There's no vocal response, but Dipper will continue to fall until he reaches a bottom. Or... a "bottom" in terms of whatever this place is. He can see corpses of dead Seaborn that glow a bioluminescent blue in their passing. Yet, the singing is still going, even here, even amidst the corpses.
Once Dipper's eyes adjust to the darkness, he'll be able to see more than just the Seaborn, but corpses of Terrans - humans, most with either bird-like or fish-like features, and crumpled buildings. Then, all at once, the singing ceases, and Dipper hears a voice. It's voice is deep and breathy and seems to be underlying with the sounds of a raging ocean and the sounds of an old creaking ship.
[He looks around, is there a source for the voice? How's walking for that matter? Is it dreamy enough that he can walk along the sea floor or is it better for him to swim?]
The voice is... everywhere? Sourceless, or maybe all around, it's hard to tell. It might be in Dipper's head, it might be all around him like he's in an auditorium. Deciding on which would just make Dipper's head hurt if he thought about it too long.
Dipper can move freely. There's the general resistance that water brings, but he should have no trouble with that. Swimming might be easier. He can even go up, if he'd like, but he'd have to fight the currents to go back up.
It takes a second for the voice to respond again. It seems to struggle to be able to process everything.
"...Life..."
...Dipper suddenly feels an overwhelming sense of grief welling up in him. He can tell it's not his own, of course, but that doesn't change the fact that it's there.
[His emotional disregulation is already terrible to start with so that hits him like a hammer to the chest. It's not so different from when emotions lingering in a place of pain or tragedy gravitate towards him like a magnet.]
[It's like feeling possessed by someone else's grief. He's suddenly very aware that he needs to get out of here.]
[He pushes off from the sea floor, extending his hands. If this is a dream, then he should have some amount of control in here. He tries to use his powers to conjure himself some- a lifeline to the surface or something of that that nature.]
His powers do seem to have an effect! Somewhat. This is a dreamscape in a sense, but it isn't necessarily a dream. Not entirely, anyway. So instead of manipulating it like Dipper wants, he just forces it to "glitch", like he hit an old TV a little too hard, and his surrounds flicker static snow in and out, and that loud sound to accompany it drowns out everything else. No voice, no water, no singing, just static.
...
But a hand seems to reach through it and take Dipper's own to pull him forward. Does he resist?
He's pulled through a seemingly long hallway of static. It lasts only a second, maybe even less, but the distance feels so long that it's hard to say for sure what happened.
[ Until he's back on the ground again. No corpses or broken buildings or static. It's still dark, but now there's just one Mizuki here. He gives Dipper's hand a little squeeze. ]
Dipper!! You shouldn't be in here, silly. Are you alright?
[Yeah, his regret over setting off this static nightmare is growing the longer he's here. Holy shit he did not think he could hate a sound more than the THX sound but here we are.]
Wh- Mizuki!
[A mix of surprised relief. He was pretty sure he recognized the gloves of who was pulling him but he didn't want to be wrong in case this turned into an even worse nightmare. Huh. Is he in Mizuki's dream? Did Mizuki dream? Wh-]
I- yeah, I'm fine. I just kind of woke up here. Where are we?
[ Mizuki hums a moment, looking around for a moment. ]
This is where We reside... I don't remember if I told you whether or not I dreamed? I don't. Not really, anyway. Though, umm, if you're here, it must be a sort of dream-adjacent space?
I mostly just sort of float in this space with the Firstborns. They talk sometimes, though they're not as loud since getting to the Grove.
We're definitely outside of reality right now, even though my powers don't feel super compatible with this space.
[The "We", huh? He wondered if that's what was going on. He remembers how they sounded when he reached out to talk to them waaaaay back when he and Mizuki were looking for shrines. He's kicking himself for not recognizing it sooner.]
I didn't end up here on accident, though. I wasn't using my powers before falling asleep. I think something pulled me in. Do you know anything about that?
[ Mizuki knits his brows together for a moment, either confused or unhappy about hearing this, but ultimately ends up shaking his head. ]
I have been... sleeping a lot? I figured it was because of the cold. It's never really bothered me before, but this year has been unnaturally freezing, so... maybe... it has something to do with that?
...
Sorry, I really don't know. I could always try to ask, but I don't always get a response.
[ Ah. Realization. He fiddles with his umbrella for a moment. That's really a lot to unpack for just a kid. Dipper's been dealing with a lot, too, so Mizuki doesn't really want to introduce all the Everything that comes with that?? ]
Mh. That's the Firstborn my sect follows. The Caerula Arbor. Rather... "followed"... I guess.
