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Why does life slumber? For what reason does life willingly choose to enter the realm of dreams? Is it due to a fear of waking? Is it to practice for the inevitable, approaching end—the law all life must abide by? Or is it for simpler reasons stripped of superfluous and metaphorical razzle-dazzle, for it slumbers to rest, recuperate, and record events into knowledge? All of these answers could be right. All of these answers could be wrong. The rules and reasons for sleep are mystifying, and dreaming even more so. The exact origin of dreams, their purpose, and the distinction between saccharine-sweet dreams and bitter nightmares are questions that continue to confound even the brightest. Perhaps dreams themselves have a will not to be understood, and as both are products of the mind, how could knowledge itself be used to outline it? The God of Wisdom, Lesser Lord Kusanali, may know the full answer. Yet, she will not take the steering wheel, perhaps saying that darkness reigns at the foot of the lighthouse with the illuminating light of reason acting as the beacon.
However, if you had to ask a yumekui-baku, the distinction between good dreams and bad ones lies in the taste.
This is a case file; an anecdote only able to be told by the most illustrious yumekui-baku in Teyvat. She is a world-trotting youkai, seeing business across the whole of the continent…for the most part. It is a rare sight seeing a youkai from Inazuma leave its borders, and out of all supernatural beings from that thunderous archipelago across the ocean, she would most likely rank second in terms of how well-traveled they are. Only relinquishing victory to a certain nekomata employed by Komaniya Express. Though, to that yumekui-baku, it isn’t about touring and sightseeing and sampling all Teyvat has to offer. Much like Kirara, it’s business.
Though, the various local cuisines are a well-appreciated bonus.
That yumekui-baku’s name is Mizuki Yumemizuki, one of the world’s finest clinical psychologists. So out of medical confidentiality, this case file—this medical case file—and the story laid within is known to only few. It is neither a story to be shared, nor would it change the world. More interventional and direct methods would be required for such a feat, as well as being in the right place at the right time. No, this common, dime-a-dozen story would save no life. However, it is certainly a story about a life saved.
Or at the very least, a story about helping someone breathe just a little bit easier and a wish come true.
It all started when a letter arrived in Mizuki’s office, the wax seal carrying the emblem of the Knights of Favonius. Immediately, she had a hunch as to what its contents were, for there was only one type of message she received that far outnumbered the rest. With a practiced deftness, she undid the seal, reading the contents of one of the two papers. After finishing it, it did not take long for her to stand up from her desk and gather her things. If one thought being a major shareholder of a bathhouse meant she was too carefree and relaxed for her own good, then one would be mistaken. Not that there’s anything wrong with going slow and steady, they do say it wins races. However, when it came to treating patients, there was no second to spare when administering treatment. Putting everything in what could only be called a doctor’s bag, she quickly made for the door.
“Ya-chan? Te-chan?” she looked over her shoulder as she spoke to her little assistants. Though, upon seeing them, Mizuki’s tone softened. There appeared to be little need to notify them, for they already caught on and were itching to accompany her on her newest venture, “It’s time for a house call.”
Stepping on a boat leaving from Ritou heading to Dornman Port, Mizuki took the time to look over the letter once more as she waited for the boat to depart. No matter where you went in Inazuma, it was hard to avoid the scent of the salty sea air. Thus, almost all residents, from Narukami to Watatsumi, were used to the smell. So much so that it became nearly unnoticeable. Despite that, somehow in Ritou—and only Ritou—the sea air was particularly strong.
Dear Miss Yumemizuki,
We hope this letter finds you in good health.
Foremost, we would like to once again extend our warmest words of appreciation for your assistance during your last visit to our nation. Were it not for your presence, expertise, and guidance, we would certainly not be as effective at properly handling matters of the soul. Many would still be unable to properly face tomorrow, and we could not rely solely on our deaconess’ efforts. Your example and spirit still live on, even after all these years. So once more, on behalf of Mondstadt’s branch of the Adventurer’s Guild, the church, as well as the whole of the Knights of Favonius, you have our sincerest gratitude. The gates of Mondstadt will forever be open for you now and in the far future, and we look forward to welcoming you once more.
However, if you were to heed our request, then that reunion may be far sooner than expected. Recently, a number of civilians fell victim to a scheme authored by the Abyss Order. While there were no casualties among our numbers thanks to the timely yet unwitting intervention of our Spark Knight, the civilians were not left completely unscathed. Thankfully, as of writing, the injuries on their bodies have now mostly been treated. However, while only for a relatively brief timeframe, they were still directly exposed to the powers of the Abyss. While we have concluded none of them will suffer from any lasting physical symptoms as observed in the nation of Natlan, we fear that among some that the psychological wounds are far from being healed. In-particular, one patient seems to be far more troubled than he is letting on, potentially putting on a light-hearted attitude as a coping mechanism. Nothing seems like it truly comes from deep-down. While it is true that his injuries and subsequent treatment were on the lighter end, the sisters at the church cannot help but be concerned as they are uncertain if he is taking everything as seriously as he should. Thus, they have requested your assistance as the foremost psychologist in the whole of the continent.
