granpulse | ( cmo ) general rp

Any "more"?

[the idea of tiki is so far from his mind it doesn't even register, though it should, considering they're both dreams. instead, he's talking mostly to himself, even though he's addressing neku]

How are you here...?

I was sort of hoping you'd be able to answer that.

[once again, he glances at the town around them. it gives off an ethereal feeling, like it both exists and does not. he's starting to show hints of frustration, even though it's clear joshua is just as confused as he is.]

What the hell is going on, Josh?

That's ... kind of a long story.

[he looks around them. what happens if the dream neku meets this neku? does the dream neku still exist? what happens with shiki if he doesn't? it's not like the rules of the game fully apply, but they're so intricate to his powers he couldn't drag any bit of them without it. what does this neku's presence even mean, for shibuya?

josh can't even bring himself to dare to hope it's back. he'd wanted to pull the plug on it himself, and the second he decided against it--

and he should really be concentrating on neku, right now, so he turns back to face him with a slow blink]

I guess the short of it is that you're in my dream. Or... the world of it, anyway.

[it's not much of an explanation, but he's still reeling :/ give him a break]

I thought we were done with dreams when we woke up from that hell island.

[it's almost unsettling, to see joshua out of his element like this. it's very unlike what he's learned of shibuya's enigmatic composer in the few weeks they'd had together. he may not know that shibuya's heart's been taken, that its essence had been put to sleep, but he knows something is wrong.]

Look, if me being here means I'm stuck in your dream... then I'm here for as long as that's gonna last, I guess. Are we the only "real" things here?

[there's a definite deadpan look in his eyes as he's reminded of tiki, but he doesn't comment on it. instead, neku's question about "real" is... hm.]

Sort of. [the others... they're not fake-- they're the most important thing in this place-- but they're not all of what they should be, either.] Like I said, it's ... complicated. [actually, speaking of things that aren't real:] I wonder if they'll attack you?

[since the dream eaters don't attack joshua, but also, hey josh maybe use real words]

[that irritation sure is starting to come back. he kind of needs clear answers at this point?]

Uh, "they"?

[oh, right.]

Dream Eaters. They go after dreamers... They've never attacked me, though.

[josh, don't sound put off by creatures NOT trying to kill you]

But... I'm not a dreamer.

(I think?)

If something's gonna attack me, I can't do anything. My psychs aren't gonna work now that I'm... alive.

[dismissively;]

Everyone's got dreams. [but then he turns pensive. ...alive, huh. isn't that something.] Technically, if they're after you, that means you could use Dream Eaters yourself... But maybe just stick with me for now.

(Like I have any other choice...)

[josh is being cagier than normal, which is kind of impressive, actually. the part of neku that isn't in a little bit of awe is, unsurprisingly, very annoyed at this.]

You gave me the short version—what's the long one? Since it doesn't look like either of us is going anywhere any time soon.

[Josh isn't even sure where he's trying to lead Neku, but he grimaces a bit. He doesn't want to talk about it, but it's not like he can dodge the subject of where they are forever, can he?]

The long one... Say, Neku, you don't happen to remember anyone named Sora or Riku, do you?

[the possibility he does is pretty low, but it's worth asking. besides, it lets him not have to talk about shibuya's destruction for a bit still]

[he just shakes his head. he's pretty sure he's got all his memories intact at this point, and he can't remember either of those names bringing any sort of familiarity to his mind.]

Doesn't ring a bell.

I didn't think so. At this point in time, outside of you, they're the only complete people who have visited this dream.

[ughhhh geeeeez he doesn't want to do this. he's torn, because for once, he doesn't want to anger or antagonize neku. but he doesn't... want to admit to the truth, either.

to think there'd be a time where joshua thought he could give neku a worse truth than everything else he's pulled on him.]

There are so many worlds, Neku. Have you ever considered that?

