Action: but you never tire of dreams

[ofthebeast]

Characters: Any willing dreamers
Open? Yes
Where: In your minds
When: After the party
What: Part two of the dream plot!
Warnings:


The party went on, with the beast's head on display. A proud, twisted thing. Behind false ruby eyes, it waited. And as the music became slower and the wine less plentiful, it waited still.

Those who had gazed upon it at the ball. Those who had seen it once living in the forest. All heroes who dared to look upon its face and dream still that they would be able to live another day...

There are all sorts of ways of living. In waking. In sleep. Perhaps, now, they would find one in between.

(ooc: Feel free to keep tagging into the party post! Once your characters go home and go to sleep of their own accord, that is when the dreaming will begin. Remember, it is up to you to set up what kind of world your character is trapped in and how best to help them. Plotting post is here, make use of it!

The beast's power will wane once the bulk of the dreamers have escaped his curse. If your character was not at the party but you still want to involve them in the dream plot, that is fine! They can either help get people out or have seen the beast wandering in the woods before it was killed and have caught its attention that way.

Comments

[shadedsunlight]

The girl on the swingset laughs as Coyote rushes past them. With all the fearlessness of a child, she launches herself off the swings as it hits its highest point. She stumbles slightly as she hits the barkdust covered ground, but laughs and goes to chase after the trickster god.

Her mother, while not at all concerned about her daughter throwing herself off the swings as it's a rite of passage every child must go through, is more concerned about the strange spirit.

"Tara, hold on!" Ginia calls out, running after her daughter.

[canistricari]

Coyote is, of course, entirely harmless when he wants to be. He twists and turns and spins, laughing all the while. He lets the child get close and flits away, like someone playing with a small cat.

[shadedsunlight]

Tara giggles as she runs after him, trying to catch him like she would a butterfly. Even Ginia relaxes slightly when she realizes there's no harm coming to her daughter. She stays close just in case something happens, but she lets the girl have her fun. This is a happy world, removed from all the violence so common in her home.

[canistricari]

He likes children. They are so pure, so open-minded. They know how to play. He seems to dance, and for a moment he almost seems like a million butterflies filling the air. But it's all an illusion. In this form Coyote is only an idea.

[shadedsunlight]

Children are innocent and blessed with good imaginations and a love for fun. Tara spins around, watching as Coyote moves all around them, her hands trying to reach out for him.

"Momma! Catch it! Catch it!" Tara encourages, and what else can Ginia do but try to catch the spirit eluding them? She joins in the chase, vainly trying to anticipate where Coyote may go next and moving to cut him off.

[canistricari]

He laughs hysterically, and finally allows an actual butterfly to form and land gently on Ginia's nose. Think of it as a gift.

[shadedsunlight]

Ginia briefly goes cross-eyed as the butterfly lands on her nose. She laughs lightly, then reaches up and gently cups it in her hands, bringing it down to show her daughter. Tara squeals in delight and reaches out to take the butterfly, gently holding the delicate creature in her hands.

"Can we keep it, momma?"

Ginia smiles softly at her daughter and give a gentle shake of her head. "No, you should let butterflies live free. I'll have Uncle Helios make you butterflies out of magic when we go back to the castle, all right?"

[canistricari]

The butterfly dissolves into a dozen smaller butterflies and float away into the air.

[shadedsunlight]

Tara laughs brightly as she reaches out for the explosion of butterflies, watching them fly away.

"Can Uncle Helios make lots and lots of butterflies? Just like that?"

Ginia watches the butterflies fly away herself, nodding at her daughter's words.

"Yes, he can make lots and lots of butterflies for you."

[canistricari]

"How sweet," Coyote comments, and although he meant it sincerely it comes out somewhat derisive.

[shadedsunlight]

Ginia looks around for the source of the voice, drawing Tara a little closer to her out of protective instinct.

[canistricari]

What was once butterflies coalesces once more into the amorphous shape that is Coyote's spirit form, and he laughs.

[shadedsunlight]

Protective instinct kicks in full as Ginia moves Tara behind her with one hand, her other reaching and drawing a knife from a sheath on her hip. Peaceful as this place was, maybe some habits never changed. Ginia grips the knife in a firm fighting stance, knowing on some level the blade is probably useless against him.

"What are you?"

[canistricari]

And wisely so - human instruments could never hurt his spirit form. He seemed to sneer at her with billions of razor sharp teeth.

"I am Coyote!"

[shadedsunlight]

Coyote. That brings an odd smile to her face. She grew up with mythology and now living in Helios' world, she's grown accustomed to speak with gods and other mythica alike.

"Coyote. The trickster. A pleasure," she says, offering a bow of her head. Tara peeks around from her behind her mother, also smiling.

"Hi, Coyote! I read about you in a book."

[canistricari]

"You've heard of me!" He seemed delighted as he turned to the little child.

"Did you like my stories?"

[shadedsunlight]

Tara nods eagerly, excited at the opportunity to show off her knowledge.

"You're a trickster god! You also made people in some legends, animals too! And you stole fire and brought to humans so they wouldn't freeze."

[canistricari]

"It's true, it's true!" He laughed.

"And I was the moon once! Have you heard that one?"

[shadedsunlight]

Tara gives a quick shake of her head. "No! Can you tell me?"

Ginia gives Tara a gentle pat on the shoulder and a slightly apologetic smile to Coyote. "Tara, be polite, he may be busy." Though he certainly had enough time to let the two chase him around. "Are you here to see Helios?"

[canistricari]

"Oh no, I have all the time in the world!" His form melted away until he took the shape of a miniature moon.

"One night, the moon was stolen! And because I am so wise and brilliant, the animal people asked me to take its place! But from way up in the sky, I could see what everyone was doing!" He cackles again, and the moon shape bounces up and down.

"So funny! The things that people do when they think nobody is watching!"

[shadedsunlight]

Tara loves stories and quickly takes a seat on the grass. Ginia laughs quietly, knowing there's not much more she can do, and sits by her daughter. A story from Coyote himself? Even she wouldn't pass that up.

"What sort of things did you see?"

[canistricari]

"Badger and his wife! And Squirrel, oh the things Squirrel did in his tree!" He cackled madly. No details around the kids, mmkay?

[shadedsunlight]

"But what kinds of things?" Tara asks, ever the curious child. Ginia laughs quietly and pulls her daughter closer to kiss her on the head. Coyote, thank you for the lack of details.

"Private things. Let Coyote go on with his story. What happened next, Coyote?"

[canistricari]

Coyote snickers to himself. Kids will be kids, and who can blame them for being curious? But he does so love to leave it up to the imagination, and it isn't nearly as funny if you give all the specifics.

"The animal people finally had enough of it! They couldn't take the truth!" He cackles. "But I got the last laugh! Because, you see, I was the one who stole the moon in the first place!"

[shadedsunlight]

"Why did you steal the moon?" Tara asks, though she kinda knows. Because it's Coyote, and Coyote is a trickster. But it's much more fun hearing an answer directly from him.