Of course, we would understand if you were to refuse. The journey from Inazuma to Mondstadt is a long one after all, certainly not one an individual would do spontaneously. Should you, however, accept this request, then the Knights of Favonius would once more be indebted to you. Once you arrive in the city, please head for Favonius Cathedral, and we shall provide you with all the essential services such as lodging, food, and of course, remuneration. Alongside this letter you shall find the patient’s file in the envelope.
Warmest regards,
The Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, Jean Gunnhildr.
A faint, wry smile appeared on Mizuki’s face after rereading the letter. Not one an individual would do spontaneously, huh, she muttered under her breath. Who could sit still after reading a sentence like that? It felt like a provocation, though Mizuki knew from start to finish that the letter was nothing more than an honest request for help. Her help. And what healer worth their salt would refuse to help someone when the request directly landed on their desk?
If it was within her abilities...
Then certainly not Mizuki Yumemizuki.
Refolding the letter and tucking it back into the envelope, the youkai fished out the second sheet of paper. Ya-chan and Te-chan were looking at the details with great curiosity, and she too made sure to soak in every detail. Anything less than her utmost would lead to errors in judgement, mistakes in diagnosis, finally resulting in ineffective treatment—something to be absolutely avoided. As she homed in on all the critical information, the gears in her head began to rapidly turn and spin.
What treatment would be most effective for this patient?
His name was Ray, a Mondstadt native. A young adult, barely above twenty. Nothing particular to note in-terms of prior medical history. The sudden need for hospitalization was likely to have been a weird transition, Mizuki thought to herself. Especially since in this age-range, he would normally be in the primetime of his life. Getting hospitalized was probably the last of his expectations. The symptoms after the run-in with the Abyss Order included various flesh wounds, scrapes, and bruises all over the body, but most important was a strong fever lasting for quite a number of days rendering him immobile.
Mizuki brought her hand to her face, deep in thought.
There was no mention of any prior mental maladies, neither recent nor in the past. While Mondstadt was indeed quite the easy-going place, no mention of any issues may simply be due to him being uncooperative. This would not be the first time she had encountered someone suffering from symptoms caused by exposure to Abyssal forces. She bore witness to plenty during her visits to Natlan as well as literally getting a taste of Abyss-born nightmares, potentially far more any single psychologist could handle.
Not that she was just a normal human psychologist, however.
...Not that any normal human psychologist could taste dreams.
Given the lack of prior history, it could stand to reason that Ray’s recent behavior was in-fact an effect of the Abyss taking root in his subconscious. Whether this was new behavior or an exacerbation of something pre-existing, Mizuki could not tell.
“At the very least, it does not appear to be Abyssal Corrosion Syndrome,” Mizuki whispered to herself. The diagnosis of the sisters seemed to be on point, given the information that was available to them. Treating something as severe as Abyssal Corrosion Syndrome...would certainly have been a pickle. Ray displayed nothing so egregious. Be exposed to Abyssal power long enough, and you’ll begin to deteriorate both mentally and physically. In the worst cases, you’ll enter a perpetual nightmare regardless of whether you’re asleep or awake. So neither slumber nor waking brought any sense of solace.
Fever dreams were one thing, but Abyss influenced fever dreams...?
Mizuki felt a shiver going down her spine, and her stomach turning. As a yumekui-baku, she possessed the ability to consume the nightmares of her patients, opening the way to happier dreams. While there was plenty for her to try and consume when it came to patients with Abyssal Corrosion Syndrome, it proved to be an ineffective method. Eating the nightmares could calm a patient for a short period, only for the nightmares to return later to continue the torment.
Not even mentioning the fact how detrimental those nightmares were for Mizuki herself.
They talk about bitter pills being good for you, but that sort of thing?
Mizuki shook her head in an attempt to rid herself of the encroaching nausea. She was getting distracted.
Still, the mental detour brought her to the right destination.
Did Ray experience any nightmares? Running into the Abyss Order was a rarity for the average citizen of Mondstadt, so that encounter must have been frightening. Perhaps if he was a registered adventurer it would be more common, her prior history working with Mondstadt’s Adventurer’s Guild clued her in on that much. Though, Ray’s occupation was listed as his parents’ store, meaning encounters with monsters were usually few and far between. The file made no mention of any nightmares—because he probably didn’t, she was sure—but if so, there was definitely something she could do for him. Even if she couldn’t shake his stubbornness, a sweet dream paired with a good night’s rest made anyone brighten up, no matter who it was. Most of the time, good rest is all a person needs. Perhaps he had already been neglecting his own needs? It wasn’t exactly uncommon for young people to explore the limits of their abilities, unknowingly overexerting themselves, as they properly came into their own for the first time in this world.
