brink: (Serious | Upset | This secret we have)
Topher Brink ([personal profile] brink) wrote in [community profile] applesaucedream2014-02-01 02:48 am

Hijacked dream party

Tonight's dream party is, unconventionally enough, not organised by the rift, but by Topher!

Thing is, he was sort of supposed to only pull in a few very specific, targeted people, and all of a sudden, this whole lot comes pouring in. See, he's working with someone with the power of ability amplification, making Topher's dream abilities obscenely powerful for tonight, and he's not quite used to it.

The dreamers will find themselves in an old mansion at nighttime. Lots and lots of rooms; several bedrooms and bathrooms of various sizes, studies, library, sitting rooms, kitchen, dining rooms, games/billiards room, even secret passageways... There's a fire roaring in every grate, everything is warmly lit, with lots of dark corners to sneak off to, comfortable couches, plenty of drinks tables. There's also a pervasive feeling that you're safe, that you can relax. That whispered secrets in the dark will be kept. And everyone will feel much less compelled to judge or mock upon hearing those secrets. A night for confessions. All of a sudden, it's hard to resist opening up...

Of course, the dreamers don't know there's someone listening in, seeing everything that goes on, sometimes even manipulating things to go the way he wants. Certain people with psychic/telepathic/dream abilities may eventually cotton on, though. But it'll take a while. But the secrets you tell in the meantime may not remain secrets for that long. Especially if those secrets are useful to certain other important players in the city, quite apart from the two factions our rifties have become familiar with.

[Mod note: Usual dream party rules apply. All players and characters are welcome, current members or no. Characters will remember or forget all dream events at players' discretion. Bear in mind that any events or information shared in this dream will be available to Topher, and, by extension, probably his bosses, such as Beatrice.]
bagropa: (and i place you under onus for it)

[personal profile] bagropa 2014-02-08 08:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Croach makes a sound of greater profundity than but roughly analogous to an Earthen scoff (though, of course, its deeper intricacies would be lost on feeble human hearing). "Do you not perceive the relative stability of the fourth dimension? The obvious absence of fractals? A dream! The concept... is laughable." He makes the sound again, at a frequency several units higher than the first iteration.

"If you are not the Jupiter Spy designated Jib Janeen, then explain the irregularity of your form and..." He struggles for half of a short unit of time to give name to the... to the nameless sense he has of her quiddity. "And your substance." He covers his doubt by adding, emulating her somewhat haughty tone to the best of his ability, "Which I sensed. With my antennae."
theoldgirl: (huh)

[personal profile] theoldgirl 2014-02-09 02:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Well this is suddenly a lot more interesting again, and her eyes widen a little as her disapproval is instantly replaced by even more curiosity. His range of senses is clearly both fascinating and promising. "Are you referring to the relatively linear flow of Time here? I do perceive those things, which is why I prefer to refer to this rather abstract place as a telepathic current. I merely used the term 'dream' because humans and most others are more familiar with that concept."

It's especially surprising that he can somehow sense her real nature even though she can't detect a particularly sophisticated psychic presence in him, but if that's the case she can see why it might confuse and intimidate him, so she's eager to reassure him. "I am a largely incorporeal being, I only take on this form to communicate with others. Within the telepathic current, I can choose if and what form to take. And I certainly mean you no harm."
bagropa: (the greatest quantity)

[personal profile] bagropa 2014-02-09 08:06 pm (UTC)(link)
The aim of Croach's arrow dips slightly - the humanoid stranger is clearly superior to humans in perception - and lowers entirely (in direct contrast to his eyebrows, or their location were he to possess them) when he comprehends her nature. "Bagropa!" The being is clearly in possession of the Force Galactic, and Croach is shamed to have missed it. Stunned, he quickly returns his bow and arrow to their holster.

"I am sorry! I failed to sense the Power Cosmic within you and for it, I have shamed myself and my tribe. I am under onus to you for the insult. And," he adds, certainly not displaying feelings which he would assuredly not designate uncertainty and hope, "I would be under further onus to you, were you to describe the purpose for my presence here. Was I not... where the universe wants me to be?"
theoldgirl: (knows it all)

[personal profile] theoldgirl 2014-02-09 10:41 pm (UTC)(link)
It's good to see the stranger is reasonable enough to cease his hostility at her explanation, and even to apologize. She's really very curious to know what exactly it is he thinks he's sensing in her, though whatever it is, it's suddenly making him rather pleasantly respectful. But then he turns to the unfortunate question of how he got here and she knows she'll need to help him deal with that before satisfying her own curiosity further.