[the question is phrased a little weirdly, or at least neku thinks so... but at the same time, it's not all that strange. is he starting to get used to the cryptic way joshua talks? so much for getting better at interacting with normal humans.]

Not before, but... we got proof of that back in the dream, didn't we?

[oh, yeah,]

—The other dream. (You know the one.)

Right. "That" dream... Well, I knew even before that, but that's me stuff.

[he doesn't even namedrop "composer", seeming more melancholy than anything. the dream's so far away for him.]

All worlds are connected, so the talk about travelling between them was old hat to me too. The two I told you about-- I'm pretty sure they were world travelers. They had the weapon for it and everything.

[mixing twewy and kh canon is actually killing me]

[is... is josh having a feeling. outwardly, he's maintaining a poker face, but inside neku is squinting and trying to get a better read on joshua. he knows it's a futile effort, but... hrm. something still strikes him as off.]

The weapon?

Ah... Some kind of key. Not all world travelers have it, but the important ones usually do. I'd explain, but it'd probably go over your head.

[and it's not like josh cared that much about the legends of keyblade wielders when he was composer, so he doesn't want to talk about that too much. he turns to look at Neku suddenly, his expression an odd mix of earnest (for once) curiosity and reluctance]

People can travel to worlds. Did you ever wonder what other things could, too?

N...ot really. I mean, it took me this long to accept that one world exists, outside of my own little corner of Shibuya. Other worlds? Never even crossed my mind.

[he's gotta work on that imagination of his.]

(Where's he going with this...?)

[there's a moment where the look on joshua's face is almost... wryly fond.]

Of course you didn't.

[it doesn't last long before he looks away to look up into the distance of the sky of Traverse Town]

There's an old saying that says every star in the sky is one. Another world. And when a star goes out... [he tilts his head a bit, still staring at the sky] It's very poetic. That there's a little bit more darkness every time a world "falls".

[THIS ANSWERS NOTHING]

Uh...huh.

[he's still not really following, unsurprisingly. ffs josh get to the point]

What does that have to do with us? With this place?

[he sighs and looks to the ground, more tired than annoyed]

I'm trying to get you to understand what I'm about to say. This world-- the version of it that isn't my dream-- is a place that comes into existence to harbor people from worlds who have been lost.

(Worlds who have been lost...?)

[ it takes him a minute to go over this information... ]

Wait, so—you don't mean...Shibuya...

I'm aware you won't believe it, coming from me-- [it's abrupt, a bit defensive] but I did what I could. [he shrugs one shoulder like he's not affected, even though his movements are half-aborted and obviously uncomfortable in a way joshua isn't usually]

[ it's josh's unnerving tone that makes it clear he's not lying. neku knows how much josh actually cares about shibuya, despite being ready to wipe it out during the game. ]

But... Shiki, Beat, Rhyme—everyone in Shibuya—what happened to them?

I did what I could. [that's a repeat.] Like I said, this world... this town only appears when someone is in need of shelter. This version was made from my dreams, but the point stands. Shibuya's fall came along with the fall of everyone in it. [and. this is where it gets a bit embarrassing, doesn't it, and he brushes some hair out of his face] Normally, this would mean the people fading altogether, but I do have a certain amount of power over souls. You... alongside the three you mentioned. It's a bit of a complicated concept, but I managed to gather up what I could of you by the last remnant of your dreams as they were back in the Game. When I tried to find you refuge, this [he gestures vaguely at the town] is what answered my call. Since it's a world where dreams take bodily forms... [a beat] I've already said it's a complicated concept, but the long of it is I thought I could at least make you four whole again through this place.

[THINGS THAT WOULD BE EMBARRASSING TO PAST JOSHUA: ADMITTING HE KIND OF CARES FOR NEKU AND HIS FRIENDS. but he brushes past it now, looking at neku critically]

I'd been making progress, but nothing like... Well. You're fully whole, Neku. You can't understand how surprising that is for me right now.

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