If only they didn’t, it would certainly make her job and the work of her colleagues a lot easier.
Mizuki let go of her focus, looking at her tapir-like companions, musing on what the best course of action would be. Of course, all of this depended heavily on the patient’s own cooperation, and it seemed like that was hard to win over. In the best-case, he was just affected by the latent traces of the Abyssal powers he was exposed to that would disperse if left alone.
Indeed, perhaps given enough time, he would recover just fine by himself.
Which was all the more reason to give him that little nudge in the back and ensure he was walking down the right path. It would certainly be a shame if he was forever shackled by this incident, caging his heart meant to fly free...
It wasn’t called the City of Freedom for nothing.
Before you have a city, you have the people.
And before that, the person.
It would be a shame if the ‘City of Freedom’ became a misnomer touched with irony.
Mizuki couldn’t come to a single conclusion. The youkai stopped herself from arriving at any. She had to see him, and most importantly, talk to him first. Everything started with the in-take. Coming with any predisposed conclusions now would only cloud her judgement later.
“Still, the Abyss...”
Calamitous memories welled up from the deepest corners of her mind as a light frown decorated her features, belying the relaxed nature people often seemed to attribute to her. With patients she never lets her empathic smile dissipate, but when she was by herself, learning of cases of this sort specifically...
It was hard to remain completely unfazed.
It seemed no place was spared from that dark evil, not back then, and certainly not now.
Sighing, Mizuki bemoaned her own powerlessness. She could treat symptoms for years on end, in all corners of the world, but she lacked the power to decisively address the root cause. Whether it was the Abyss or the regular cruelties of life... Even bestowed with a Vision, it was impossible to rewrite the rules of the world.
Suffering would never cease to exist.
Those types of battlefields were beyond her, but within the four walls of a consultancy chamber...
That is where Mizuki was able to make a difference, and make her wish for the world a reality.
Thus, she would never stop fighting in her own unique way.
With a tired smile, she extended her hand to gently stroke the head of Ya-chan, who was growing restless. Subsequently, with a nudge, the boat finally departed for Mondstadt, as if responding to her will reignited.
The winds of Mondstadt were just as welcoming as Mizuki remembered. The verdant green landscape was brimming with sunkissed luster, dandelion seeds floating in the air looking for the right place to take root. Watching the dancing puffs of white dancing in the air like snow from the back of the horse-drawn carriage, she wondered whether anyone in Mondstadt suffered from any pollen allergies. As gentle as the winds were in Mondstadt, they would certainly be the perfect medium to deliver devastating pollen attacks. The verdure in Mondstadt was abundant with many different species of vegetation and flora. Cecilias, windwheel asters, dandelions, calla lilies, lamp grass, not to mention wolfhooks and valberries as well as a unique species of fungi...
Mizuki was familiar with them, though primarily for their value as medicinal ingredients or for the use of aromatherapy fragrances.
Perhaps collecting some would prove beneficial for the bathhouse?
She tucked away the idea in her mind, before resuming her admiration of the surroundings as well as her reminiscence. Maybe it was due to her Vision being an Anemo one, but the blue-haired youkai felt a strange, warm sensation whenever she was in the nation of freedom. It certainly wasn’t just the warm sunbeams spreading throughout the land. There was just something inherently relaxing about Mondstadt and its landscape, making you want to sunbathe in the grass like a lazy cat.
An environment to alight the heart and soul.
It wasn’t so different from the People of the Springs in that regard. Music was a significant part of the culture of Metzli, as well as that of Mondstadt. Plus, both communities put a heavy emphasis on the freedom of the spirit, not to mention the relaxing environments, of course! Now that the Natlanese were free to leave their nation’s borders, and the major conflicts in Natlan had come to an end, she silently hoped for some…cultural exchange. Mizuki was sure the respective peoples of both groups could get along, making the world all that much richer for it. Who knows what sort of new developments in R&R could spawn from some collaboration between the two nations? Natlan was home to some truly ingenious things... Maybe something could be useful for her treatment plans? Or was that hoping for too much?
Mizuki’s face briefly lit into a contented smile, before remembering why she was here. This wasn’t a leisure trip, and her thoughts only served to reinforce her convictions.
What sort of sick joke would it be if a Mondstadter couldn’t be free?
It goes to show how nobody is truly immune to ailments of the mind. Mizuki herself was no different. Pain spared no one. So if a person cannot understand that they are suffering...
Then that might be the most hurtful pain of all.
As the carriage went along its intended path, she glanced down at the ground, noticing a patch of dandelions whose seeds had yet to take flight. With a flick of the wrist, she conjured a breeze, sending the seeds into the air, joining the rest already riding the wind.
“Off you go now,” she whispered quietly, blessing the dandelion seeds, before returning her gaze to the horizon.
