Princess of What, Again

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 20:32:49 2019: Kunzite, hello. How have you been? I have odd news.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: I've been functional. Are you all right? Is Ariel?

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 20:43:27 2019: Well. This is a complicated question. Ariel is well. Considering.. things. She's probably gonna rest of a week. The Prince of Nightmares decided he was gonna kick down the seal between us and the Eater of Dreams about a week ago.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: None of my first twelve responses to that sentence are printable.

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 20:44:55 2019: Yes. I'm pretty sure I yelled all of those at the Prince.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: That seems very likely indeed. Is there anything that you or Ariel could use for recuperation, that you do not already have access to?

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 20:47:34 2019: Anyways. We'd put together the Princes heart so I shoved it back into his being. And he realized what ass he was at this point because it turns out you need that to think straight- and I brought him back to my manor because Ariel decided she was gonna stay back against my dumb protests and shoved us out while she sealed the place for a week. Amalthea came to protect the seal while we figured things out.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: I am going to stop talking and listen because you have been accomplishing things I was chary of even considering possible.

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 20:51:22 2019: Right- The Prince of Nightmares is The Prince of Dreams again. Hold on. I have a thing to show you.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: Holding as instructed. That I can successfully do while stunned.

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 20:56:40 2019: *Insert, picture of an Aztec-like mosaic. Prince of Nightmares, clearly on oneside. Girl who looks awfully like Lacrima on the other* We found that during a trip in the Dream World to recover one of the shards of his heart. It uh. Really didn't make much if any sense at the time.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: It would seem to make more now. Or is there more still than you've mentioned?

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 21:02:10 2019: The Prince of N- My apologies. I keep wanting to type 'Nightmares'. Dreams. The Prince of Dreams related this was a prophecy related to the 'Power to Rule Nightmares' being passed down. He knew about it. Anyways. The whole... 'Power to Rule Nightmares' needed to go somewhere. He asked me. I... well I accepted. For... various.... reasons. Some practical. Some logical. Some... personal.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: ... at this point I feel it necessary to reiterate the not-quite-answered question from earlier. Are you all right?

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 21:10:49 2019: As I said this is complicated. I am fine. But things are different than they we're a week ago. I'm still figuring this out. I do not feel emotionally different....

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 21:10:57 2019: Physically is something else.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: I was about to say 'at least I can tell that you continue to have a physical body, since you are texting,' and then it occurred to me that fine-detail energy manipulation can do the same thing.

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 21:13:08 2019: I went out feeding last night. You see. And I did... my usual thing? Except... when I grabbed the boy who was taking out trash. I just stood there awkwardly. And he stood there awkwardly. And nothing happened and I ran away and he ran away and I think he ran into a wall when I screamed.

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 21:18:13 2019: So uh. The good news. There. I no longer... need to go grab people and drain their energy. The bad news is um. Did you know really powerful nightmares need to eat dreams instead? Well I need to need eat dreams. I'm still trying to figure out of this is better or worse.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: That depends on the long-term effects on the dreamer. Fortunately, you are excellently skilled at very careful experimentation.

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 21:23:37 2019: Right. Anyways. Back to.. the thing. The Prince of Dreams basically got together a bunch of Nightmares that'd rather not be eaten that he'd made friends with as the Prince of Nightmares, and Dream Defenders that knew him as the Prince of Dreams and after we rescued Ariel and um.. I think her name is. Takara? One of... Akashimaru's... associates? Maybe? Dream. Samurai... yeah. Anyways. They managed to reseal the Eater. But... the seal is weak. It'll keep it in-- but you can feel that thing clawing at your mind when you're close to the gate.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: That ... <The text is, after a long pause, simply sent incomplete.>

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 21:27:59 2019: There was... something else trapped in there with it. It stole Ariel's form. It said 'it was the Nightmare that whispered to Cain to kill his brother, Abel.'. That might be somewhere outside. It ran when it lured The Eater to us again. Ariel doesn't know anything about it. And.... I am entirely avoiding Ariel's unicorn mom right now! Also for various reasons!
<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 21:28:26 2019: So I haven't asked her about it either.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: <after a long pause> That ... seems reasonable. Yes.

