two - on books and the nature of creation

[kingsroads]

I realize that some might have questions about the nature of England I inadvertently sent us to. I shall happily answer any questions one might have about my world, it's magic, my magic or anything of the sort.

But before that, I have much more interesting news. I was going to the Captain's library to try and find a book on the mechanics of ships (Capt. Crozier and Messers. Jopson and Goodsir, please give me recommendations if you have them) when I found new books in the library! Most of them seem to be after my time and a few seem quite salacious but two of them are quite familiar to me. One is a children's book from my England and the other is a book on magic I wrote myself!

The appearance of my book is notable as all copies aside from one were destroyed in my world (and I doubt this is that one copy). If we all agree with Ms. Persson's theory that this is a dream, then perhaps our unconscious mind created the books, rooms, fruit, et cetera. Which leads me to wonder: what marvels could be made if we turned our conscious minds to creation?

J.S.

Comments

Re: private

[kingsroads]

[ It's a good thing that the text can hide how downright interested Strange is. ]

Why do you think that?

Re: private

[goingtobeunwell]

[Okay, and here we go--]

I had dreams when the ship was changed. The oddest, most persistent dreams. I saw things I feel I wasn't meant to see - moments in time, memories lived by other people, events that haven't happened yet.

They haven't ceased, Strange. I'm still dreaming them.

Re: private

[kingsroads]

If you're still dreaming them, then I suspect you always had the magic and the events in London were simply a trigger for it to awaken.

Forgive the odd question, but what do your dreams feel like? Do they simply feel like dreams? Or is there more to it?

Re: private

[goingtobeunwell]

Sometimes I'm simply in the room or area as a witness to events, others times I seem to be the person. I feel what they feel, see what they see.

Re: private

[kingsroads]

I see.

I'll fully admit that magic involving dreams is hardly my specialty. Still, I do have some experience (though mostly regarding crafting dreams and conversing with others in their dreams). I cannot do anything to make you stop having the dreams, but perhaps I can help teach you how to control them. So that if you wish for a night of blissful sleep, you are able to obtain one.

Re: private

[goingtobeunwell]

[Somewhat scratched out, but not heavily enough it can't be read.] Bit of laudanum might do it too.

I will consider it.

Re: private

[kingsroads]

I hope this new revelation does not trouble you too much, Captain. Though you may not think it now, your magic is a gift. With guidance and practice, you can learn to direct it and possibly even expand past your current limitations.

Re: private

[goingtobeunwell]

Magic is not a part of the history, Strange. The fairy tales were just that - tales our ancestors told each other. Granted, what we saw in the Arctic was enough to shake our faith, but the existence of magic isn't commonplace.

I just want the dreams to stop.

Re: private

[kingsroads]

You might not be able to stop them entirely. Think of yourself as a river that has overflowed its boundaries. You may attempt to shore it up, but it shall be damned hard to do so as long as the water flows.

Re: private

[goingtobeunwell]

Oddly poetic way to phrase it.

Even odder, I think I may accept your help.

Re: private

[kingsroads]

You should not be surprised—you started this conversation by calling my writing flowery.

Captain, I will be happy to help you. To start with and with your permission, I would like to see this magic for myself. I know you can only access it while you sleep so the circumstances shall be unorthodox at best, but I would like to attempt to enter one of these prophetic dreams while you are having one.

Re: private

[goingtobeunwell]

[There's a lot to process here, give Crozier a minute.]

[Maybe a couple more minutes.]

[Maybe like two more after that.]

How does it work, and when will you attempt this?

Re: private

[kingsroads]

You do not need to do anything. One night, I shall sleep in the cabin next to yours and attempt to enter your dream. As for the time, when shall be best for you?

Re: private

[goingtobeunwell]

I suppose this means I should try to sleep. Midnight is safest.

Re: private

[kingsroads]

Then midnight it is. I shall hopefully see you then.

Re: private

[goingtobeunwell]

If all goes according to plan, yes.

Goodnight, Mr. Strange.

Re: private

[kingsroads]

Goodnight, Captain. Pleasant dreams.

[goingtobeunwell]

Crozier doesn't know if he's going to be able to fall asleep that night. He's craving whiskey - or the damn drops MacDonald made for him - but he has neither and so he paces for a while, tries to read, and then crawls into his berth to stare at the ceiling.

He rubs his eyes tiredly. The relative comfort berth is gone, replaced by a rocky hill that overlooks a few shabby canvas tents.

