Shan smiled back at the hound, hoping to cheer herself up too. After some time she found it necessary to move on, and began to dress herself. Once finished, she went over to Yuki and tapped his shoulder gently. "Wake up, dearest," she whispered in his ear. She watched him stir, and then went over to Phineas, tapping him on the shoulder too. She really hated having to wake them up after yesterday but she had no choice.

After she was sure her fingers were wrinkled from the water she reluctantly got out. The water wasnt cool anymore, but warm and was a delight to bade in. She dried her skin...well rather the spirit dried her skin in a quick second or two.
Dressing herself she added on weapons on once again, her pouch and finger combed her short black hair. She walked back to camp to find Micheal awake by the fire. The morning air had suddenly got colder and she sat near him by the fire warming her wrinkled fingers.

Micheal cast a glance at Ani, he wanted to know what was bothering her, but he did not want to force her to speak, when she was ready she would. He smiled, a rarity indeed at her. "Had a good relaxing bath?"
"Yes" She replied. "Makes me want to take a nap now though." She added laughing.
Micheal placed the new arrows he had made into the packet on his back before he yawned and shrugged on his coat.

((YAY it's moving! and Dusty looks pretty XD))

...Phineas was tied to a rotating stake in the middle of the circus ring, the whole audience encouraged to throw things at him. He squeezed his eyes shut as rocks and eggs thudded heavily into him, amongst other things. His senses were overwhelmed by the stench of the garbage that slid off him and piled around where his feet would have been.
Thwak, thwak, thwak, splat, thwak...
Tap.
Something different and soft had touched his shoulder, not thrown in derision, like the objects that even now buffeted his restrained form. It was gentle, calling him. He struggled to raise his head and open his eyes, and saw the blurry form of an angel floating before him.
He blinked in confusion, wondering why she was not being hit by projectiles. Then...

Phineas opened his eyes slowly at Shan's touch, and seeing her, his breath caught in his throat with joy.
He was halfway through a smile when the earth resettled itself and he realized again that his dreams and realities had been switched. He felt sick but the trails of his dream confused his insides and he didn't know how to be sick. He felt as though he was navigating a complex maze at high speed, and when he reached the exit, he found that there was nothing left to throw up.
The next thought found him with his head over the side of the bed again, retching helplessly to expunge the rotten meat that only had existed in his dream but which he still wanted to get rid of.
Nothing came, and after a short coughing fit he wiped away a thick thread of dangling saliva and turned back to Shan, smiling more easily now, though there were shadows under his eyes that were testament to the unease of his rest.
"Good morning" he rasped, his voice slightly restored.

((Hah! Phinney has morning sickness O_o!))

((Double Yay! ^^ Thank you Steffie ^^))

The lightened sky showed that dawn was coming and multiple colors formed on the horizon. It was breathtaking like all of earths wonders. She stood up and left Micheal to himself as she walked into the trailer. The trailer smelled a bit stuffy and was probably due to the vomit that was still lingering in the bedroom. She easily maneuvered into the room where she had fallen asleep as well looking at the awake members. "We should be leaving soon, right Shan?" She asked the woman who was greeting Phineas as he woke from sleep.
She wanted to take a few things from the Trailer for the road.

Micheal stood up stretching his long body in the coming morning air. He flexed his arms, the one that was cursed black mostly. It was still a bit stiff and he forgot to ask Ani about that. Might be the aftereffect, but he wanted to know how long it would last. He tried pulling out arrows, his knives, his sword with it and it proved to be a second slower. A second that he may not have in a fight.

((Okay, I so totally found the theme song for Shan and Phineas's relationship XD "You Make This All go Away" by Nine Inch Nails, but the acoustic version. I wasn't lookin for a theme song or anything, it just popped out and went "HEY! LOOKIT ME!"))

Since it was time to wake up, Turtle finally got up, probably helping to wake Yuki in the process. He stretched his front legs, his back legs, then jumped nimbly off the bed, wagging his tail as Ani came in. His memories flooded his nose with the smell of scrambled eggs and bacon, but his current state made it smell tastier by aging the eggs and bacon a good two months. There was no smell, of course, just the strange dead synapses of a zombie Hellhound firing random stimuli.

((Sometimes I wonder why I post things like this... wtf synapses?))

[[OMG PHINNEY. WHAT DID YOU DO IN THAT CIRCUS??
I have to listen to that song. I always find "themes" for characters accidentally.. LOL

But I like that word! Synapses~ Brings me back to psychology >w<]]

"Good morning, dear," Shan said to Phineas, before turning over to Ani. She nodded briefly. "That's right." The angel watched over her son as he got up. Shan would never say this out loud in from of Yuki, but she thought his sleepy face was ridiculously cute.