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 21:34:22 2019: Yeah. Seeing as how I'm basically the new 'Princess of Nightmares' and then I also managed to snog Ariel for a moment too long when she was right there. I need to figure this stuff out. On the brightside--

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: My understanding is that prospective in-laws are generally more terrifying than apocalypse, yes.

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 21:40:36 2019: The Prince of Dreams is intensely remorseful. But on the downside, it's to the point of brooding isolation. Which isn't gonna help things. I don't think. In my experience. Luckily. I'm in a position to check up on him.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: Brooding isolation is sometimes briefly helpful, but in the long term ... I am very glad that you are in that position.

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 21:45:57 2019: But yeah. All that happened. Also. Lile. You'll know it's me. But I look different. Ish. Differentish. Hairs the same color. Eyes are blue like they used to be though. Also my skin has tone to it now. Like... actually. You saw me in my dreamscape. That. I look like that. But. Not in the dream.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: I trust that at least six people before me have assured you that you now look like a dream come true.

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 21:49:29 2019: There's something else that's bugging me, but I need to see if... if things remain like this. For the time being.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: That seems reasonable. Is the manor accepting visitors, or would it be best to let things settle for a little while?

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 21:51:43 2019: The real one? Yeah. Things have calmed down from me screaming 'I'M FINE' at Jiaying for a week straight when I was not fine. I'm fine now.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: I am relieved and grateful to hear that.

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 21:54:11 2019: ...Mind you. I'm still some sort of dark energy construct. I'm not sure what's fatal or not now. I'm assuming I still shouldn't go shoving my hand into purification blasts at the moment. Since it's still dark energy. Also. The coffin still feels like a safe place to sleep.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: That seems reasonable. Threefold: habit, your initial nature, and a symbolic ward that might help protect your dreaming self. (I have no idea how the dreaming part works and am only guessing.)

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 21:57:19 2019: I dunno either. I think it's like how Ariel lives over here in real space but sleeps when she wants to dream despite being a 'Dream' herself.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: Dreams have their own rules. That is to say, *each* dream appears to have its own rules. There may possibly be categories but they are very strange if so.

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 22:01:42 2019: .....huh.
<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 22:04:37 2019: Now that I think about it. Every time I lay down to sleep I just wake up in my dreamscape castle as of The Prince handing his power over to me. Usually. I will dream of that 'sparkly' morass' or have Poderoso dreams at least a couple times a week.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: Are you able to manage those dreams better since the change?

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 22:05:40 2019: But like.. it's only been a week? Maybe that'll be different.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: Oh. I misunderstood, didn't I. You haven't had Poderoso dreams since?

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 22:06:36 2019: No. I was still having them, even after he was defeated.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: But since you became a Princess?

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 22:13:14 2019: Oh. Right. When Poderoso was defeated. My dreamscape mellowed out like... a ton. It's like... I always felt there was a tug of war? Of some sort? But when he was sent away by Jiaying it kinda felt like that went away. Yeah not since--- ugh. Yes. 'Became a Princess' is better than thinking 'Became a Nightmare' I suppose. Though both are technically true now.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: I continue to be vengefully delighted that he is no longer capable of trying to chew on your mind. And somewhat thoughtful. It will be interesting to see whether you have bad dreams at all, now, unless you wish them.

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 22:18:45 2019: Yeah. I dunno what being the Princess of Nightmares actually entails yet. If I go by my predecessors example I can sit here and laugh for like fifteen minutes before I just say 'No'. I don't even know if I can boss other Nightmares around or if they'll even let me.
<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 22:31:36 2019: I'll need to find time to speak to Akashimaru about the Eater of Dreams, too.
<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 22:32:12 2019: ...In a tactful manner. Usually. When something tells you 'To kill your friends, again' I don't think this is good history.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: No. I agree that that is definitively not. It can eventually become something one is capable of discussing, but rarely something that one wants to.

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 22:36:57 2019: Yeah that thing was... oppressive.
<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 22:40:27 2019: It was... just this wall of black. Like. When someone... tells you 'Eater of Dreams' I had this vision of this maw and tentacles and it wasn't even that. It was just.... black.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: <there is a distinct lack of response, that somehow conveys an echoing silence>
<PHONE> You text Lacrima: <finally:> The maw and tentacles seem as if they would have been reassuring.

