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With school and studies finally finished, Seal's Eye had every intention of returning to his waters to continue with his cosmic appointed task, more determined than ever to protect the dreams of the innocent. Unfortunately, not everything had gone according to the plan he'd been mapping out for months prior...namely due to the sudden appearance of a young, startling gorgeous woman in his life.

Aurora Willows had quickly carved a place into his whimsical heart, the girl's sweet nature and beautiful spirit keeping him enthralled and engaged, both emotionally and mentally. It had been far too long since he'd had a relationship to commit to and he would be damned before he'd allow such a wonderful person to slip through his fingers due to neglect.

That being said, having a new significant other in one's life tended to take a toll in the other tasks - secret tasks - that he was supposed to be mindful of. With her inability to text frequently, evenings that weren't spent out and about were devoted to dream guarding until the morning hours; the Guardian was even elated in his task, now that his heart had even more reason to sing.

Tonight, he'd bid his fair darling an early goodnight, excusing himself to prepare for a job interview the next day. Granted, he did have one to prepare for... but that wasn't until much later in the afternoon. The details weren't important and it wasn't exactly a lie.

No, he needed to sift through the dreams, to banish the encroaching nightmares and ensure that all those that were fortunate enough to dream of water would also spend an equally serene evening, alongside him and his incredibly wonderful mood.

So, with a smile on his face and happiness in his heart, the young man's legs slowly sank into the water as his hands moved out to filter through the various dreams.

"Looking for someone?"

Amusement played across his face and his voice couldn't hide the humor as he watched the young woman peer out into the waters before them. A beach scene - leave it up to the fair Lady to come up with something different, every time they met.

Arms crossed over his chest as his head tilted, sandy blonde ponytail tumbling down across his chest as his earring swayed. He continued to grin, noting she was feeling comfortable enough to remove her accessories, though...

Eyes narrowed as he stared at the boots, then towards their owner. Something was different. Had she altered her appearance?

Resisting a dream of the fair Lady Hydra was impossible, he'd come to find. There were a certain few that he'd leap at the chance to join in their dreams, the teal haired beauty being one of them. Had she missed him in his absence? Had she noticed he was gone at all?


Of course she had.... right?

"I appreciate your generosity in providing us with actual land this time, my Lady." His tease was lighthearted as Seal's Eye too, bent down and removed his sandals with a slip of a finger. His gloves remained on, however - habit, it would seem. "Though I fear seals prefer colder climates before making their way onto land. If you're waiting on a slippery friend, you may be waiting a while."

Eyes lit up as the senshi turned and quickly scrambled her way over to him. Sand was kicked back, hair went flying as feet ran forward, giving him barely enough time to open his arms to the embrace of all that was Hydra.

He was used to hugs. Ara hugged him, Giulia hugged him. The children he visited in dreams tended to cling to him for support - not that he minded it, of course - but having the fully grown woman press against him sent his heart pounding. Breath hitching, arms instinctively encircled themselves around her, closing the embrace as he stole the pleasant scent from her hair. His cheek felt the soft waves of teal and without a second thought, he squeezed her tightly, just as she'd squeezed his heart by her answer.

You. I was looking for you.

As she pulled away, he loosened his embrace, fingers lingering on her waist as she began toying with his earring as a kitten would with a bauble. Her fascination entranced him - then again, it always had.

One hand rose to absentmindedly brush the wisps from her face, tucking in the wayward strands behind her ear as his gaze fell upon the chasm on her forehead. "I'd much rather visit you like this than as a seal, but if you'd prefer the other way around, I can make proper arrangements."


Finally, his hands released her, one moving out to boldly take hold of hers as he began leading them down the shoreline. He didn't mind the beach - in fact, he made a point to one day show her his beach, back on Elysion. Perhaps she would take as much delight in it, as he did?

"Sadly, there have been other dreams I've been called to attend to, my Lady," he answered quietly, half-honestly. Sure, he'd been paying mind to other dreams, but he'd also been paying mind to the likes of Aurora, in the waking world, "But it seems you have fared well, in my absence?"

He grinned as she fumbled over her words, the smaller hand in his glove squeezing on to his fingers as if begging for him to never let go. His fingers squeezed hers back, reassuring her that he had no intentions of releasing her free - not yet at least.

"It's okay to be selfish, my Lady." He told her, matter-of-factly. "I admit, I would feel betrayed if you were to find yourself spending more time with any of the other Guardians."

It was true, in all honesty. The thought of any of his friends, Hydra especially, turning away to spend more time with Quail or Leopard... well, it didn't sit well with him and the thought expressed itself across his face as lips wavered into a thin line for the briefest of moments. As Aurora had yet to dream of anything water-related, he could only assume that she was under the guardianship of someone else and that thought alone sent a prickle down the nape of his neck. Could Leopard be dazzling his beloved with his prowess? Or Quail, with his cuteness?