Ohh, but 'cause you're here, and this is inside the hivemind, it means We can show you Our memories!!! That'll be so much fun! Do you wanna see some? That'll be way more exciting than just sitting around waiting for me to wake up!
[Mizuki. You have literally been in his nightmares, do you not think he would actually be a pretty appropriate person to talk to about this sort of thing?]
[Anyway, unfortunately, Dipper knows exactly what Mizuki is doing. His entire family does this. You're not slick. However- maybe he will let this go for now. Maybe looking at some memories will tell him more, and also, maybe this is something they can talk about in person later.]
Okay, Mizuki, but don't think I don't know deflection when I see it. You're not off the hook yet. Luckily I do want to see some memories, so lead the way.
[ And he's also his therapist! So he knows he's already got a lot on his plate!!! Just because he's dealt with things like this before doesn't mean he should - Dipper should be doing silly and fun things.
Which Mizuki immediately grabs his hand to take him to do. There's still that watery feel of being underwater, so it's more like they're floating instead of walking. ]
Hm, maybe. I don't think it is... [ But that's mostly because he's got a very odd relationship with the hivemind. Mizuki drops it there, though, and will instead let go of Dipper for just a moment to reach down below. There's a murky, dark depth below that doesn't look any different to the blackness around them, yet Mizuki seems to "reach" his hands in all the same.
Then, out of seemingly nowhere, he pulls out a glowing blue orb, no bigger than a basketball. ]
We all share Our memories together collectively here. So there's a lot of memories there from before 'I' was even born. But, we'll stick to just 'mine' for now.
[If he had a nickel for how many times someone has said something like that to him he would- well. Its not important.]
[Anyway he's happy to be lead by Mizuki. He trusts him and whatever might be going on in the weird space, even if his powers aren't acting the way he wants them to here. He waits as Mizuki fishes around in the void for....! A ball! A glowing ball of light.]
Makes sense, I- Oh. [He is now holding this. Is it warm...] What's this? A memory?
The orb is... body temperature. In a very strange, uncanny sort of way that holding onto it makes it feel less like you're holding something and more like it's just an extension of yourself. Dipper might get the sense that this isn't... necessarily a dream? Not in the traditional sense. It's a space - a plane, a pocket, whatever you might want to call it, if it might have a name - that takes properties of a dream to make it their own. The singing voices are quiet now that Dipper is here, or maybe it's because he's with Mizuki, or maybe it's something else entirely.
There's really no telling, and pondering on it when Mizuki is already trying to pull his attention to the orb seems difficult. Look at this sea jelly, he's so excited! ]
Mhmm. Or a physical representation of one, anyway. I guess I could've make it like a movie theater, but that takes a lot of effort - and theaters are no fun without popcorn, anyway.
[ Mizuki taps the top of the orb, and in it Dipper will see Mizuki, around the same age he is now, in a gaming room with your stereotypical environment. Cords everywhere, bags of chips, soda cans. Dipper will see a face he recognizes - Sesa. And two he does not, a younger girl with horns, and a girl the same age as Mizuki with tentacles. They all seem extremely focused on what they're doing, with the sorts of things one would expect from a bunch of gamers.
[Yeah, he's been getting that vibe for a bit now, that he's in a Different kind of space. It's like not too different from how Deerington felt, given it's strange existence as a nightmare realm with pocket dimension qualities.]
[Anyway, its true his thoughts are pretty quickly cast aside in favor of following after Mizuki. He really is excited it's hard for it to not be infectious.]
Yeah, that's fair. I-
[Oh, here they are pondering the orb. Dipper is super interested in this, no matter how mundane it might seem. It's always fun to see more terrans? Their whole world is super fascinating. Sesa is also hilarious, as expected.]
[The significance of this memory does become very apparent to Dipper soon, though. As in, Dipper understands exactly why this memory is important to Mizuki, despite how "normal" it looks at first glance. Once it's over, Dipper has a soft little smile.]
...Having friends is crazy, isn't it?
[He offers the memory to him like it's something precious.]
I spent a long time thinking no one would ever really get me, so it was fine if I didn't have friends my age, and I was happy with it. When I actually made some... I dunno, it's like everything changed. I remember when Li asked me to sit with him at lunch in school in Deerington and I don't think he ever realized how much that actually meant to me.
[ Just... holding the memory for a moment before he carefully feeds it back to the murk below. ]
It's funny how much little things mean to people. And... We're certainly no different. But I think... I think it's because the small gestures show you care. They remind us of our capacity to love. It's like... the reminder that even if nothing is happening, really, that you're still being thought of?