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 22:42:06 2019: Like if I ... I tried really hard to describe this in a lighter nature? It's like...
<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 22:42:18 2019: The Dusk Zone grew a personality and it's personality was 'I hate you'.
<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 22:44:07 2019: I dunno who built that masterwork 'box' it's in though. You can't feel anything outside of it. I tried to touch anywhere from inside it and I just couldn't. Usually when I'm 'cut off' from the Dusk Zone, I can still feel like... the door handle? The keyhole? I just can't turn it. But that was like. Just walls.
<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 22:49:07 2019: Luckily. Regardless of all this new stuff.
<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 22:49:13 2019: And this bad stuff.
<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 22:49:21 2019: Donuts still taste reallllly good.
<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 22:49:26 2019: So there's that.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: I am not accustomed to things sounding terrifying. I am also not certain which sounds more terrifying, the Eater or that which it's contained in.
<PHONE> You text Lacrima: Donuts. Yes. Donuts are important.
<PHONE> You text Lacrima: <Kazuo does not, in fact, yield to the impulse to calculate how many donuts would be required to fill the manor, let alone how much it would cost to order them. But the impulse is momentarily there.>

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 22:51:55 2019: Well it's contained again. But we're pretty sure it has tendrils out of the box now. Amalthea described it as an 'influence'. But in laymen's term. It's shut in the box, but it has wifi now. You know. Not a good thing.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: And undoubtedly the analogy does not stretch far enough for us to be able to find cell towers to take down.

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 23:07:10 2019: Well. I mean. The seal was so strong because someone died to seal it the first time. It was sealed this time by a group effort of many beings. But... you can only kind of replicate that act with... the actual act. I mean. That's what was related to us anyways. Again I need to... speak to Akashimaru.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: I am obligated by my principal to hope that another method other than replication of the original can be devised. But ... yes.

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 23:15:48 2019: Providing Akashimaru is willing to speak to me as 'Princess of Nightmares'. I know she fights Nightmares, too. Ugh. I really hope this doesn't complicate things. One of the reasons I accepted the Prince's offer was... well. Embarrassing I guess but... I'm... a part of Ariel's world now? I mean. Like. Where she's from. And... I didn't... get to choose. The vampire thing. But. I got to choose... that. You know? Like. I could had... said no? But... look. Things. Complicated. I also didn't want like. Icela sucking it out of the Prince if I had said no and he held onto it while he found someone else worthy or something.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: That does not sound embarrassing. That sounds honest, and true. And the additional reasons sound wise. There will be complications. But we may be able to find ways to live with complications. Humans do it often; they have entire sciences dedicated to it.

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 23:29:36 2019: Ugh I need to have a talk with the housemates about why I look different too. I haven't had that talk. Also. Lamya looks at Princesses funny. But I think that's a dragon thing.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: Perhaps tact may be in order there also. Or perhaps her knowing you already may alter that one way or another. Hopefully it will not be exceedingly interesting to find out.

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 23:49:19 2019: Is everything okay over there, by the way? Or is the only Youma actually college textbook prices?

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: That, and occasional vague threats from Kyubey. But that's nothing out of the ordinary. The shark wars have finally settled down. We have all mutually convinced ourselves not to invoke crawling pumpkins as Halloween decor. No-one has been driven to a breakdown by medical school.

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 23:54:55 2019: ....why is the white rat threating you?
<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Mon Sep 30 23:56:59 2019: What did you do, cost it another contract?

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: Asking why the white rat does anything is an exercise in falling down a widening rabbit hole of increasingly bizarre speculation. And no, we didn't. It's a pity there's no major in xenopsychology.

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Tue Oct 01 00:02:33 2019: I really dislike that thing. I prefer Nyubey. He's cuter.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: I cannot argue. I'd say 'and more useful,' but the jury is still out on whether the Incubator system is a net gain. (They, of course, argue that it is, but we have only their word for it.)

<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Tue Oct 01 00:10:45 2019: Anyways. I should probably rest now. I have to figure out more things tomorrow.
<PHONE> A text from Lacrima at Tue Oct 01 00:11:00 2019: I'll be by to visit soon! Hopefully.

<PHONE> You text Lacrima: I'll hope to be in when you do. Good luck. And good rest.