A sudden idea perked the line back into a smile, banishing the bitter thoughts away for the moment. He mused aloud for them both to hear, keeping a mindful watch on her reaction.

"Though, you know...we don't have to keep meeting like this. I mean, in dreams."

She didn't know he...

Straightening up his shoulders, the Dream Guardian pursed his lips and furrowed his eyebrows. It was hard, suppressing the grin he wanted to show, but this faux serious moment called for a faux serious expression.

"You assumed that I moved from dream to dream and that my existence was based on that?"

Well... the thought wasn't too far fetched, really, but the notion amused him all the same. "As pleasant a thought as that may be, I am still a man, Lady Hydra, and a man cannot survive off dreams alone."

Turning towards her, his hand reached out to take her other as it gestured around in the air. Squeezing both of them tightly, he lifted them up to the level of his chest and bumped them quietly together. He wasn't giving her the option, now - they were going to meet. If anything, to prove that he was a living, breathing individual, much like the friends she'd spoken about in their past encounters.

"Where would you like to meet, my Lady?"

His heart thumped in his chest, Seal's Eye knowing full well that he was inviting himself into a potential situation by arranging a meeting with a member of the Negaverse. But, despite the tell-tale holes in her chest and forehead, she was first Hydra in Seal's eyes, then a member of the Negaverse. In all of their talks, she had never tried to pry any secrets or information out of him. Instead, she chose to reveal her own worries and woes, her passions and her desires. The two had traded thoughts and dreams like friends did - not potential enemies.

But... if she was choosing to lay a trap, he willingly put his fate in her hands.

"Pick a place - any place - and I'll be there."

The fountain. Central park.

His eyes fell to his wrist, as if he were wearing a watch. When had he left Aurora, earlier? Had it been seven or had it been eight? And how long of sifting through dreams had he spent?

At best guess, it was close to ten, perhaps even inching its way towards eleven. Probably far, far too late to do anything about it now.

Probably.

Blue eyes gazed into teal ones, the excitement of the moment bubbling up within his own chest. If he were a responsible Guardian, he would put an end to this proposition now, instead of going along with this crazy thought of pulling a dreamer out and meeting them. A Negaverse dreamer. Then again, he'd been the one to suggest the meeting in the first place.

Allowing one hand to free itself from hers, gloved fingers rose as he moved to gently brush his thumb against the dark crater on her forehead. Hydra had been more than kind to him, over the past several months. Half year, even. Despite her alignment, it had grown far too easy to trust in the young girl, who'd happily chattered with him until morning, if the dream allowed for it. Was he really prepared to break them free from their realm of dreams and bring this friendship into reality?

He hesitated, then smiled.

"How about... now?"

Tapping her forehead gently, the Dream Guardian did what he only performed during the worst of dreamers' nightmares.

He woke his dreamer.

Seal's Eye had arrived minutes earlier, already a member of the waking world while his friend had been forced to rise from her slumber. He'd found a secluded place among the trees to lurk, watching the fountain with earnest until a teal haired beauty appeared out of thin air, glancing around until she took her seat alongside the fountain's edge.

The aura was startling, to say the least, a constant reminder of her allegiance. It was stronger than he'd expected it to be, but still...

In the dream world, she was a face and a voice, easily manipulated by her own imagination. She had no tail or dream powers in this world and yet she still had the allure of a siren, beckoning him towards her.

Stepping out from the shadows, gloves moved up to straighten his tunic as sandals drew him forward, eyes carefully watching her every move. The air smelled sweetly of the dogwood blossoms hanging above, but they held little distraction for him.

The sound of sandals crunching under pebbles was only accompanied by the soft trickle of the large fountain. He paused, still yards away from where she sat, as his arms fell down to his sides.

His voice was soft, but strong enough to carry.

"Is this real enough for you, my Lady?"

It was one thing to meet in dreams, but as her arms found their way around his neck in the real world, he felt his breath hitch at her sudden proximity.

His own arms hesitated for a brief moment, before finally closing in around her and sealing in the hug. It wasn't like their hugs weren't real in the dream world... it was just... extremely real now, with no dream barriers, no magical buffers. He couldn't turn the tide or create a world for her in this realm, just as she couldn't drift away as the morning hours drew near.

She was there, she was real and she was in his arms.

Finding himself overwhelmed, he was quiet at first, gently rocking the both of them from side to side as his mind registered what he had done by bringing their dream meetings into the next world. There was no going back, not now, not ever.

Glancing down at her expression, she beamed nothing but happiness and awe. He hadn't been real to her, not until this very moment. A figment of her imagination brought to life, now a tangible being with his own heart, his own hopes, his own dreams.

Leaning down, he pressed a kiss against her forehead before drawing her in for a tighter hug and a soft laugh before stepping back and gripping both hands, just as he'd done in her dream.

"After all this time, did you never once believe it was possible for something to come true, out of all of your dreams?"