Hmm? Didn’t that mountain look a lot shorter than she remembered?
She must be imagining it.
One thing she was certain of, however, was the layout of Mondstadt. Bidding farewell to the merchant and the dark bay horses who brought her here, she took in the sight from the central gate. Even though it had been quite the number of years since the last time she stepped foot within its walls, the settlement atop Cider Lake looked nearly identical to what it did within her memory. Given that there was so little room for expansion, Mizuki figured she couldn’t be too surprised it hadn’t, but what was the world without a pinch of wonder in the form of daydreams?
The Adventurer’s Guild building was the first thing she saw, a welcome sight for sore eyes. Little flag lines were suspended in the air over the main street, as if bridging the gap between the wood made houses. Meanwhile the sweet scent of fresh apples and sunsettias wafted through the air. Did the latest harvest come in? Further in the distance, she saw the statue of the Anemo Archon alongside the cathedral overlooking the city, casting its protective gaze.
Not that the Anemo Archon was anywhere to be found.
The repeated clanging of steel could be made out over the regular Mondstadtian hustle and bustle, as people were walking to and fro all busy with their respective agendas for the day. Mizuki saw a parent and child, were they perhaps out grocery shopping? And those people clad in the signature green of the Adventurer’s Guild, were they returning or just about to set out? Was that a child manning a flower store? And what about him? Her? That girl with the eyepatch?
Silently, as she made her way down the street, she wished them all well; that no ill would befall them. Adventuring especially was a risky job, she knew it well. Misfortune befell anyone, undiscriminating. That white haired boy that just got maimed by a cat was the perfect example.
As an ashen-blonde twin-tailed girl dragged that boy away, Mizuki realized that the time for daydreams and sightseeing was over now, however.
There was a job to be done.
Ray was a curious individual. Perhaps that wasn’t entirely accurate. There were many things about him that were completely run-of-the-mill. Teyvat was home to many remarkable people. Perhaps, as a Vision-possessing yumekui-baku in human form, Mizuki herself would be considered one of them. By this measure, Ray was unremarkable. From their conversations, there was one thing that lightly surprised her, however.
It was his attitude.
To put it simply, it subverted the expectations she had of him.
The letter painted him like a distant wind; breezy, yet aloof. That image was planted within Mizuki’s cognition. She was not so boorish to blame something such as a letter. Building that frame and subsequently closing her mind was entirely on her. She knew better. She had done better. As a psychologist, she had to open the door wide for her patients, allowing them to walk in as their truest selves without obstacles.
Thus in the middle of her second conversation with him, on the third day she arrived in Mondstadt, with Ray none the wiser, she quickly took to uprooting that view.
Still...
Perhaps it was some lingering delirium from the fever and its subsequent treatment, or some latent brain fog also from the fever and its subsequent treatment...
He was perfectly amicable and co-operative, unobjecting to the psychologist’s presence specifically called to help him along. While she was glad he responded well to her and listened to her instructions, it was still in contrast to the contents of the letter. By his own admission, he said he was curious about the prospect of this world-famous psychologist coming to lend a hand.
“...And why does it intrigue you?” Mizuki asked as she sat at his bedside in the medical ward of the church, he wasn’t yet discharged.
“Hm. Does there need to be a big reason? Isn’t curiosity of all things the feeling most difficult to explain?” He had a point. Brain fog or not, even a child could tell he was fully lucid. It wasn’t Abyssal Corrosion Syndrome, that much was clear.
Mizuki made a note on her clipboard.
All treatment plans began the same way, which was a simple in-take of the issues at hand. Based on the in-take, further treatment plans could be considered. Though, in Mizuki’s case, due to her special ‘methods,’ the burning, primary question was whether the consumption of nightmares was necessary. She wished for the day people needn’t rely on her and her kind to face their nightmares, after all. Admittedly, as it was the primary advertising point differentiating her kind’s treatment from that of a normal physician, it still happened most of the time.
But there was no such thing as an absolute rule.
Everyone was unique after all, she thought; a flicker of gold shooting past her subconscious like a star.
Regardless of whether she had to or not, alleviation of the patient’s burdens through more traditional means was always a prerequisite.
“So you accepted my help based solely on curiosity?”
“It sounds a bit bad when you put it that way,” Ray let out an awkward laugh. “But it’s true. I heard you had rather unique methods or something like that?”
Plus, it isn’t everyday you get to talk to someone from Inazuma, and certainly not a youkai, he added.
Mizuki shook her head, “I assure you that it isn’t bad at all. We... are already satisfied when a patient is willing to accept help in the first place, regardless of motive.”
“Help, huh...?”
“Is there something you want to talk about? You can tell me anything,” she smiled.
Ray paused for a moment as he evaded her gaze, before finally responding with an aloof smile: “Do I really need it? Help, I mean. My fever has finally broken, and I’m healing just fine, aren’t I? It wasn’t so bad.”
