The Eurydice Suite, v2.0

by callmearcturus

Summary:

Dream-sharing: a highly illegal little industry in which agents delve into people's dreams, and unearth their deepest secrets and memories.

Within this business, the Strider-Lalondes are known as the best there is — until Dirk Strider gets his fool-ass trapped within the confines of his own subconscious, with his Auto-Responder playing malicious prison warden.

To save him, the best and brightest dreamers in the world will have to form a team. Backed by the token rich friend, lead by the surliest extractor ever bribed out of retirement, haunted by the shade of the latest, greatest agent in the biz, and on the run through a dangerous tiered dream in a hostile mind... It's going to take a miracle to pull this one off.

 

11/11/21: FULLY REVISED WITH A "FIVE YEARS LATER" EPILOGUE

Notes:

• Translation into Українська available: Сюїта Еврідіки 2.0 by Sul_For_Soul

Updated 11/11/21:

 

The Eurydice Suite has now been revised and updated to what I am personally referring to as 2.0. The entire story has gotten a second-pass of editing and rewrites. There is only two actual adjustments made to the events of the story, the rest of the edits are just for polish. It's a LOT of polish though.

There is also now a Five Years Later epilogue, chapter 16. It is just under 12,000 words and touches on almost everyone from the story.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE ORIGINAL 2016 VERSION OF TES: I have saved the original version and put it here for download.

And if you'd like the Official TES OST, you may find it here. It is not a subtle mix, but I'm very happy with it. Great for scream-singing in a car.

 

This story now includes additional art from PapayaParty. The original beautiful art from hwsang is still in place.

 

Please enjoy. More on why the fuck I did this in the chapter 16 note.

Chapter 1: Suite: Duet

Summary:

(or: goddammit only Vriska would be this much of a problem years after her death,
or: Karkat Vantas is not getting paid enough for this shit,
or: Dave Strider and the horrible, terrible, no good, very bad day,
or: I WARNED YOU ABOUT PENROSE STAIRS BRO)

> Dirk: Swallow your goddamn pride and ask for help.

timaeusTestified [TT] began bothering gutsyGumshoe [GG] at 02:16

TT: It happened again.
TT: Dammit, I just realized the time.
TT: Jane, my future depends on you being up at an un-fucking-godly hour of the night marathoning Netflix shows again.
TT: What's the flavor of the week? Elementary? Troll Sherlock? House? Something that doesn't have a thinly veiled reference to a Baker Street?
TT: Let's not get crazy.
TT: Jane, answer me. I can't reach my phone right now.

GG: It was a movie, actually. How dare you cast such aspersions on my viewing habits.

TT: Which movie?

GG: ... RDJ Sherlock Holmes.
GG: Shut up.

TT: Sorry, can't.
TT: I need help.

GG: Oh god, what happened?
GG: Dirk?

TT: He fucking did it again.
TT: I was a level down, and he convinced me I was awake. I believed him because I'm a fucking idiot when I'm dreaming alone.

GG: Oh my god.
GG: What do you want to do?

TT: I'm not sure. Right now, I just don't want to fall asleep.
TT: I had to boot myself out of the dream early, and there's still a lot of somnacin in my system.
TT: If I so much as sneeze too hard, I'm gonna pass out and be right back in his clutches.
TT: Jane, what the hell do I do?

GG: You need to tell the others.
GG: Dave and Roxy especially.
GG: Though Roxy is still on her way back from the Amsterdam gig. Rose is visiting Dave down south.

TT: Are they working a job?
TT: I am not distracting them from their work with this. It's my own fault.

GG: No, they're not scheduled for anything. Also... that implies you might finally be considering this.
GG: Getting AR out of your head.
GG: Dirk?
GG: Did you pass out, Dirk?

TT: No.
TT: I need help.
TT: I can't believe I am saying this.
TT: Jane Crocker, you are my only hope. Please come pick up my fool ass and haul me off to my family before my fucking subconscious tricks me into offing myself like the amoral sadistic shithead that he is.

GG: I am pausing on Jude Law's amazing mustache, and I am getting in my car.
GG: Dirk, it's going to be all right.
GG: We are the best in the business, and we will get that jerk and throw him into the subconscious slammer!

TT: From your lips to the ears of every deity of nightmares and dreams.
TT: I'm in the room under the garage, through the trapdoor. Just come get me. I'm going to try to stay awake.

GG: I'm coming.
GG: Everything's going to be okay.
GG: I'll be there in an hour and a half.

TT: Drive fast.

timaeusTestified [TT] ceased bothering gutsyGumshoe [GG] at 02:54