In a world where gods and goddesses roam the earth through their avatars, men who can manipulate dreams are both feared and highly regarded because dreams are the domain of deities.
Cobb is feared, both for what he does and because he is cursed by the patron goddess of missions conducted under the cover of darkness. For his dead wife Mal was to be the avatar of this goddess, and the goddess still holds Cobb responsible for the death of his wife.
Saito, however, offers Cobb one last recourse of redemption - to train Ariadne, the avatar of the patron goddess for pathseekers. Afeared that he would lead Ariadne astray as he did Mal, Cobb seeks the assistance of his old friends, Arthur the anchor and Eames the forger. But when Saito's offer turns out to be less for the benefit of the goddess and more for his own earthly reasons, will Ariadne, Cobb and the team be able to survive?
"What are you doing?"
Cobb closes his eyes, counts to ten slowly and turns. It is indeed Ariadne, although she has stripped off her trappings of her office and looks only like a young girl she truly is. But it is with the daring of an avatar that she steps closer to Cobb and repeats her question, "What are you doing?"
"It is not something you need to know," says Cobb, turning away. But Ariadne knocks the braiser out of its hold, spilling sweet smelling herbs across the floor.
"Do not think you can hide in dreams," she threatens, eyes glinting with both emotion and power. "When were you going to tell us about Saito's offer?"
Cobb lowers the tongs, now emptied of their burden. "It is not for the lady to know, since it will not impact your training."
"When I'm about to lose my trainer? I suppose you would trust Arthur or Eames to my education. But I will not, and I forbid you from taking that mission. Saito was wrong to ask that of you."
"Saito is doing this for your benefit too," Cobb argues. "What do you think would happen if the funding of your temple was transferred from Saito to Fischer?"
Ariadne frowns. "I suppose I would see less of Saito. He doesn't deserve to oversee my temple if he dares to intrude on other's dreams."
"But Fischer has ties to the Royal Family. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life divining the future of the nation?"
The crackle of Ariadne's power lessens as she considers that thought, but she still scowls at Cobb. "I will have a say over who I wish to assist."
"That is if the guards even let you see them in the first place."
"You place too much power in the hands of men," said Ariadne. "Assuming what you say is true, why would Fischer release my sponsorship after a dream?"
"Not a dream," says Cobb. He knows he should be more frightened of admitting such blasephemy to an avatar, but after Mal he finds he is afraid of very little. "A vision from the deities." (360 words)
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Inception, RedAR
Cobb is feared, both for what he does and because he is cursed by the patron goddess of missions conducted under the cover of darkness. For his dead wife Mal was to be the avatar of this goddess, and the goddess still holds Cobb responsible for the death of his wife.
Saito, however, offers Cobb one last recourse of redemption - to train Ariadne, the avatar of the patron goddess for pathseekers. Afeared that he would lead Ariadne astray as he did Mal, Cobb seeks the assistance of his old friends, Arthur the anchor and Eames the forger. But when Saito's offer turns out to be less for the benefit of the goddess and more for his own earthly reasons, will Ariadne, Cobb and the team be able to survive?
"What are you doing?"
Cobb closes his eyes, counts to ten slowly and turns. It is indeed Ariadne, although she has stripped off her trappings of her office and looks only like a young girl she truly is. But it is with the daring of an avatar that she steps closer to Cobb and repeats her question, "What are you doing?"
"It is not something you need to know," says Cobb, turning away. But Ariadne knocks the braiser out of its hold, spilling sweet smelling herbs across the floor.
"Do not think you can hide in dreams," she threatens, eyes glinting with both emotion and power. "When were you going to tell us about Saito's offer?"
Cobb lowers the tongs, now emptied of their burden. "It is not for the lady to know, since it will not impact your training."
"When I'm about to lose my trainer? I suppose you would trust Arthur or Eames to my education. But I will not, and I forbid you from taking that mission. Saito was wrong to ask that of you."
"Saito is doing this for your benefit too," Cobb argues. "What do you think would happen if the funding of your temple was transferred from Saito to Fischer?"
Ariadne frowns. "I suppose I would see less of Saito. He doesn't deserve to oversee my temple if he dares to intrude on other's dreams."
"But Fischer has ties to the Royal Family. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life divining the future of the nation?"
The crackle of Ariadne's power lessens as she considers that thought, but she still scowls at Cobb. "I will have a say over who I wish to assist."
"That is if the guards even let you see them in the first place."
"You place too much power in the hands of men," said Ariadne. "Assuming what you say is true, why would Fischer release my sponsorship after a dream?"
"Not a dream," says Cobb. He knows he should be more frightened of admitting such blasephemy to an avatar, but after Mal he finds he is afraid of very little. "A vision from the deities." (360 words)