Mizuki could tell both Ya-chan and Te-chan didn’t want to let that comment slide. After all, she herself had so much she could say to that.
You were exposed to the Abyss, you know?
Your fever was far more intense and lasted far longer than a fever normally should be.
Are you really alright? Are you not pretending, bottling it all up?
That wasn’t a true smile, was it?
But she couldn’t.
You accepted my help, so somewhere deep down a part of you must—
Not yet, at least.
It was far too early.
“Hm... And why wasn’t it so bad? Based on my understanding, it’s not like you went through nothing.”
“Well, compared to the others I was with, I guess I got lucky?”
Lucky? Encountering the Abyss is the greatest misfortune that exists.
“Then what are you looking for by talking to me?” Mizuki’s tone was professional, yet warm and inviting. Neither overbearing, nor cold and distant. Like a hearth fire, perfect to gather and tell stories around. “You said you were curious, but where would you like to go from there?”
“I didn’t really think it through that far, but...” he averted his gaze, briefly staring at the wall before returning his brown eyes to Mizuki, “Well, how do I put it? People... They want me to get better. Like my parents, and the people of the church. So if I really do need help...”
“Should we start then? With the question: ‘Do you need help?’” Mizuki made a few more notes on her paper, both writing down key phrases of his as well as the culmination of her own thoughts. Resuming the conversation in order to build rapport, she poked at more of his life, like his parentage.
People inherently enjoyed talking about themselves.
As he began divulging his family situation, his care for them shone through via his tone, or so Mizuki concluded.
No apparent disturbances due to poor relationships with family members...
“So you accepted my help also because you wouldn’t want your parents to worry?”
Ray nodded, his brown hair bobbing along with the motion.
He seems to care more for others than himself.
“How did your parents react to the—hm,” Mizuki paused. “Let's call it your experience. How did your parents react to what you experienced?”
“Ah...” Ray paused momentarily, his face frowning, “They were very concerned. I’ve never seen them so concerned before. Based on what the sisters told me, they came by every day since I had to stay here.”
“They care a lot about you then.”
“I guess they do,” Ray averted his eyes.
Conversation marched onward, as he divulged more details about the incident as well as personal ones. With the steady rhythm of the clock as background noise, Mizuki began to slowly grasp the picture in full. Ray was a kindhearted person. He came from a loving family who taught him to be kind to others and to assist others in their time of need. Mondstadt wasn’t the biggest place, thus forming close bonds with your neighbors was extremely valuable.
“That’s how you create a proper ‘community,’” he punctuated.
As he continued to talk in-tune with Mizuki’s sharp line of questioning, the youkai grew increasingly convinced that whatever ailed him now was a direct result of recent events. Thus either the experience itself or potentially the power of the Abyss, as latent as it was.
If she had to guess, he wasn’t concerned with himself in the slightest. Inherently, prioritizing others might be noble and kind, but if you yourself suffered for it...?
You’ll end up with nothing.
Was life a zero-sum game?
“Returning to something you mentioned prior,” Mizuki began as she looked at a keyword she underlined: ‘lucky.’ “You mentioned that you got lucky. Could you tell me more about that?”
Ray’s stated reasons for clinging so tightly on that silver lining as the whole truth was singular but complex. As he said, compared to the others he got out of it relatively scot-free. His reasons for saying that referred to both the injuries sustained, and the subsequent treatments. The intensity, strain, as well as the overall duration were limited compared to the other victims.
“The others were in a worse state...and they still have to stay here. As well as the other patients here...”
“Other patients? The ones not involved with that incident?”
“Yes, it’s like... I haven’t suffered at all. They’re the ones suffering. I will be allowed to head home soon, right? They...still have to stay here. For who knows how long? Some, I heard, will have to come back periodically for the rest of their lives,” thus poured out his feelings. “Compare a one-off instance to something lifelong, what is true suffering? I will be able to put this behind me, but they? They can’t.”
At this rate, will you truly be able to?
Even a bleeding heart can run dry...
In a flash, the daylight hours had been burnt up, inviting Teyvat to enter the quiet evening. The light of midday sun was soon replaced with the warm glow of lamplights. As Mizuki walked through the dimly lit halls of the cathedral, she let herself digest everything she heard, simultaneously listening to both Ya-chan and Te-chan’s conclusions on the matter. Despite their bickering, there was one remaining question that had yet to be answered, burning a hole through the puzzle, preventing completion. Was the Abyss affecting his mentality? Even now it was unclear whether that was the case.
There was one surefire method at Mizuki’s disposal to discover that answer, as she recalled that stench of blood and gloom, and the all-piercing sense of death lingering in the air...
The taste of the Abyss was hard to mistake.
She could never forget it.