Maybe I'm just overthinking it, though. [ He fidgets a bit with the bow on his poncho. ] I consider us friends, though. That probably breaks like some like medical ethics considering I've also been giving you therapy, but, uhh... I'm not licensed and also the police aren't here. Hehe.
By which I mean, yeah man. You're my friend, too. [He shoves his hands in his pockets and grins back at him.] I still remember when I first got here. I didn't have my family around and I was so scared that no one here was going to like me. But like, you were one of the first people to talk to me. You invited me to go mystery hunting and stuff right off the bat.
That meant just as much to me as what Li did. I'll never forget it.
Hehe... I'm a bad example. I'm always trying to make friends. You, though, you're so interesting. Humans are so keen to explore and to discover and they advance so much when they do. Like how adaptability with Seaborn works.
[ Mizuki flops to sit on the "floor", patting the spot next to him. ]
What about you, Dipper? What sorts of things are you hoping to discover and advance in your life?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Once Dipper's eyes adjust to the darkness, he'll be able to see more than just the Seaborn, but corpses of Terrans - humans, most with either bird-like or fish-like features, and crumpled buildings. Then, all at once, the singing ceases, and Dipper hears a voice. It's voice is deep and breathy and seems to be underlying with the sounds of a raging ocean and the sounds of an old creaking ship.
"We... take... more."
no subject
[Maybe being down here is bad news actually.]
[He looks around, is there a source for the voice? How's walking for that matter? Is it dreamy enough that he can walk along the sea floor or is it better for him to swim?]
Take more what?
no subject
Dipper can move freely. There's the general resistance that water brings, but he should have no trouble with that. Swimming might be easier. He can even go up, if he'd like, but he'd have to fight the currents to go back up.
It takes a second for the voice to respond again. It seems to struggle to be able to process everything.
"...Life..."
...Dipper suddenly feels an overwhelming sense of grief welling up in him. He can tell it's not his own, of course, but that doesn't change the fact that it's there.
no subject
[His emotional disregulation is already terrible to start with so that hits him like a hammer to the chest. It's not so different from when emotions lingering in a place of pain or tragedy gravitate towards him like a magnet.]
[It's like feeling possessed by someone else's grief. He's suddenly very aware that he needs to get out of here.]
[He pushes off from the sea floor, extending his hands. If this is a dream, then he should have some amount of control in here. He tries to use his powers to conjure himself some- a lifeline to the surface or something of that that nature.]
no subject
...
But a hand seems to reach through it and take Dipper's own to pull him forward. Does he resist?
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[What's that hand look like.]
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1/2
2/2
Dipper!! You shouldn't be in here, silly. Are you alright?
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Wh- Mizuki!
[A mix of surprised relief. He was pretty sure he recognized the gloves of who was pulling him but he didn't want to be wrong in case this turned into an even worse nightmare. Huh. Is he in Mizuki's dream? Did Mizuki dream? Wh-]
I- yeah, I'm fine. I just kind of woke up here. Where are we?
no subject
This is where We reside... I don't remember if I told you whether or not I dreamed? I don't. Not really, anyway. Though, umm, if you're here, it must be a sort of dream-adjacent space?
I mostly just sort of float in this space with the Firstborns. They talk sometimes, though they're not as loud since getting to the Grove.
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[The "We", huh? He wondered if that's what was going on. He remembers how they sounded when he reached out to talk to them waaaaay back when he and Mizuki were looking for shrines. He's kicking himself for not recognizing it sooner.]
I didn't end up here on accident, though. I wasn't using my powers before falling asleep. I think something pulled me in. Do you know anything about that?
no subject
I have been... sleeping a lot? I figured it was because of the cold. It's never really bothered me before, but this year has been unnaturally freezing, so... maybe... it has something to do with that?
...
Sorry, I really don't know. I could always try to ask, but I don't always get a response.
no subject
No, it's cool man. Just trying to figure out what's going on.
[Right, they'd tried to talk to him, the We Many.]
They said something to me, before things got crazy and you pulled me out. "We take more." and when I asked, I got "Life".
1/2
Mh. That's the Firstborn my sect follows. The Caerula Arbor. Rather... "followed"... I guess.
...
2/2
Ohh, but 'cause you're here, and this is inside the hivemind, it means We can show you Our memories!!! That'll be so much fun! Do you wanna see some? That'll be way more exciting than just sitting around waiting for me to wake up!
no subject
[Anyway, unfortunately, Dipper knows exactly what Mizuki is doing. His entire family does this. You're not slick. However- maybe he will let this go for now. Maybe looking at some memories will tell him more, and also, maybe this is something they can talk about in person later.]