"You did not insult me at all," she assures him, raising her hands with palms facing outwards in a similarly non-threatening gesture. "Most people don't recognize my nature even to the extent that you did, and I'm quite surprised. But I am not responsible for bringing you here." She almost sounds sorry to disappoint him, easily sympathizing with his desire for a purpose and a proper place in the universe. "I'm afraid you were taken by an interdimensional rift, though whether only in mind or also corporeally I can't determine in the telepathic current. This rift has no intentions or purposes that I have been able to discern."
bagropa: (and i place you under onus for it)

[personal profile] bagropa 2014-02-11 09:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Interdimensional rift. Mmhm. Croach's memory of his time with V'Stalu of the Galaxium is incomplete, but he recalls - thanks in part to Sparks' retelling of the events - the incomprehensible (Sparks) manner of his speech when attempting to explain things only truly understandable through contact. He grasps the meaning her words, of course, he has had previous experience with dimensional travel, but he suspects there is something greater beyond his comprehension.

Also, onus.

"That is... unfortunate," he settles on at last, referring to both the perceived lack of information and his questionable presence in the not-dream. "You refer to 'people' - are there others present in this telepathic current? I do not detect any, at least none similar to you. Though my senses behave in an unreliable manner." ... "In this place. As otherwise they do not."
theoldgirl: (hmm books)

[personal profile] theoldgirl 2014-02-11 11:23 pm (UTC)(link)
He seems more stoic about the news than she would have expected, but she definitely prefers that to some kind of emotional outbreak she might have trouble helping with. Perhaps this isn't the first time this has happened to him, or his kind just isn't prone to strong emotions. In any case, she'd be happy to learn more about him.

"That is understandable," she says in reference to his malfunctioning senses, "the telepathic current is difficult to navigate without psychic capabilities." Which she doesn't think he has, but maybe he'd like to correct her on that. "Most of the people here are sleeping human minds, since we are on the planet Earth. But there are also a number of others from various species. Though... none similar to me, no." She tries not to let her dip in mood show. "Would you like me to take you to meet someone else?"
bagropa: (magnificent)

[personal profile] bagropa 2014-02-13 10:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Earth! Croach isn't sure how he was pulled into a telepathic current populated by denizens of Earth, but perhaps that is another answer beyond his understanding. His antennae twitch in curiosity and a small measure of excitement. "Of the humans present, is one of them that recently-presidential-candidate Cactoid Jim?" With a large measure of pride, he adds, "He and I are friends." What? He could be there. You don't know. Maybe they were both brought here to save the day. Actually, maybe... "Or perhaps a human by the name of Sparks Nevada?"
theoldgirl: (thoughtful)

[personal profile] theoldgirl 2014-02-14 12:52 am (UTC)(link)
Her offer was a bit more general than that, so now that he's taken it to ask for specific people, she'll have to disappoint him again. She doesn't look happy about that either. "I'm not familiar with the identity of every mind in the telepathic current. If you share a memory of your friends with me, preferably of their consciousnesses, I could try to find them, but it would be difficult and they aren't likely to have been taken along with you."

It sounds like maybe he doesn't quite understand his situation, though. "Also, 'recently' is a relative term. You are in a different universe from your own, and in the year 2013... by the human Western calendar, if you are familiar with it." She's suddenly realizing that she's actually had rather little practice communicating with beings who aren't human or very versed in humanity. Not that it will be difficult for her, it's just unusual. Which makes it interesting, and she curiously awaits his reaction.
bagropa: (red plains)

[personal profile] bagropa 2014-02-14 01:31 am (UTC)(link)
"If only I have been taken..." Croach shakes his head, unsuccessfully attempting to identify and process several emotions at once. "Bagropa. I do not understand." He paces the small confines of the kitchen, then sits on the strange ceramic chair, a series of movement he has seen Sparks enact when conflicted. He is unsure if it helps. "Have I been transported one thousand Earthen years away from my native time to avert some action that will have far-reaching effects into the future and the universe? I am under further onus to you for your continued explanations, yet I fail to grasp the purpose behind them."