Contacting another’s dream was a delicate procedure. As Mizuki was a medical professional, as well as on her pride as a yumekui-baku, she did not just enter and consume others’ dreams willy-nilly. Communicating with her patients about her intentions was key, first and foremost, and gaining their consent was most critical of all. Of course, those patients may not always be able to communicate... In such a case, permission fell to any related persons. Though, if a person truly was unable to communicate, then there was little Mizuki could do with her powers to help...
Ray agreed easily, curious about the powers of an Inazuman youkai. So on the fourth day of her stay in Mondstadt, Mizuki was preparing herself to imminently enter Ray’s dream. The scent of a gentle incense permeated through the room, particularly effective at making people relax and sleep. There was always a sense of trepidation involved with this process. Just what exactly laid in-wait for her? A person’s inner world wasn’t usually something to enter, and conventional wisdom held that it was impossible to enter such a mindscape.
But she never let the nerves get to her, after all—
—this was originally just a means for yumekui-baku to sustain themselves.
Digging in, Mizuki was immediately plunged into what seemed like the ocean. Seeing neither the surface or the ocean floor, she sensed something beneath her, deep in the waters. Without hesitation, she dove deeper, treading further into Ray’s subconscious. As she did, all manner of marine animals rushed past her, fish of all sorts and sizes, seelie-like sea angels, Fontemer Aberrant-like seahorses, as well as a number of rays. It reminded Mizuki of the waters of Fontaine, brimming with life. Many of these creatures were not native to Mondstadt, however. Had Ray ever been in Fontaine?
Most striking of all, however, were the jellyfish. Unlike the rest, the jellyfish simply let themselves be guided along by the changing currents caused by their fellow animal in this dreamsea. It looked like a collection of semi-transparent moons, all gathered in one place.It was a sight similar to a most brilliant sky at night.
There was no time for admiration, however. Mizuki began to swim further and further, as she reached the water’s surface.
The surface?
As soon as her head broke through the waters and she saw the sky, her entire body followed as if pulled by an invisible force. The direction of gravity shifted, and the water she was in was now above her, growing more distant. The sound of wind filled her ears as she fell into the sky. Like an arrow piercing the sky laden with pink-tinted clouds, the youkai glided through the air with finesse, all the while guided by a group of glass birds that flew alongside her. Or were they glass sculptures of birds? Before Mizuki could even conceive the thought to approach one for further inspection, the birds of glass rushed ahead of her. Mizuki’s eyes followed them, bearing witness as the birds shattered, the shards glittering like diamond dust and opening a gap through the clouds.
“Thank you!” She said as she passed the fleeting glimmers lingering in the air that were once birds. The youkai continued crossing clouds and weaving wind, before finally spotting what seemed like a solid surface, quickly shifting for a landing. Manifesting a wagasa, she used it to safely drift downwards. As soon as her slipper made contact with the surface, a ripple of light pulsed from the contact point, and a flock of white pigeons took flight around her.
The dapples of ascending white reminded Mizuki of pure snow, only moving in reverse. She had never been to Snezhnaya before, nor that looming mountain said to be the resting place of a dragon. While she knew no snowstorm, she did know blizzards.
No, not of the cold varieties.
Only the ones of falling cherry blossoms.
The first zephyrs of spring could still carry the chilling bite of kisaragi, however, so neglecting to wear a coat is ill-advised.
The scenery shifted again as if the birds themselves were a curtain being lifted up—just like the start of a show at the Opera Epiclese. The birds that appeared in an instant as if produced from a magical hat disappeared just as suddenly, flooding the youkai’s vision with a blinding white light.
Once her vision returned to her, Mizuki found herself on a grassy hill. Having made her landing, she let the umbrella vanish in flickers of light with a pop . Within the realm of dreams, she too had her fair share of ‘magic.’
Although it was nothing like those shining, fleeting birds she saw.
Mizuki quickly began taking in her surroundings. To the left and right of her was this same landscape as far as the eye could see. Grassy hills bobbed up and down, repeating seemingly ad infinitum. Above her a serene blue expanse stretched from one end to the other, white clouds lazily moving across, as if there was an endpoint to reach. It smelled like wood board, fresh fruits, soap, mixed with the unquestionable stench of ash and flame.
Alarmed, Mizuki turned around, seeing a dense cluster of trees solely breaking up the infinitely repeating landscape of green hill. Stretching far above into the sky was a large pillar of pitch-black smoke, its source within the grove.
To call it conspicuous was an understatement.
Amidst her travels through this wondrous dreamscape, she had yet to encounter Ray’s inner-self yet. If he was neither in that sea, sky, or anywhere else in this infinite green expanse...
Was he there?
Without wasting a second, Mizuki headed for the trees aflame.
“Ray?!” Mizuki exclaimed, coming upon the central clearing between the trees. There he was, on the ground, a Cryo Abyss mage floating menacingly within its icy shield, approaching Ray. In the dead center of the clearing was a large, flaming totem often seen alongside Abyss mages, only this time it was ten times larger than the ones found in the wilderness, and a disgusting black ooze seemed to well beneath it, spreading, as it continued to burn.
