manhattan ♔ there is no knot so steadfast | it won't go broke in the middle of monsoons

[silvermaid]

♬ two years before the mast - astronautalis

WHO || Violet Reedhym, Luthir Reedhym, Myrilandel de Tanos, Finnick Odair, Anastacia O'Keefe, Faith O'Keefe, Nicholas Starkweather
WHAT || The Knights attempt to free Vi from the influence of the Nightmare God Malaak'a
WHERE || Manhattan, New York
WHEN || June 7th, 2014
HOW || Actionspam. Single thread.

Some choices are almost impossible to make. For a year, the Knights have watched Violet fading, the way she always does with the winter thanks to her connection to her mother Persephone. Except in this case, there was no getting better with the arrival of spring. If anything, she's only spiraled further into depression, and it's clear that if this continues, it will spell the end of her sooner than later.

Keijen Blade appeared to several of the Knights in their dreams, to caution them of Vi's impending fate, and to tell them that their plan to save her will end in blood. Of course, he had his own alternative to offer: that she take a deal from Malaak'a that would allow the god to see through her eyes into this world. Realizing that the plan offered by Sehanine to use Faith O'Keefe's dreamwalking ability to sever the connection might simply result in someone giving their life to save hers, Vi agreed to take the offer in one month. However, on the evening of their wedding, Luthir talked her into going through with the goddess' plan, promising not to go into her dream with them.

Their car pulls up in front of Des' horrible rundown apartment building, where they're meant to track down Nicholas Starkweather - a friend of Des', who is apparently also a unicorn. Look, he knows people.

Comments

[graveflowers]

Yeah about that, anyone want to explain to me how that is going to work? Like specifically, with diagrams and maybe a power point presentation. [ she's just going to make herself at home and sprawl on the couch after she kicks her flip flops off. ] Really specific specifics, bullet points would be nice.

[desperatewarning]

[Nick stands up and offers Anastacia a hand to help her get to her feet, because he's a gentleman like that.]

Right so. Bit of a tricky part. I'll have to, ah, change back, which is gonna get awkward, if I'm honest. Big horse. Tiny apartment. Lots of people. But if none of you make any sudden movements... should be fine. Yeah. Ah, anyway. Once I've resumed my normal form, I will tap my horn to Faith's heart, [he gives her a gentle tap on the sternum because he's a unicorn and that's not sexual harassment] just give her a little boost, and she'll take a journey into Violet's nightmares. Well, she and... whoever intends to accompany her.

[He takes a breath.] The rest of us will just stay here and drink tea- that was the point of the tea, actually. Bit nervewracking waiting for something like this.

[witchwoman]

How many of us could..? [Myri glances over towards Vi. She's not really sure if she supposed to ask this question. Is she more useful sitting watch on the outside? Possibly. She sort of assumes Vi has no interest in Myri dropping in on her dreams.]

[moonheart]

I tap out at five people. So me, Vi, Nick - and we could take two more.

I mean, I might be able to stretch it, given the boost I'll be getting, if we wanted more, but I wouldn't push past six.

[graveflowers]

Myri and Finnick and Luthir are staying. [ she will fucking cut y'all bitches. /ignores are y'all's agency. ]

And then what happens. [ she doesn't care about your tea, tbh. ] I just get to be lucid while I'm watching all my many many failures dancing around in front of me? That... [ doesn't sound like a plan. she looks at luthir. how is this a plan. this sounds like an awful plan. it sounds like literally the most useless plan in all the land. especially if she's not going to actually do anything but put faith in danger while her mom is right there. waiting for her to come back. which she might not if blade was being serious, which vi wholeheartedly believes he was.

she can't do this, which she tries to relay to luthir with some really aggressive telepathy that she doesn't... actually possess. ]

[desperatewarning]

It'll be easier to explain once we're inside.

[Oh there's that unekern crypticness everyone loves. In fact some of the bumbling, stuttering awkwardness that he's been exhibiting has almost melted away.

He steps back.] If you would just look away. This is dreadfully embarrassing. And stand back. I don't want to impale anyone.

[Once he's positive no one is looking, UNICORN MAGIC HAPPENS AND...

♪ the last unicorn- america

there is now a giant horse in this tiny apartment. yay. The Unicorn gives his mane a good shake. It's noteworthy that he has the same sea-blue eyes as Nick. In case you were worried or something.]

