?"

Gracia closes her eyes and starts walking with long strides. ]

Father, I -

[ "Mm, you can't possibly be someone we know. Ah, I forgot! I'm engaged, you see. But even so, I'd gather that my Lord Motochika would also be in the dark as to who you are." ]

- I don't know what to do. It hurts. [ She begins to cry as she walks, doing her best to ignore the well-dressed and incredibly happy Mitsuhide following her every step. ]

What do I do?

[video]

[wavesoakedlegs]

My dear, you must try.

[Mitsuhide shakes his head; he understands how she feels, but he cannot simply tell her it's going to be alright. Frankly, it won't. Not until the end of the week, when Vatheon ends its curse and sets them free again.]

Weather the storm.

[His voice is barely a whisper now; Mitsuhide is in great pain, but he has vowed to hide the extent of it form his daughter (no matter how hard that might be). This conversation is not helping his own state, but that is not important. Right now, Tama is.]

There is nothing else we can do. This is Vatheon's way; for one week we must simply survive with these whispers in our ear.

[video]

[kagayakashi]

[ "Why are you crying?" Gracia finds herself an isolated corner by the plaza and turns her back away from the nightmare. With his carefree smile, the happy gleam in his eyes...Gracia cannot bear to see them, even though her only wish is for her Father to experience true joy.

Weather the storm, he tells her. But how do you weather a storm when you are the captain of a boat you don't know how to control? Gracia is alone - and she will be alone forever - because she doesn't exist, and she will never exist now, because Motochika and her Father never knew her before Vatheon.

And it will never come to be, not ever again. Her energy is draining, and she finally admits to herself the pains of her heart. The nightmare was slowly winning with every word, and every laugh; with every story of a life free of a daughter named Tama. ]

[ Her anguish matches Mitsuhide's own. She covers her face with her hands and sobs, Futon doing his best to protect his master from an enemy it cannot defeat. ]

Why? [ Gracia's voice is muffled against the palms of her hands. The nightmare stands less than a foot away from her crouched form. Futon's growling is rough and distressed. ] Why?

Why must we always be torn apart? I don't...I don't want to be alone. I want to help you, I cannot leave your side! You need me - you...

[ Her crying increases in intensity. I need you! I don't know where to go without you! Please, please don't forget me. Don't - I can't take it, not with Motochika gone, not when you're away...!

[ The nightmare hears her. It makes everything worse. Gracia no longer runs, and merely cries everything out for Mitsuhide to hear. Incoherent they may be, they are nevertheless, fragments of her deepest, darkest fears. ]

[video]

[wavesoakedlegs]

[If Mitsuhide could hear Gracia's thoughts, it would have been a lot easier to deal with the situation. His child's fears are rooted in a logic that do not really make any sense, empowered by her past and the losses she has known. They create a fog that obscures what should be a clear, bright path for the young woman.]

[She exists; she cannot simple cease to be. And she is also this Mitsuhide's Tama as much as she is the Tama of the Mitsuhide back in her original worlds.]

[For now he is limited to dealing with what he hears, and that in itself is difficult. He knows that dealing with this nightmare is hard, and even thinking clearly is, for the moment, almost impossible.]

I know, dear heart. I know you do.

[Mitsuhide feels like his heart might break right now. Gracia cannot know how alike some of their fears are. Neither of them has a Motochika to go back to, for one, if they are ever sent to their own worlds. The mere thought hurts Mitsuhide to the core; losing his soulmate again would surely kill him.]

And that is why I cannot simply let you drown right now. Vent, my girl. It has helped me a little to speak of my pain and my fear; keeping it locked away can only hurt you more, and I cannot bear that thought.