Ray struggled to crawl away; the sludge being too viscous to properly grip or kick off from.
Yumekui-baku were frankly not the best of fighters, lacking abilities applicable in combat—
—but Mizuki didn’t have a Vision for nothing.
Conjuring up elemental energy, Mizuki began drifting forwards, evading contact with the black ooze. She rushed towards the monster as it waved its wand, preparing a spell of its own.
“Ray! Dodge low!”
Hearing the command, Ray rolled to the side as Mizuki drifted past both him and the mage.
“Miss Mizuki!?”
U-turning before rushing straight into the flames, she infused her winds with the fire, before swirling it straight into the Abyss mage and melting its shield.
As a psychologist, Mizuki walked a fine line. Disregarding the toll on her, this profession involved helping—no, saving people, as presumptuous as it may sound. She talked to her patients, offering a listening ear, soaking up the world’s negativity like a sponge. All the while she continued to guide them to a place worry-free like a midday reverie. Repressed emotions, dangerous thoughts, she had to embrace it all as she navigated her way through the complicated maze of emotion without knocking down a single wall. How were you able to deny another’s thoughts, saying they were headed in the wrong direction, without them getting defensive? Without communication breaking down? One misstep and she would be expelled from that person’s thoughts, perhaps permanently, forever unable to lend a hand.
Forever unable to save them.
Could anyone in this world truly save another? Even armed with this ability, Mizuki had her doubts. Medicine had its limits and death cannot be permanently prevented, only stalled. By administering treatment and consuming nightmares, was she truly helping her patients? Was denying them the agency to even be able to guard their heart truly right? She always asked for permission, always explaining exactly how her powers worked and what it did, but did people truly understand the implications of this procedure? Perhaps by cleanly removing these negative emotions through her supernatural method, she was ridding her patients of the opportunity to properly grow as people. Was she not doing all the heavy lifting and letting them cheat like it was some sort of test? This way, they will never learn of their own strength to take the first step forward.
It’s not like her answers were perfect either, after all...
Suffering will never cease to exist in this world.
Everyone, without exception, will experience it.
So don’t say you didn’t suffer…
“Now! Ray!”
Understanding immediately, Ray desperately searched for a proper foothold. Once he found it, he kicked off the ground, leaping forward, throwing himself into the fire alongside the Abyss mage.
If it truly was impossible, then that is all the more reason to never stop trying. Even if it was temporary, if she could stop one heart from breaking...
The instant Ray pushed the Abyss mage into the flames, the dreamscape’s surroundings shattered like ice. The totem, the mage, the grove and the hills were gone in a flash, all dispelled and nowhere to be seen. Soon the ground beneath them gave way. The two fell, but Mizuki quickly found his wrist, taking it in hers. The two continued to fall, as the scenery around them began to change. The sky turned from that pristine blue to the hues of twilight accompanied by the evening mist. Focusing her powers, Mizuki began manipulating the rushing winds to guide their impromptu sky-diving.
“Ray, you’re struggling, aren’t you?”
“Not as much as others,” Ray’s dream-self replied vacantly as if on auto-pilot.
“What do others matter?”
“Huh...?”
With a gentle smile, Mizuki began: “If you’re suffering, you’re suffering. If you’re struggling, you’re struggling. There’s nothing wrong with that. Pain will always exist, and we will never permanently get rid of it no matter how hard we try. Though, that also means that your pain is entirely your own, Ray. Yes, everyone is hurting. Others might be hurting more than you. But that doesn’t diminish or excuse your own pain. Suffering is suffering. If you think others are deserving of help, then you are as deserving of care as everybody else, even if it isn’t ‘so bad.’”
Silence passed as they continued dropping from the sky. They cut through clouds and mists alike and rushed past way more. This, if nothing else, was truly an exhilarating dream.
“I don’t want to be just a victim. If I admit to needing help, then I’ll never be able to put this behind me...”
“But if you don’t properly acknowledge it now, you’ll never be able to grow past this. Denial won’t lead you to heal.” Amidst the soft, fluffy clouds, her gaze was truly piercing. “Wouldn’t denial itself shackle your heart further, Ray?”
“...”
“I get it. You don’t want it to define you. You don’t want looks of pity. You don’t want others to worry. But by rejecting it so strongly like this, won’t the end-result be the same? Being completely unaffected...is that not far more alarming?”
A pause.
“It’s okay to ask for help, Ray.”
Ray looked deep into Mizuki’s eyes, losing himself a bit in the wispy swirl. He had never seen such eyes before. Was it connected to her being a youkai? He didn’t know. It was something otherworldly, a one-of-a-kind pair of purples and pinks.
What did he look like to her, with those eyes?