He stands and paces again. The movement always appeared to soothe Sparks' distress - "Distress. Yes. That is the feeling I am experiencing. Bagropa." Did he verbalize that aloud? To the extent that one can produce sound in a telepathic current? Whoops.
theoldgirl: (concerned)

[personal profile] theoldgirl 2014-02-14 06:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah, not quite as stoic as she'd thought, though she doesn't see what's not to understand about her explanation. And that is a very specific reason he assumes for having fallen through the rift. It almost sounds like the sort of thing she does to the Doctor, taking him places where he can try to bring about the most favorable possible time line. By now she has plenty of questions for Croach, but she still wants to help him cope with his situation first.

"My pilot and I have been stranded here for several months, but we are close to making a first attempt at manipulating the rift. If we are successful, we will offer to send back anyone who wishes to return to their home universes before leaving ourselves." That's pretty reassuring, right? But he's behaving a little strange, at least to her understanding, so she takes a few steps into the bathroom to signal that she doesn't intend to leave him to his own devices. "Are you not accustomed to experiencing the feeling of distress?" she asks with a concerned frown. It's just that he seems a little confused about it.
bagropa: (general help)

[personal profile] bagropa 2014-02-14 09:50 pm (UTC)(link)
"I did not intend to vocalize that," Croach admits with some degree of confusion, "or the words that I currently and shall continue to speak. My people are familiar with the concept of emotion, but do not experience them. We are neurophysically more complex than humans and processing such autonomic functions as simple as feelings would be... akin to a human attempting to comprehend the complexity of what you designate a comet bug.

"... I, however, in my experiences with humans, have gained a comprehension of their autonomic functions and thus possess the limited ability to identify the... feelings I experience. I believe I am experiencing distress having been displaced from the humans that I consider... friends." Croach stops, finally, brow furrowing in displeasure. Were he conversing with Sparks Nevada, he might place the marshal under onus for being present to hear that embarrassing admission. As he is however currently conversing with and under onus to the stranger, it would be ineffectual in relieving his shame.
theoldgirl: (attentive)

[personal profile] theoldgirl 2014-02-14 10:29 pm (UTC)(link)
His explanation is both fascinating and a little bit insulting. After all, she is the most complex being around and she experiences plenty of emotions. "I think feelings are rather more complex than you give them credit for," she replies with a note of disapproval, but then has to admit, "...which makes coping with them difficult when one hasn't experienced them to a strong degree for one's entire existence. I can sympathize." Especially recently. Wanting to avoid strong emotions is part of why she's been staying away from people since her fight with Gabriel.

"Perhaps the telepathic current is interfering with your neurological processes? This particular setting feels quite pleasant to me, but the psychic energy responsible for it could very well have a different effect on some species." Which is just unfortunate for him, on top of being taken by the rift, and she feels sorry for him. "Is there something you would find comforting, besides being returned to your friends? I'd like to help."
bagropa: (the greatest quantity)

[personal profile] bagropa 2014-02-14 11:39 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yes," Croach agrees readily, seizing upon an explanation for his unplanned emotional outburst, "Something of this place is unpleasant to two of my twenty-eight senses. I cannot yet identify it." ... "I am certain that, given a larger unit of time, I shall."

He appreciates her attempt at comfort, but he fails to see what would appease him short of returning to G'loot Praktaw. "I am under onus to you for the offer, but I do not require cheering. Though I would inquire as to the presence of exits in this telepathic current? And also why it is shaped like the food preparation area which humans designate a kitchen."
theoldgirl: (knows it all)

[personal profile] theoldgirl 2014-02-15 02:32 am (UTC)(link)
She has to wonder what exactly his experience with humans is, if he's friends with them and is familiar with English and their calendar, but doesn't know what a kitchen looks like. "It's a bathroom, actually," she corrects him helpfully. "Sometimes the telepathic current creates settings shared by many minds, and tonight it is in the form of a human mansion. It can be interesting to explore these settings even though they lack physical substance."

But she can understand why he isn't eager to stay. "The current is similar to a dream in that you leave by waking up. I could likely reach into your mind and awaken you if you can't do it yourself."