It's not raining, nothing's going up in flames or coming crashing down in an apocalyptic fashion, and as far as Peter's concerned this is already a good dream. He's aware he has low expectations, but it doesn't matter because this dream is his own and when so few things are good, he'll take what he can get.

Wandering aimlessly through Central Park while dusk sets on the world has slowly started to become enough of a comfort that it's seeping into his unconscious when he needs it most. Nothing's expected of him here except for perhaps the occasional nod in greeting towards a passerby, and there's nothing he can do wrong as much as there's nothing he can do right. Even though somehow he's still ended up in his paramedic gear and the place is far quieter than usual, it doesn't matter. Because this isn't a rooftop, and this isn't work, and sometimes Peter still does actually enjoy taking a moment to watch the world pass by.



[ ooc; feel free to hit up this post however you'd like to -- be it prose or actionspam/brackets. i'll respond accordingly :3 ]

Minato is standing on a large highway bridge, and overhead the full moon is an eerie green, hanging overlarge and looming in the night. Fog roils across the suspended road, and when one looks carefully, they see puddles of blood undisturbed in the cracked potholes of the asphalt. More seeps from nooks and crannies and one or two abandoned, stopped cars. In the distance, black coffins stand upright.

This is the Dark Hour, and Minato isn't noticing any of it. He's standing, head bowed, hair covering his face, breathing. Fast at first, as if he's recovering from a huge shock, and then steadily slowing.

No... he shouldn't be surprised. He should've known this all along, that he's Death. And most of all he should've known that it was his decision. He'll bear the responsibility for his choices.

He looks up suddenly, directly at whoever is standing there.

[ooc: So! This AU is based off of one I used to play a while ago. Information can be found in the journal sees_death, which I also might comment from for the icons. Essentially, though, this is a role swap between Minato and Ryoji, which makes Minato here the Appriser. o/]

[You find yourself in a castle: a large, impressive one, with a moat made out of lava. The inside is just as impressive, if not for the occasional penguin-like creature running through the place.

And one of them is being kicked straight out of one room in particular.]

And don't come back until you get me that pudding from Etna, got it?!

[The penguin replies with a stammered-out "Y-Yes, sir, dood!" and runs off. If you choose to enter the room, you'll find a young boy with two hair antenna sticking up lounging around, watching something while eating popcorn. Whatever it is isn't important, though.

It's the boy, who'll only register your presence after a minute or so. And, even then, it seems as if he's mistaken you for the penguin. And who wouldn't, when their attention is focused on the TV?]

Didn't I tell you not to come back until you got me that pudding?!

[ Beneath the strange light of this world's two moons - one round and white, the other small, misshapen, and red - the steel lines of twin train tracks glisten, running parallel over the horizon. The land in all directions around is all high, rolling hills, grassy and dotted with thick, clustered shrubs but sparse of trees. The peace here is absolute - but for barely a handful of seconds.

On those tracks, a train is rumbling along at breakneck speed, bright light spilling from the windows and thick, black smoke issuing from the stack. Inside, the soft, classical decor is awash in a warm, yellow glow that seems not to emit just from the sconces on the walls, the lamps on tables, but from the very substance of the train, itself.

In spite of the rather cheery effect this luminescence lends to the bigger picture, however, if one were to poke around behind the doors of the luxurious private cars, here, they might find the place a shambles. Lamps broken, furniture scattered about, glass from the windows littering the floor, and perhaps even a few droplets of something that looks suspiciously like blood dried into the carpets - it's total chaos everywhere. Or, everywhere except the dining car, which remains mysteriously intact.

In fact, the train's sole other occupant is currently holed up, there, in the midst of an exorbitant meal. He's a young-looking man with long, silver hair and thick, round spectacles, dressed in what appears to be some odd cut of cassock. He seems unfazed by the speed of the train (though in reality he is almost perpetually stricken with motion sickness), let alone the tacky, white tiger-print wallpaper plastered to the interior of this particular car. On the contrary, he's just terribly engrossed in his present bit of business-- ]

Oh yes, I think I'd like to try this one, next! [ He says, holding up his menu with a free hand, making some vague indication toward an item from the desserts section.

He's mistaken the sound of strange footsteps for those of his waitress (or waiter), it seems. Oops. ]

[Minato's sitting in front of a shrine on a bench, tuning his viola. He hums a note lightly to himself, running the bow across the strings to make sure it matches up. He has a good ear for pitch, and can tune from memory by now. The sky is a vivid blue above him, only small wisps of clouds drifting by, and the grass is a perfect green beneath his feet. Soft sounds of spring are in the background: birds chirping, people talking as they walk by, faint traffic.

He glances up when he notices someone approaching, and breaks into a smile. It's much brighter than anything seen on him before.] Hi.

[This is his perfect dream, and in it, he has countless numbers of friends, all very close to him. He's alive again, after all, with no consequences. Therefore if you tag in, that's the case with Minato and your character - they're close friends.]