[Hider=Seren][IMG]https://i.imgur.com/KRURxYv.jpg[/IMG][/hider][Hider=A Dream?] That impression was drowned out by the sea of haunting figures Seren had stumbled into before even seeing little Raphael on the swings. Sunken, crimson eyes and dripping fangs washed away any sense of whimsy attached to the word [I]"dream"[/I]. Shadows of monsters that were supposed to be children didn't crowd around defenseless children in dreams. Taunts like eroding waves breaking over stone didn't happen in dreams.
[Indent][I]“He’s so weird.”[/I] A punch in the gut.
[I]“Hey, don’t say that, his daddy will come after you.”[/I] A shove to the ground.
[I]“What a baby.”[/I] A kick in the side.
[I]“Can’t even stand up for himself.”[/I] A spit in the face.[/indent] They could feel the words as the violence they were. Seren wanted so dearly to reach out to the child. To do something. Anything to help him, but the insults had brought them to their knees. When they stood back up on shaking legs, more violence was their new view. This time begot by the tormented child himself. This was not a dream. This was a nightm-[Indent][color=gold]"Just leave me alone already!"[/color] A bellowing cry.[/indent]
Seren was overpowered by the foreground that was Raphael's sleeping psyche. This was worse than a nightmare. This [I]was[/I] real. It [I]had[/I] happened. Everything felt too surreal, and this too was too much for the both of them to handle. Before Seren could even imagine to think of getting their bearings, the fight warped and rippled into an office. The [I]principal's[/I] office, Raphael's mind supplied. Too many memoires filled the pages of books lying around the room for this to be a construct either. This [I]was[/i] real, and Seren [I]hadn't[/I] been there. As such, Seren started to dissolve into the background of this place. They sunk further into Raphael's subconscious, dragging him down with them, but surely the experience was different for him. He had dealt with these moments firsthand. Seren had not, could not, and thus everything began to blur at this point. Only select glimpses stained Seren with their own unique pain.

A father's disappointment.
An instructor's abuse.
A blinding blade.
A shrill scream.
A declaration.
A [color=gold]runaway[/color].

All of this came to it's climax at the base of the [I]The Academy[/I] where, for Seren, things swirled together faster and faster. Details they couldn't process whilred as Seren writhed and tried to swim their way out. It was too late however as the vortex and the [I]"dream"[/I] suddenly bursted open.[/Hider][Indent][color=gold]"Ah!"[/color][/indent]A voice with ringing familiarity that Seren couldn't immediately place, sounded like an alarm, yet Seren's eyes stayed shut. Fighting the urge to automatically open them honed their focus. Seren had been through this before, and while that didn't make it any less taxing on them, it did mean they knew how to handle this. Years of downplaying their own recurring nightmares, night-terrors, and nightly visits from [b]him[/b] had prepared them for this. Unless someone was there to see this quick squeezing of their eyes, none after would be the wiser for next Seren began acting. Despite the absence of pressure from their family's concern, this process was second nature for them at this point. Slowly, so as to not draw any further possible attention, Seren softened their own expression as if they actually asleep. The next step was counting to one hundred. This gave Seren time to calm down from what had happened, and furthered the illusion of being asleep. Once Seren got to one hundred, they opened their eyes, and all they could picture was that lonely child's downcast face. As lonely as Seren was.

[I]'Who was that?'[/I] As Seren asked themself, the previous voice returned to their attention. [I]'And who was that?'[/I] Seren stood up, pulled their hoodie tighter around themself, and looked up towards the source of the exclamation. Their neck craned. [Color=FAD7A0]"I-I'm sorry. I didn't announce myself. Did I frighten you?"[/color] Seren bowed over twice, and before Raph could get a word in, anxious apologies and offers flowed in quick tandem. [Color=FAD7A0]"I'm so sorry. It wasn't my intention. Are you okay? Please don't fall. Do you want some help down? I've done this with my brother many times. I can help."[/color] Their embarrassment distracted Seren from what they should have obviously realized happened between the two. [I]'I can't even take a nap without causing a scene. Ugh, I can't believe myself. I always make trouble. I should've stayed in the Orientation Hall.'[/I] Seren pulled on their sleeves awaiting a response, but never broke eye contact. That was rude.

[@Cherrywitch]