Yuki sat up groggily, rubbing his eyes, then pet Turtle on the head before pushing himself off the bed and walking off to pick up his clothes. He was not feeling the heat anymore and his lack of clothing was beginning to make him feel self-conscious. When he came to lean his head against his mother, he was already fully dressed.

"Are we all ready, then?" asked Shan.

((Gah, so weird now that I know this is the near future, I wonder why they don't just find a car to travel in... ^_^' There would be such an arguement over who gets shotgun...))

Phineas carefully adjusted his fingerless gloves and bracers, biting his lip in concentration as he forced his shaking hands to function.
He had slept fully clothed and looked warmer for it, but he was still paler than usual. A lace escaped his fumbling fingers and he flushed in frustration, trying again with hs brows furrowed.
"Almost... ready." he responded, distracted.

Turtle pushed his nose into Yuki's hand in greeting then sat next to Ani, leaning on her leg in an obvious attempt to weasel some scritchies from her. Maybe for right behind his ears where his skull was a little squishy and itchy...

[[LOL I wonder what would happen when they had to climb road-less mountains, too...

Shan: I'M DRIVING--No Phineas, you can't ride up there!]]

Shan leaned close to Phineas and whispered, "relax dear. There's no need to rush." She smiled, putting a hand on his shoulder. As moments when by, her mood steadily became better. Compared to yesterday, today was not bad at all, even if she had to cut everyone's sleep short. She was no longer trapped in the terrible state caused by the whistle, everyone was safe, she felt clean, and Phineas was here. Occasionally, however, guilt would probe at her. Shan still could not help but feel that she should have gone to look for him sooner, and there had not been a day where she had not worried. And recently, she had also been plagued by an awful question. What if her son had been taken? She gave herself a small mental shake and looked over at her son, who seemed content enough.

Yuki watched turtle intently. The hound appeared to want something from Ani, and Yuki thought he would probably get it, whatever it was. Knowing the hound, it would probably be something simple.

The hound put a smile on her face as she complied with what he wanted done. She bent down to scratch behind his ear and then the other. "How are you feeling today Turtle?" She whispered sweetly to him.


((Sorry, that post is so weak. XD))

Turtle wagged his tail appreciatively and leaned into Ani's scritchies, making happy little grunts whenever she found a particularly itchy spot. If one were to listen more closely to his vocalizations, the echoing cries of a thousand dead souls could be heard behind the otherwise friendly noises. He was still a hellhound, after all.

Phineas finally managed to get everything to his satisfaction. He sidled to the edge of the bed and peered down over the cushy precipice.

"Ready, Phineas?" Shan asked warmly. It shamed her to think that she'd miss the comfort of a bed, especially when considering whose bed she was standing next to, but months of sleeping (or not sleeping) on the ground or on something even less comfortable had left her longing for many human comforts she had grown accustomed to. Still, she was glad to leave this place behind. The sooner they left, the sooner they would find Yume, and the sooner Yume could come home. Shan would not let her down. Not this time.

Yuki marveled at how someone who could not speak could still get what he wanted. Turtle seemed quite happy where he was, and his face was proof of that. What unnerved Yuki somewhat were the voices he heard, or thought he heard.

Ani had heard it too, being so near to his howls of delight. But she held her thoughts under. She scratched the dogs ears once more before standing and calling him to go outside. "Ill be outside Shan." She said smiling helpfully at the trio on the bed. She whistled for Turtle to follow her.

Micheal was dousing the fire, it fizzled out, red hot embers left in the fires wake. The smoke twirled up into the morning air. He stood there for a moment just watching before he noticed Ani stepping out from the trailer. He hated to go with them, but he needed to secure his mission. He raised an eye, "Are they finally ready to leave, or do I need to find something to occupy myself with for the next hour?" He asked monotone.

Turtle happily followed Ani outside, then stood next to her and sniffed the air. Under the perfume of the recently doused fire there were the smells of a world in turmoil. The dog could only identify a third of the odors wafting through his nose, the rest were all unknown to him, dream smells. The dream smells had been increasing in quantity ever since the Dreamweaver's loss of control.

Phineas nodded. He was ready. He felt ready. He rolled onto his stomach and, holding as tightly as he could to the heavy covers of the DreamCatcher's bed, tried to lower himself to the floor.
It wasn't very graceful or as easy as it would have been months before, but Phineas DID end up on the floor. He flexed his fingers and "stood", quivering with the effort. Then he put himself back down and looked to Shan for guidance.

((So I don't have Photoshop yet. Forces of fate have aligned to make it so I can't do anything I like to do! So I used tektek.org and MSpaint:


more coming soon!))