[moonheart]

[ faith gets the dumbest look of happiness on her face over here ] Now that's what I'm talkin' about!

[65]

Me too. [GRINNING. he's not going to touch the unicorn tho. don't they impale nonvirgins??? no thx.]

[witchwoman]

[That's a horse. That's a... well, it's not a horse. But it is. And it's also that very tall man. And a horse. Uhmmmmmmm.]

[silvermaid]

[ remember to breathe, anastacia. look at those hearts in her eyes. ] Majestic as I remember.

[desperatewarning]

[Yeah, yeah. Damn right he's majestic. Except he's a noble and genuinely humble creature, so it's just sort of a casual acknowledgement of her words.] I'll make certain Violet and your daughter return safely.

[He glances over at Violet on the couch, expectantly. The Unicorn gave his word that he will protect you!!!

The Unicorn who still sounds like Stephen Merchant. SHHHH.]

[moonheart]

I can tell you some things before we go in. We're going to be diving right into your nightmare-scape, so it's not going to be a very pleasant place. But we'll have some control over things, and there are certain powers I can extend to you, with Nick's help.

But long story short, we need to find the source of the darkness in your nightmare, and take it down.

[graveflowers]

[ she stands up slowly. she is more and more not liking this plan. ] It's no biggie, I'm used to the nightmares, I know them by heart. Lots of death, dramatic deaths, deathy deaths. It'll be swell. [ lol no. but she moves over to stand next to the fucking talking unicorn like this is my life, how. ] It's Vi, you really have to stop calling me Violet.

[silvermaid]

You're used to experiencing them in a dream-like state. This will be different. It will feel as if you're awake.

And you'll be doing more than experiencing them passively. You'll be taking the reins, reacting to things, controlling them. You need to be strong, Vi, if you want to win this fight, because it will be a fight. Can you do that?

[graveflowers]

[ thanks for calling her vi, ana. she glances at luthir, frowning slightly. no, she really doubts she can. ] Do you want an honest answer or some patented bullshit?

[desperatewarning]

Vi. [The Unicorn sticks his face in her face and snorts gently. BELIEVE GIRL. But since she's not actively protesting, he turns to Faith and lowers his head so that his horn touches just above her heart.

~UNICORN MAGIC~]

[moonheart]

[ faith's entire body takes on a strange, heavenly glow, and she looks down at herself and the horn pressed to her chest in amazement. ] I'm a nightlight! [ uh right back to business. she looks to vi ] If you don't think we can do this with just the three of us, we're going to need to bring someone who can help pull you through. He's going to try to get inside-- well, I mean, we already will be inside your head, but you know what I mean. You'll have to remember that none of it's real.

[ a beat ] Except for whoever we bring with. Everything that happens to us will be very real.

[graveflowers]

[ she shakes her head. ] No. They're saying here. [ she wants to correct faith, because it is real, she remembers some of it, with clarity. but she knows that faith means, she's just choosing to ignore it because no one is coming with her. ]

I'll be fine.

[witchwoman]

Vi, please... This is why we're here. We came to help you.

[desperatewarning]

Nothing will happen to them.

[No one informed Nick of Blade's warning, okay. He's just perplexed as hell. Which is an odd look on a unicorn.

But really. He can gore people with his horn. Bitches won't be touching her friends.]

Nothing I can stop, anyway.

[luthir]

[ luthir watches all this with a carefully impassive expression, but he can't stop himself from asking faith and nick: ] If something happens to her in the dream then, what happens to her in real life?

[graveflowers]

[ YES WHAT HAPPENS????? vi is really invested in this answer. even as she takes an unconscious step away from nick and faith. she is already not a fan of this plan, if she's pushed any further to bring other people along she's just going to jump out the window and run the fuck away. ]

[moonheart]

Well, I mean, if it happens in the dream, it happens to us, because we're actually going into the dream. Our consciousness, I mean. So it'll be... real.

If we die there, game over out here.

[desperatewarning]

[WELL. This is going well. The unicorn shakes his head again.] But no one is going to die. I swear by it.

[(Diplomacy 22) Trust in his unicorn wisdom, Vi.]

[graveflowers]

[ vi don't trust shit right now, sorry hooves. (will save nat 20) but at least she blurts out why. faith deserves to know. ]

Blade said if we did this... it would end in blood.