okay, so, i guess im just taking a break from Hanging Flowers for a while. im sorry that everyone has to wait, but unfortunately i have no idea what to write about in the next chapter. and right now, ive been very inspired by a soundtrack that fits Vessel SO WELL so i just HAVE to keep writing down his thoughts. i hope no one minds DX

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It does not make much sense to me, the things that have happened lately. I fear that something has gone amiss.

I awoke yesterday, to find that there were no little creatures surrounding me. Not a single bird or squirrel. Usually when I wake up, they are aware of my recent travels through the Dream Realm, and crowd around me. Today, no one. I was completely alone. Not even Disu was there...

It had made me a little uneasy. There was no noise ringing through the forest. The birds weren't chirping, the squirrels weren't squawcking. Not even the distant croaks of the frogs in the Pond was audible. Something was wrong. But what could it be? I saw many deer in the Dream Realm, sleeping soundly. For what reason were the creatures of the forest not stirring? Why did they refuse to make themselves known?

I wandered around for a bit. Everything else seemed normal. I spotted a few deer messing around at the Playground. Even more at the Pond. But they seemed bewildered as well. They did not know what had happened either. Upon further investigation, I managed to find every single creature, all clumped into a crowd, gathered around something. Even the bats were there.

I came to the group, trying to see what they were so intrigued by. Immediately, a dove flew at me, and landed on my antlers. I knew instantly that it was Disu. But she had a sadness surrounding her, as if something, or someone, was lost. I managed to step through the crowd of chatters and chirps and croaks and squeals, to find the body of a deer laying in the middle. I studied the deer, and I knew who it happened to be.

It happened to be my father.

Somehow, in some way, the creatures knew this being was connected to me in a way. But I do not know about the deer. He could have had the same powers as I, and that's why they gathered around him. But that would never explain how I grew up all alone. It was a strange sight. The father who I never knew, dead right before me. His greyed Kirin pelt was dried and scarred with age. His face was peaceful, as if he parted in his sleep. Maybe he did. But I don't recall seeing him.

Such strange feelings overwhelmed me. The feeling of sadness, pity, and anger. It's hard to be angry at a dead man. But I still regretted the fact that I never knew him. I could have searched for him all my life, but instead I stayed in my area and gathered my intellect. I was surprised to find tears rolling down my cheeks. I never knew him, but he was still my father. Pretty soon I found the squirrels rubbing against my legs to comfort me. That only made it worse. I fell, and wept.

I told him goodbye. Or, at least I tried. I thought he deserved a try from me. I'm not too sad about it. I'm not that attached to him. How could I be? That was the... second time I had seen him in my life. His death didn't mean a lot to me. But it was still heartbreaking.

The next night, I wandered through the Dream Realm. The night was very misty, which isn't very good in the Dream Realm. The mist has very dark and heavy, it was hard to see anything at all. I soon decided to give up and just go back to where I was asleep. There I witnessed a thunderstorm. It did not last very long, a loud crack of thunder managed to wake me. I soon found a proper shelter and went back to sleep.

The nature of the Dream Realm is very peculiar. Storm clouds are snow white, lightning is pitch black. Mist is also dark. But when the mist is hit with the light of lightening, instead of becoming darker, it becomes lighter for a split second. I have never understood this nature, and much preferred the real world.

For some reason, when it was well into the morning, I never awoke. The creatures were back to swarming around me, but nothing seemed to cut me off from my slumber. This also seemed to worry me. This had never happened, but I assumed that I was more tired than usual. I took advantage of this and wandered the Dream Realm at day.

It truly was a sight to behold. The Pond was shimmering with a dull-reddish glow. The lavendar lilypads and blue lotus seemed to add more of a magical feel to it. The Twin Gods statue was very eerie. The stone had been blackened by what seemed to be soot, and it was giving off a fine black smoke. I did not want to go near the thing. The trees, instead of being the blue of midnight, were bathed in a glorious yellow. The Dream Realm of day was so much more different. I felt at peace here. But it all faded away as I soon regained my conciousness.

The Dream Realm never ceases to amaze me. There are so many strange effects to it, light is dark, dark is light, sacred is unholy, everything is inverted. Everything around me is slowed down. I remember once standing still to see the birds fly away, only to see them barely moving at all. It was strange, and almost frightened me. But I suppose you get used to it after a while.

It seems that recent events have left me longing for company more and more. I truly love the tranquility of isolation, but a lifetime is too much for one to handle. I hope to come to sociality very soon, as I cannot take much more of this. But, according to my behavior, this will be easier said than done.

For now, I will stay in hiding.

Ever Wandering,
Vessel