Okay, Mizuki, but don't think I don't know deflection when I see it. You're not off the hook yet. Luckily I do want to see some memories, so lead the way.
no subject
Which Mizuki immediately grabs his hand to take him to do. There's still that watery feel of being underwater, so it's more like they're floating instead of walking. ]
Hm, maybe. I don't think it is... [ But that's mostly because he's got a very odd relationship with the hivemind. Mizuki drops it there, though, and will instead let go of Dipper for just a moment to reach down below. There's a murky, dark depth below that doesn't look any different to the blackness around them, yet Mizuki seems to "reach" his hands in all the same.
Then, out of seemingly nowhere, he pulls out a glowing blue orb, no bigger than a basketball. ]
We all share Our memories together collectively here. So there's a lot of memories there from before 'I' was even born. But, we'll stick to just 'mine' for now.
Here, hold onto this.
no subject
[Anyway he's happy to be lead by Mizuki. He trusts him and whatever might be going on in the weird space, even if his powers aren't acting the way he wants them to here. He waits as Mizuki fishes around in the void for....! A ball! A glowing ball of light.]
Makes sense, I- Oh. [He is now holding this. Is it warm...] What's this? A memory?
no subject
The orb is... body temperature. In a very strange, uncanny sort of way that holding onto it makes it feel less like you're holding something and more like it's just an extension of yourself. Dipper might get the sense that this isn't... necessarily a dream? Not in the traditional sense. It's a space - a plane, a pocket, whatever you might want to call it, if it might have a name - that takes properties of a dream to make it their own. The singing voices are quiet now that Dipper is here, or maybe it's because he's with Mizuki, or maybe it's something else entirely.
There's really no telling, and pondering on it when Mizuki is already trying to pull his attention to the orb seems difficult. Look at this sea jelly, he's so excited! ]
Mhmm. Or a physical representation of one, anyway. I guess I could've make it like a movie theater, but that takes a lot of effort - and theaters are no fun without popcorn, anyway.
[ Mizuki taps the top of the orb, and in it Dipper will see Mizuki, around the same age he is now, in a gaming room with your stereotypical environment. Cords everywhere, bags of chips, soda cans. Dipper will see a face he recognizes - Sesa. And two he does not, a younger girl with horns, and a girl the same age as Mizuki with tentacles. They all seem extremely focused on what they're doing, with the sorts of things one would expect from a bunch of gamers.
In fact, it seems to be a very intense game of Tetris VS.
...
It's a fairly mundane memory, all things considered, but Mizuki seems enraptured by reliving it all the same, like it's the best thing in the world. ]
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[Anyway, its true his thoughts are pretty quickly cast aside in favor of following after Mizuki. He really is excited it's hard for it to not be infectious.]
Yeah, that's fair. I-
[Oh, here they are pondering the orb. Dipper is super interested in this, no matter how mundane it might seem. It's always fun to see more terrans? Their whole world is super fascinating. Sesa is also hilarious, as expected.]
[The significance of this memory does become very apparent to Dipper soon, though. As in, Dipper understands exactly why this memory is important to Mizuki, despite how "normal" it looks at first glance. Once it's over, Dipper has a soft little smile.]
...Having friends is crazy, isn't it?
[He offers the memory to him like it's something precious.]
I spent a long time thinking no one would ever really get me, so it was fine if I didn't have friends my age, and I was happy with it. When I actually made some... I dunno, it's like everything changed. I remember when Li asked me to sit with him at lunch in school in Deerington and I don't think he ever realized how much that actually meant to me.
no subject
[ Just... holding the memory for a moment before he carefully feeds it back to the murk below. ]
It's funny how much little things mean to people. And... We're certainly no different. But I think... I think it's because the small gestures show you care. They remind us of our capacity to love. It's like... the reminder that even if nothing is happening, really, that you're still being thought of?
Maybe I'm just overthinking it, though. [ He fidgets a bit with the bow on his poncho. ] I consider us friends, though. That probably breaks like some like medical ethics considering I've also been giving you therapy, but, uhh... I'm not licensed and also the police aren't here. Hehe.
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[The Pines are just Crime the Family.]
By which I mean, yeah man. You're my friend, too. [He shoves his hands in his pockets and grins back at him.] I still remember when I first got here. I didn't have my family around and I was so scared that no one here was going to like me. But like, you were one of the first people to talk to me. You invited me to go mystery hunting and stuff right off the bat.
That meant just as much to me as what Li did. I'll never forget it.
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[ Mizuki flops to sit on the "floor", patting the spot next to him. ]
What about you, Dipper? What sorts of things are you hoping to discover and advance in your life?
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