[OPEN] These dreams go on when I close my eyes

[givesalittlewhistle]

Who: Hikari Yagami & OPEN
When: IC: (late July) /OOC: (early June)
Where: Gardens
What: As a Child of Light Water, Hikari's been having some...interesting Dreams the last few days. The kind that are keeping her up at night, leaving her exhausted during the day.
Rating/Warning: Some potentially Dark themes involving children. Mentioning of Death. Basically, if you've ever seen the season 02 episode, His Master's Voice, it's a little like that.

---

"Hikari? ...Hikari?"

The eight year old girl in question's eyelashes fluttered softly, face scrunching up as she was lightly shaken, before slowly opening. It took a few seconds for her vision to readjust before she sat up. Glancing around at her surroundings and...trying to remember where she was.

"Tailmon?" Voice heavy with sleep, she glanced down at her digimon companion, who was looking up at her in concern. "What...?"

"You fell asleep. Again."

There was little surprise at the news. Because she knew it was true. And why.

Straightening, Hikari glanced around at the park they were currently in. The ground was soft, a pleasant breeze blowing across her cheeks from beneath the shade of a large tree. Any other time, and it would have been no wonder she'd fallen asleep. The little sketchbook she'd purchased some time back was still in her lap. The camera she'd been using to take pictures for inspiration, at her side.

Except...the dark shadows beneath her eyes told of a slightly more troubling story.

"I'm sorry," she offered in the middle of stiffening a deep yawn. Rubbing at one eye that stung a little in the morning light.

Tailmon's ears dropped at the apology. Worried not only for Hikari's health, but saddened that she felt she needed to apologize at all. "...you had that dream again last night, didn't you?"

Not knowing what else to say, Hikari nodded. Her gaze drifted over to where there was a small pond. The waters still, save for the occasional little ripple. An increasingly familiar sight to her these days, though not for the reasons one might think.

Comments

[givesalittlewhistle]

"People who asks questions are usually looking for one answer in particular. Even if they don't know what that answer is."

[notsogreedy]

"Hm." The thought about philosophical wasn't wrong. It also struck him as an astoundingly true statement. But he didn't have any idea what the woman on the network was looking for specifically, and he had had his own reasons for bringing it up in the first place.

"What's your answer to it, then?"

[givesalittlewhistle]

A pause, then: "...I don't have one."

If she had, she might have been tempted to speak up. Hoping that her answer was the one the woman sought. Even if it wasn't, she could have said she tried. Gave people something new to ponder.

[notsogreedy]

Interesting. He had hoped for some clue as to what it was he'd sensed from her, but apparently she wasn't going to offer it. Maybe whatever it was wasn't something she thought was relevant.

He made some vague sound of acknowledgement, then turned his gaze back to his device.

[givesalittlewhistle]

To be fair, it wasn't really something she had ever spoken much about to anyone. Not to her best friend. Not to her big brother. Not even to her digimon partner.

(In fact, even now, Tailmon was watching the younger girl closely. Just as curious, but with a more personal attachment to that curiosity.)

"What about...?" Tailmon began, but hesitated. Not just because of their company, but also because she didn't know how to ask. If it would be upsetting to bring up the situation, or if Hikari even remembered it. "...do you remember a voice talking to you, Hikari? Back in the Digital World?"

Her voice was deliberately lower now. Just barely discernible to those around them.

"Hmm? What do you mean, Tailmon? What voice?"

[notsogreedy]

He wasn't expecting that to go anywhere else, but it seemed he had gotten the cat's attention with it. For now, he continued to look interested in his device, listening discreetly.

[givesalittlewhistle]

Tailmon opened her mouth to comment, but then remembered that they weren't alone. And while most of their adventures in the digital world were no longer confidential among the Chosen only, this was something...far more personal.

"...never mind." She seemed nervous now, which caused Hikari to continue looking on in a mixture of concern and confusion. "I'll tell you later. When we're alone."

[notsogreedy]

Ankh just kept poking at his phone, apparently unconcerned with anything else going on around him. He didn't learn anything specific, but that was fine. It at least confirmed there was something behind whatever he had picked up, maybe something Hikari herself didn't really understand. For now, he didn't care enough to be interested beyond that.