The more he looked for answers within her gaze, the more they hinted to one and only one. While in reality there may have been an infinite number of options available to him, Mizuki’s hope was conversely singular.
It was only that ray of hope that he could find.
No anger, no judgement, and nothing hidden.
“I was just so, so scared,” Ray began, his voice beginning to tremble. “Those things…what were those things? I mean—I had seen them in books before, you know? Those monsters I mean. They were so grotesque.” The words came out as if a dam had broken, with a tempo impossible in reality. “I... all of us thought we were going to d-die. It was suffocating. We couldn’t breathe. You just couldn’t breathe. That miasma...” A grimace was painted on his face, and it looked as if he was getting sick. “It got us, one by one. We couldn’t do anything. That shield, everything just b-bounced off. It came towards me, and, and—,” he brought his free hand to his eyes as he recalled the memory.
“It’s a miracle it didn’t kill us. That none of us died. We’re alive... We’re alive...” his voice trailed off as Mizuki took his other wrist in her hands and away from his eyes, never breaking eye-contact. As the two locked eyes again, a sense of calm washed over him, offering a moment of peace.
“But they’re not actually invincible, huh?” his eyes wandered to his hands, still feeling a sense of exhilaration. He could only sigh wryly, as if the negativity was to be left behind in the sky; shaken loose and free.
“Indeed. You did great, Ray.” the youkai replied earnestly. She felt like reaching out to give him a pat on the head to reward his bravery—
—if it weren’t for the fact she was interrupted by his words, her hand pausing mid-air.
Thanks for helping me, Miss Mizuki, Ray said, with a boyish, toothy smile. I got it from here, he added, a confident glint in his eyes.
In the oh-so-fleeting passage of an instant, a sense of surprise and acceptance welled from within the youkai, all reflected by her expressions. Her face lit-up, as if a shooting star shot past, illuminating the celestial ceiling.
What was she supposed to wish for?
She only knew him for hardly a few days! Was it not far too early to feel like this?
Still, she could only nod with a sense of pride.
The dream dissipated as if vanishing into thin air. The clouds thinned out, the evening mist cleared up, the twilit sky lost its colors, and the winds fell silent. As Mizuki expelled herself from his dream, the world blinked out of existence. That human in the dream disappeared from view, only for that human to reappear within her sights in reality. The medical professional in her was still left wondering. Did his negativity take the shape of the Abyss, or was it truly the Abyss? As if looking for an answer, her eyes scanned the sight of him still asleep.
But she quickly decided it didn’t matter.
Seeing that face, Mizuki realized, it didn’t matter in the slightest.
“Really, good work, Ray,” the youkai said in a whisper, pulling the blanket further up and giving his head a soft pat as Te-chan and Ya-chan could only watch in wonder. “Sweet dreams.”
So, why does life slumber?
If you had to ask a yumekui-baku, then... Well, if life didn’t, then the baku would surely die of starvation. Twilight sunbeams lit up the faint dust particles in the air, flooding Mizuki's office with an orange glow. For once, she had the opportunity to unwind and relax, a gap opening up in her ever-busy schedule. Normally, she would take these opportunities for quick soaks in the baths (as quality assurance), though today she chose differently. Earlier today a certain feline courier delivered a package to Aisa Bathhouse, upon inspecting its contents, Mizuki knew she needed the time to properly savor this delivery…
As Mizuki looked at the apple roly poly that was sent to her from the City of Freedom sitting on her office desk, she began to wonder…
If all living beings were lulled into a sweet dream lasting for Eternity, then couldn’t the baku feast on a never-ending supply of delectable, sweet dreams? It would be a win-win situation, a perfectly symbiotic relationship…
No one would ever know pain, and the baku would never again have to eat any potentially toxic nightmares.
She quickly perished the thought, shaking her head. That idea was wrong on many accounts. Treating all walks of life as simple…livestock? She was sure none of her kind would agree to such a thing. Such sweet dreams would probably taste worse than the driest of stale bread. If her job as a psychologist was to make people capable of facing tomorrow, then an eternity found in reverie would render all her efforts up until now entirely moot.
Plus, such a decadent dream... Could that truly be called happiness?
While the blue-haired youkai wasn’t always certain if her methods were the best they could be for her and her patients, she was absolutely certain that such a sweet dream was decisively wrong. Perhaps there really was little difference between overly sweet dreams and nightmares.
Twirling the fork she held in her hand, she dug into the apple roly poly.
“Life has to wake up from their dreams,” she began musing to herself as she brought the fork holding the delectable dessert to her mouth.
“After all, something so delicious is hard to pass up,” Mizuki said with a smile that could put even sunbeams to shame. She had set out to eat his dream, but this was much more delightful, like a wish come true.
The taste was simply divine, a refreshing flavor surpassing even a leisurely time in the baths...
Something to revitalize even the weariest of souls...
Wait, wouldn’t that be bad for business?