cape_kore | Day 91 AM [video] Public + Private to Maggie

[Dilandau's lying on the sofa in his living room, holding his arm above his head to film. He's forgone his usual armour-and-diadem getup for a red shirt from the wardrobe. The swelling on his face has gone down, but the bruising has faded into an unattractive yellow]

Kenzi, I've finished that trap. Come to 15 and I'll show you how to set it up. I'll make another once we're sure it works.

[To everyone else, the message seems to end for a moment as he makes a message Private to Maggie]

Maggie, I want to see you later too. I've got questions about those dreams of yours.

[To everyone else, the message appears to start up again as he switches back to a public message.

His expression sours and he pushes his hair off of his forehead, huffing. He's obviously irritated at having to ask something that he feels beneath him]

Is there anything useful to do that doesn't involve heavy labour? I'll even take recommendations for books that won't bore me to sleep if there's nothing to be done. Or Mina, have you found any herbs that'll speed up bone healing since we've spoken?

[He very much doubts that the answer will be 'Yes', but it never hurts to ask.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Are you sure they're just dreams? [It takes an effort to keep the interrogative tone out of his voice] They reminded me of other dreams I've seen here. Genuine memories from people's former lives.

[She, like he and Erik, must have been changed before her death, since she hadn't been chopped in half in those dreams. He'd bet his eyeteeth on it. Still, he keeps his voice light even though he's watching her intently]

But that might just be because I only saw a part of them. How do the full dreams usually go?

I'm not sure of anything.

[ She bites her lip. ]

They strap me down. I fight and fight, but there are always so many of them and they get me down no matter how good I fight back. They put an IV in my arm and then I drift off. I wake up later screaming in pain. Sometimes I wake up for real and sometimes the pain keeps growing in the dream. They all watch me with these cold, detached looks, like I'm a test animal.

[That description hits far too close to home. He covers his mouth and tilts his head down as if he's thinking hard, so that she can't see how his lips tremble.

It's a moment until he's composed enough again to speak normally]

How long have you dreamed dreams like this?

As long as I've been here. More frequently lately, though. No one's ever... shown up in them before like that.

Were you having them before you got sawn in half?

[ She can't even begin to hide the horror on her face. ]

Yes. I still don't... how could that have been me?