[[*shakes fist at the evil forces*
Those are all so neat~]]

Shan knelt next to Phineas, looking at him steadily. "You need to rest more..." she said, thinking out loud more than actually speaking with a purpose. She turned to look at Yuki and asked, "are you well rested?" When Yuki nodded, Shan began to explain to Phineas about the platforms Yuki could create, so that he wouldn't have to walk, but he wouldn't be carried by anyone, either. She also thought about how she might have to keep food handy to keep Yuki from draining himself, but she didn't voice that particular thought.

((WAAHH!!!! Those are so pretty Steffie!!! I cant wait to see the rest you come up with!! <333
They all embody all the characters so well. ^^))

Ani picked up a stick that was left over from being unused for the fire. She flung it, and whistled at Turtle, "Go get it boy!" She said smiling at the dog before turning to look at Micheals uncomfortable face. "Dont worry, we are getting ready to leave. Dont hurry them." She said softly looking at him. The morning light was illuminating his handsome face and she found herself staring, shaking her head she looked away in the direction she had thrown the stick.

Micheal sighed and ran a hand through his head watching the dog before Ani. His gaze left her to focus on the horizon. He was unaware of her stare.

Phineas' pride was already a battered little thing, and it knew that slowing the group down would hurt it more than accepting a little help. He agreed to the platform idea, actually relieved that he wouldn't have to push himself beyond his limits for a while. He looked to Yuki. "Are you sure you can?" he asked raspily.

Turtle stood confused for a split second before an irrational part of his mind kicked him into a run. He was halfway to the stick when his thoughts caught up to him, asking what he was doing, and by then he'd thought of an answer: "what I was made to do", and he let his tongue loll the last few yards to the object in question.

((And I think this is everyone who has been around lately, yes?
))

[[I think I know whose pixels I want to stab~ LOL

And howdy, cowboy~ (he'd totally kill me)]]

Yuki nodded to Phineas. "I am well-rested now, so I have a lot of energy," he said, "even if it might not look like it at the moment." He smiled sheepishly, rubbing his eyes for a bit.

Glad that Phineas agreed to the platform, Shan stood more decisively. "Let's get going then. I'm sure Micheal will probably be irritated with us more if we don't leave soon. "

Yuki took hold of his flute, and quickly created the platform under Phineas, lifting it only a few inches above ground like before. He was rather tempted to sit on it himself, but decided to wait until later on. He followed his mother out of the room with Phineas, wondering what Turtle was up to outside.

((Oh deary me...thats one hot piece of pixelated cowboy XD


Just letting everyone know that I wont be back until tuesday...or at the least monday night. My folks decided on another vacation (like disney world wasnt enough XD) And we are driving up to Canada to visit Niagara Falls. ^^))


Micheal watched the hesitation of the dog before laughing, the dog didnt even remember what it was to be a dog. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration at the waiting and resorted to sit back down o the ground, his hand around his knees. He had taken his hat off and placed it on his knee, his hands twined together as he waited.

Ani smiled as she walked after Turtle, waiting for him to return with the stick she had thrown.

Turtle fairly galloped back to Ani, in the loping and ludicrous gait of a gangly-legged adolescent puppy. He dropped the stick as he ran by the girl, then looped around behind her until he was trotting by her side, ready to bolt after it should the stick decide to exercise its limited flying ability again.

Phineas found the floating extremely strange, owing to the fact that there was nothing to hold onto and he couldn't see what was supporting him. He could feel the flat solidity under him, yet he could freely pass his hand through it to touch the ground as it skimmed by. It had been such a long time since Phineas had been able to both travel AND use his hands that now he was at a loss what to do. He wanted to be useful in some way. ANY way, really.

They were all outside now, or at the very least, close to being outside and ready to leave. She noticed Phineas's discomfort but was unsure about what to do. She could not sit next to him, as she had to lead the group. She did not stand very tall and lowering her eye level would not be helpful in the least. She glanced down at Yuki then glanced upward again, trusting him to understand.

Now that they were standing outside, Yuki saw no need to be walking himself. With more room, it was easier to navigate a larger platform, and so he enlarged it and sat next to Phineas. As for what he could do to distract him, he wasn't absolutely certain. His curiosity was bothering him though, and he did not very much feel like not asking questions. "Forgive me for asking," he began, "but..." he found himself losing nerve, but the question was bothering him. "What was it like.. in there..." Yuki felt like he had said something obscene and rude, but he had asked already and could not take it back.

Shan did not look at either of the two boys on he floating platform, but she had heard the question all to well. It bothered her, too.

((I had a Jones Soda the other day and I finally got around to reading the "fortune" on the cap, and it says "Valuable information will be supplied by a child", and of course I thought of Yuki. Although I guess it's actually Phineas now?))

