mr. sandman, man me a sand

[marsascending]

Who: sleepy idols
Where: your dreams
When: Night 152

[ hope y'all are having sweet dreams~

because you're getting at least one visitor! ]

Comments

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[Walking up behind her]

I'm sure there's a metaphor hiding in all of this.

[marsascending]

I'd be interested to hear your analysis! Please speak your thought process aloud for the class.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

That would require a bit of cooperation on your part. Willing to toss in an ante?

[marsascending]

Well, this is my classroom, so I make the rules here. But I'll indulge a clever student. It's good to encourage those who are driven.

What do you think I have to wager?

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Yourself, of course. Isn't that the ultimate wager.

Now. Close your eyes.

[marsascending]

Ah, you'll be disappointed. I'll wager my life or my time, but never myself. That's one of the rules I live by. But I might have some things you'd be ve~ry interested in, if you have something to trade in return.

Are you preparing a surprise?

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

...

How do you wager your life but not yourself?

This place makes a mockery of death. But that isn't how the system is actually supposed to work.

[marsascending]

To die for what you believe in, of course. To make your blood the mortar of a surer foundation.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[His facial expression flatlines]

And what do you believe is worth dying for?

[marsascending]

"Freedom" is pithy and a close concept, but not to be removed from restrictions... ah, "self-determination," I think that's how I'd put it.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

So stubbornness. That I can relate to.

What do you accept as an acceptable ante in return?

[marsascending]

Live for spite, die for spite!

I'm sure you don't distribute the full scope of your knowledge to just anyone, as kind as your science demonstrations are. And I am, at heart, deeply curious about anything there is to know.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Careful, Paloma.

I don't mix business with pleasure.

[This is a lie. Mostly.]

You'd have to offer me something of equal value of return, considering the risk. You could be Azzy's favorite pet spy for all I know.

[marsascending]

I've only been here for a handful of days. Even I don't estimate my ability to make my way into anyone's good graces that highly.

Why don't we start a little smaller than staking lives and precious information? You tell me what you think all of this means, and I'll let you ask me a question.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Look into the water.

[Does she have a reflection for 500, Alex?]

[marsascending]

Hmm...?

[ she does indeed have a reflection! the water behaves like actual water, there's just

a lot of it. ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Just checking to make sure you weren't a vampire.

They're all the rage right now.

[marsascending]

What, those Eastern European folk legends?

Stars, no, that'd be unsanitary.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Then you're either a water spirit.

Or you have a fluid, undetermined personality.

Shall I flip a coin to see which one it is?

[marsascending]

Interesting theories. Whichever way you'd like to decide your final guess—I'll not object.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

The latter.

We already have someone who fulfills the former. And Talent Acquisition wouldn't double up without a good reason.

[marsascending]

Ah, who's the water spirit, then?

And do I really seem so changeable, or is that just on the basis of seeing this?

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

You're spiteful. Not petty.

[Like the rest of us.]

There's a difference.

[marsascending]

I wouldn't call myself undetermined, though.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Perhaps that's a poor word choice.

Shall we go with---

Flexible.

Instead?