PIZZA PARTY ~ open

[asap]

WHO || Andie and OPEN
WHAT || Andie is having a buttload of pizza and playing video games. Join her!
WHERE || Video game room, the Castle
WHEN || idk today (3/16)
HOW || action spam
♬ Rainbow Bridge - Kirby Krackle

[Andie ordered a dozen large pizzas from the closest pizza place and ran them back to the castle so she could feast. It was a lot, even for her metabolism, but hell, she could snack for a while, and this way she could even share if someone cool showed up. Anyway, it was on the knight's budget. Totally legit.

She took it to the TV room and stacked up the pizza boxes on the floor next to her. After devouring one of them, she picked up two of the controllers and started Mario Kart. Playing both at the same time was tricky, even with her attention span, but she didn't do too badly (concentration 12, use computer 15). But she was booooored. After almost thirty seconds of this, she stood up and started zooming through the castle, going from room to room in the squire section and knocking on doors, more or less at random.

When someone answers, she beams and gives a wave.]

Hi! Pizza party? Pizza and video games? Should be awesome!

Comments

[bittersweeter]

Oh. That... sucks. [She affects a little pout before going back to that other question. It comes out a little distracted, though, like she's not thinking about it much. Which is true, she's still stuck on that club of awesome.]

But yeah, I control what they see, hear, taste, touch... say, think, feel. Do. I bet it would be safe with amulets, the club. One shot deal, but -- just a thought.

[rationalizes]

There's still a great deal we don't understand about the magic behind it. It's owned by an aasimar: a direct descendant of Sehanine Moonbow, elven goddess of dreams, which undoubtedly figures in somehow.

But there's a certain illicit aspect to it... Patrons purchase very expensive pills that lead them to the location when they sleep, and they spend an evening doing whatever they wish to do, only to have it wiped from their minds when they wake, left with only vague recollections that disappear the more one tries to grasp at them, just like a dream.

[bittersweeter]

[Dream drugs. That's like easy access. Seething jealousy, Lila has it.]

So they drug themselves and then let people mess with their dreams for, what, the contact high? That they don't even remember? Wow. People are stupid.

[rationalizes]

They seem to enjoy the idea that it's consequence free. In theory, they could do anything they wished, and never have to live with the guilt.

[bittersweeter]

Someone has to be orchestrating the dreams though. [Absently:] Or... supplying the work to feed into the pills. The blowback from that must be hell.

[rationalizes]

According to the woman who owns the club, all of that is handled by a group of men collectively referred to as the "Dream Makers", though we've yet to establish anything about them beside their existence.

[ a beat ] I don't believe I'm familiar with the term 'blowback'.

[bittersweeter]

Blowback is... [Huff, not something Lila actually likes to talk about.] You know the saying "all magic comes with a price"? Blowback is the price. Like, death workers can kill someone with a touch, but it kills a part of them too. It can be just a tooth, or a finger, but some people are really unlucky.

[rationalizes]

I thought that axiom only applied to, er, well... dark magic. [ awkward ]

[bittersweeter]

[She waves a hand, she doesn't give any shits.] Not in this case. Physical workers can cure cancer and stop Alzheimer's but their blowback could cripple them. Or it could give them a mild headache. Work isn't inherently good or evil, blowback is equal opportunity.

[rationalizes]

And you suffer from this as well?

[bittersweeter]

Uh-huh.

[rationalizes]

I hope this isn't terribly rude but... may I ask what form yours takes? I find the idea quite fascinating, really.

[bittersweeter]

I don't sleep.

[rationalizes]

Ever? Not even a short trance state, as elves do?

[bittersweeter]

Sometimes I manage a few minutes. I can rest, but sleep... doesn't happen. Theoretically, I guess if I didn't work anyone for a long time I would be able to manage something longer, but it hasn't come up.

[rationalizes]

Have you tried medical means of getting to sleep?

[bittersweeter]

Yeah. They work, I just don't like them.

[rationalizes]

Side effects?

[bittersweeter]

[She shakes her head.] I don't like the feeling of being drugged.

[rationalizes]

What if someone could invent a sleep aid without that sensation?

[bittersweeter]

I would have to buy less concealer.

[rationalizes]

Our scientists would enjoy the challenge.

I know I would.

[bittersweeter]

[Shruuug. So nonchalant, but lbr she's so excited by the idea. Imagine being well rested for once. Lila can remember twice, vividly, but that's it.]

Would I need to... do anything?

[rationalizes]

It might require some study of your brain chemistry. Nothing as invasive as that sounds, however.

[bittersweeter]

I've had brain scans done before. They're pretty common where I come from, it's how they pinpoint workers.