Phineas was happy to have Yuki join him on the platform, and looked at him with interest when the other boy spoke. When the question was out, however, his expression froze as if time had stopped. His eyes glinted briefly and then became as dull as dried river stones.
When time resumed again, shadows passed over his face, and from the darkness his eyes flared with anger.
"I killed him, didn't I?" Phineas asked, his voice gravelly and dry and therefore sounding like it had come from someone else. He didn't wait for a response. "He didn't deserve it." he continued, a hint of regret tinging the edges of the words.
"...It was too good for him."
He realized that this was not actually an answer to the question asked, and though the shadow did not pass, it softened somewhat and lessened the murderous look into something more like a dull vengefulness. He tried to retell his story, letting his strained voice drop into a hoarse whisper,
"He was at first very nice. He said he saved me and you all died. He... he let me cry on his clothes, very nice clothes he had on, yes. I thought he must be a good man. He was kind, so kind, really, for days he was. Then he said to me," and Phineas's face changed somehow, and though he didn't look like the DreamCatcher, he... felt like the evil man, " 'Listen, my boy, I know you are alone and afraid, and I would like you to join me and my circus.
'We have a few good acts but really we are failing fast, and come winter we will have nowhere to go. I think that someone of your particular talents would be very helpful. You could be a star... so show me some of your power. Leave this silly little body of yours and show me your true magnificence.' " the words flowed from Phineas as if he were channeling the DreamCatcher's own spirit, and though he had been whispering his story, his voice came out strong and conniving as if spoken through practiced tongue. His own scratchy voice returned as he continued.
"He wanted me to... be a dragon." Phineas looked down at his hands, and gently touched the place where one of his fingernails had been ripped off. When he looked up again it was obvious that he was holding back tears, "I wanted to be, really. I am stuck like this, I told him, I can't. I tried anyway... I can't. I... thought I knew what I wanted. When I could not... he... he did everything he could... to... 'help' me."
Phineas set his jaw firmly, clenching his teeth. "I should have killed him slower."

((DOOOOM))

[["Valuable information will be supplied by a child"

LOL I did too..]]

Shan's face has set hard and blank, except for her eyes, which looked like they would set something on fire if she merely stared at it for too long. She understood now why Phineas had mistook her for something unreal. He had been tricked by the horrible Catcher. A large part of her understood Phineas's desire for revenge. She wanted it herself. However, she was angry at herself too, and so she said nothing.

Yuki grimaced at the thought of the Dream Catcher's mangled body. "I'm sure he suffered before he died," he said grimly. He thought about the way the final act had been set up the day before. It was very eerie. "So he forced you against your will... that sounds painful..." His mother had been forced to transform too, and she did not at all seem to like it.

Phineas nodded silently. He looked down at his hands again, and his now long black hair obscured his expression until he looked up again, a forced smile on his lips. "He cannot do it anymore." he said firmly, though the flicker of fear in his eyes belied his doubt. Even if the man was dead, he still haunted the dragon's dreams, and while the world was in turmoil and dreams could become reality, there was always the chance of reuniting with one's fears.

Yuki decided it was best to smile back. "He can't get to mama now, either," he added to Phineas's statement. Certainly, the man had intended to go after his mother. The thought of Shan in a cage horrified him, and he was grateful that his own mother had not been subject to the same inhumanities that others had been. What she would have looked like if she had been captured, Yuki did not dare to imagine.

Phineas hadn't been quite all there when everything went down in the circus tent. He'd been a pained half-formed dragon with a retroactive bloodlust, so he'd missed the DreamCatcher's whistle and the battle between him and Shan's will. He had, however, seen how the man had treated the armless winged woman, who had been acquired after he had joined the circus.
The Catcher had been extremely pleased with the woman at first, toting her as a sort of mutant angel. But he quickly lost interest in her, and thus resorted to forcing her to be of interest to his twisted mind, which enjoyed seeing the most extreme emotions possible.
The winged woman was easily broken by lack of food and comfort, but he wanted more than that. He pulled her feathers out one at a time and sold them as souvenirs, tried to use her as a flying steed to pull his carriage around, and especially enjoyed feeding her live birds just so he could watch her struggle between hunger or cannibalism. It was no wonder the woman was just a hollow shell of herself by the time he was done with her, not even taking into account that she had been a vague dream, without much power of her own, mental or magical. She had been very poorly equipped to deal with the circus master's treatment.
Had Phineas fallen directly into the DreamCatcher's hands upon his arrival in this world, he probably would not have lasted much longer than her. He had, however, had time to grow more REAL, and thus he'd wanted more than anything to survive. Even losing his legs didn't slow down his instinct, and meeting his friends had made it even stronger. And even with all the experience and support behind him, Phineas had been on the edge of the precipice, and even now felt the chilly winds against his back, pushing him towards it.

((Man, even I want to go back and kill the guy again. XD))