Crozier starts walking towards Rescue Camp.

[kingsroads]

Strange passes out sooner than expected. Because as much as he crows about his magic and proclaims his self-confidence, he knows that he hasn't ever cast a spell like this before. He's holed himself up in the cabin next to Crozier's and spends the next few hours in a fit of study, writing out multiple drafts of the spell, and secretly wishing John Segundus were here so he could pick the man's brain about how he managed to intrude on dreams in the first place.

Eventually, Strange casts what he hopes is the correct spell. Work continues for a while before Strange feels his eyelids flutter and his head slump against the table...only to feel the chill of the Arctic air around him soon.

Crozier is visible but slightly away from him, walking towards some tents. Wordlessly, Strange follows behind Crozier. He doesn't know how long this period of not being seen will last, but the last thing he wants to do is startle the man into waking up.

[goingtobeunwell]

Everything's sort of numb in the dream - and distant in a way - but Crozier has enough of his mental faculties to think and feel and react. There's dread pooling in his stomach as he stops before an open tent, and he bends down to touch the gray, cold head of his former steward.

"I know you're there," he says, peering over his shoulder at Strange. He looks back down at Jopson's body and sighs, pushing his hair back from his still face. He doesn't witness the young man's dying hallucinations this time, and he's relieved.

"We need to go. There are others we need to see."

[kingsroads]

Strange follows Crozier before pausing for a moment, repressing the urge to shudder as he looks down at Jopson's corpse. Strange has dealt with dead bodies before—even some that were in a state of further rot than Jopson was. But there is something about the sickly, emaciated corpse of the man that turns his stomach.

This is something that he suspects neither of them was meant to see. Crozier's words jolt Strange out of his own thoughts. He makes a small noise of acknowledgement but doesn't address the circumstances of the dream or what they're seeing. Focus on the magic. It should be easier to digest that way.

"Before we go, I want you to focus on one specific person or event. If we must see them, then we shall do so, but try to guide the dream so that you have chosen the next thing we see."

[goingtobeunwell]

Crozier stands, gaze firmly on the stack of three red tins left outside the tent. Focus on one specific person or event. He's not certain he's able to--

The earth seems to shift under their feet, and Crozier throws a protective arm out towards Strange before it crumbles completely. Strange is still with him when everything reforms, and Crozier gestures towards the front of the aircraft.

Ms. Persson is leaning over a chair speaking to the pilot. Crozier winces, braces himself.

"I don't want to see this again," he says. If they must be in a dream, he doesn't want it to be someone's memory. He needs to focus on a specific event that won't be so invasive, he needs to--

The bomb is dropped, and Crozier places his face into his hands as he waits for the impact.

[kingsroads]

The dream shifts and changes around them. Now they're...somewhere, Strange hasn't the slightest clue what a plane is and can barely guess at the context of this situation.

Whatever happening is obviously affecting Crozier. And so, Strange makes the split second decision that the dream has to shift to him. His life was not particularly horrifying or confusing, Strange thinks, completely forgetting his descent into madness or the state of the dead he revived. It should be a relief.

"Turn it towards me," Strange yells, trying to speak over the noise of the aircraft. "Concentrate on me, on my voice, as you try to shape the dream. You are in control, you can-"

There is a loud noise and a bright flash of light and Strange feels his words die in his throat as he watches the bomb drop as well.

[goingtobeunwell]

Crozier feels the confusion and panic in the craft, and he grabs Strange's arm beside him to ground himself. He knows a city's being annihilated below them, can feel the horror in the cabin, the pain from the people suddenly ripped from the world below them.

"I don't know how!" he yells, the din of the aircraft suddenly replaced by a still harbor covered in ice and snow. He reels and clings to Strange, trying to catch his breath.

This memory isn't as painful, at least not outwardly so, and he uses the calm moment to come back to himself.

[kingsroads]

As Strange isn't the one actually dreaming this, he's spared some of the trauma. But he still feels the panic, the horror, the feeling that down there below them, hundreds of voices have just been silenced.

And then they are in the snow again and Crozier is clinging to him. Strange desperately tries to push down the panic in his voice, trying to keep himself as calm as he can. God, he thought this would have been easier!

"You are in control," Strange repeats, letting Crozier still hold onto him. "This is your dream crafted by your magic. If you make your presence known and exert enough willpower, you can guide the dream to go where you want it."