Caught in the Current (open to multiple)

[fucking_ebay]

Peter's having a fairly ordinary dream -- that is, he's onstage in front of an audience, doing his old Vegas show in the nude, and none of the fire effects are working. He's not actually bothered by the nudity, which his dreaming mind seems to think is just part of the act, but he keeps getting confused about what part they're on. He hasn't rehearsed in weeks, and he's stumbling through all his lines and illusions.

Around the time the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (TM) melts away to be replaced by Central Park, Peter's remembered that he doesn't live in Vegas anymore, and his befuddled mind is well on its way to working out that he's dreaming. He doesn't get a chance to come to his senses and enjoy his shot at lucid dreaming, though, before something goes terribly wrong. This time as the backdrop melts away, there's nothing to replace it. He feels himself being pulled, drawn away somehow -- and, helpless to resist, his sleeping mind is sent spinning off into the ether of the Dreaming. Flailing at nothing, he's carried away -- until, of course, he collides with another mind and finds himself in another person's dream.


[OOC: Peter's been carried off like a twig in a river -- and he's going to smack into a few rocks other minds before the night's through. He can still be naked for the first one if desired. Have at!]

Comments

[fucking_ebay]

Peter may yet live to regret his cavalier attitude toward (or against) higher powers, particularly if Gabriel turns out to really be what he says he is. The question makes him preen a little in anticipation, his clothing shifting to something more like his stage outfit, all black leather and shining metal. He at least doesn't manifest the wig and fake beard, though.

"Magic," he replies smugly.

[wildmage_daine]

"Really?" Daine sits up a bit straighter, interest piqued. This is the first human she's met who's mentioned magic as if it's a real, everyday thing, and she conveniently forgets how terrified he was of her brand of magic in her excitement. "What kind?" she asks eagerly.

[fucking_ebay]

Finally, someone who appreciates his line of work. Peter is more than ready to bask in the attention.

"Stage," he supplies. "Big spectacle stuff -- little bit of escapology, bunch of conjuring, pyrotechnics, that sort of thing."

[wildmage_daine]

'Conjuring' she gets; the other two terms fly over her head. But the word that really catches her attention is 'stage,' and her smile slips a little. "You mean it's for show?" Doesn't mean Peter doesn't have magic - Numair knows sleight-of-hand, and he's a very powerful mage - but it's a bit less impressive than actually doing something useful.

[fucking_ebay]

Peter snorts deeply. "What else would it be for? Not like I was going to spend this long learning it if I couldn't make some money off it."

[wildmage_daine]

Daine stares at him, torn between disbelief and indignation - as if there's really nothing better to do with magic than earn some coin! "If you really have magic, you could use it for plenty of things besides money. You could help folk." Her eyes narrow as it belatedly occurs to her that perhaps fancy tricks are all he can do. There might not be any proper magic involved at all. "Or is it all just sleight-of-hand and trickery?"

[fucking_ebay]

"Help folk?" It's Peter's turn to be incredulous now. How is an illusionist going to use his magic to help people? In a way he has done that -- it was his excessive research into the occult that equipped him and Charley to face down a real vampire -- but that's hardly been the main thrust of his career.

He blinks at her, finally catching on. "Oh, wow. I'm an illusionist," he explains, speaking slowly and condescendingly. "You do realize magic's just a load of bullshit? No such thing as Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, while we're at it."

[wildmage_daine]

Daine lets out an indignant huff. "If you dont have magic, who're you to say if it's real or not? Your tricks might be fake, but my magic is perfectly real, thanks ever so." She folds her arms crossly. "How d'you think I took bear shape?"

[fucking_ebay]

"Uh," Peter lets out the sound with a derisive laugh, and gestures around himself. "Dream? Remember the part where we're sleeping right now?"

So he could be nicer. Well, the universe could have refrained from forcing him into this, and Daine could have stopped the dinosaurs trying to eat him a lot earlier than she did.

[wildmage_daine]

Daine scowls. For someone lucid enough to know he's in a dream, he sure squeaked an awful lot when things got scary - even though he wasn't in any danger. "Well, if it's so easy for anyone to change shape here, why don't you try it?"

In an eye-blink, Daine is a polar bear again. She rears up onto her hind legs and snarls down at Peter. Go ahead.

[fucking_ebay]

"It's your dream--" starts Peter, exasperated. His exasperation quickly evaporates, though, as he's suddenly face to face -- or rather, face to legs -- with a polar bear once more. "Fuck!" he says instead, already scrambling away.

[wildmage_daine]

So? Daine drops to all fours so she can lumber after him, head lowered. If she wasn't so annoyed with him, she might be amused by how easy he is to ruffle under all that smugness. You're dreaming, too.

[fucking_ebay]

"In your head!" he protests, doing a sort of flailing backwards crab walk for a few moments longer before the flight drive truly kicks in and he turns over to half jump, half stagger to his feet and run away properly.

[wildmage_daine]

Oh, no you don't, Daine thinks as he starts to scramble to his feet. She lunges forward before he can build up any steam and swipes his legs out from under him, then plants a paw on his back to prevent him from getting up again. All the more reason for you to mind your manners, she says, her tone surprisingly prim, all things considered - though she spoils the effect somewhat by huffing out an angry breath close enough to ruffle his hair. I'm not an idiot, and you've no business scorning me -" and here she presses down a bit, not enough to really hurt him, but enough to get her point across, "- as if you know more about magic than I do.

[fucking_ebay]

Peter doesn't have any manners; hasn't she noticed? He lets out a yelp as he goes down, immediately trying to speed-crawl away. He's thwarted by an enormous weight pressing down in the middle of his back, pushing the air out of him. Hot breath tickles in his hair and he lets out a whimper as he tries to squirm away from the tooth-filled mouth he knows issued it.

He feels claws pricking through his jacket as the weight increases, and he clutches at the grass as if he can pull himself out from under her paw.

[wildmage_daine]

His sudden silence is a bit puzzling. Daine shifts the paw she'd planted on his back, hooking it around his ribs so she can turn him over. Well, he hasn't fainted or anything. Rather than pin him again, she plants a paw on either side of his skinny frame and glares down at him. Well? she asks none too patiently. What do you have to say for yourself?

[fucking_ebay]

Peter wheezes at her, remembering only now that he shouldn't even need to breathe. He twists, trying to resist being turned over, but ends up on his back anyway with a giant bear staring down at him.

"You've a fucking lunatic," he informs her breathlessly.

[wildmage_daine]

Wrong answer. I am not mad, Daine snarls. Then, coming to a decision, she sits back. Why should she bother having such an unpleasant person in her head? Get out.

[fucking_ebay]

Peter could point out that she's the one who believes in magic and thinks she can really turn into a bear. He could also point out that she's the one who's attacked him a couple times now.

"D'you think I don't want to?" he gripes, pulling himself up into a seated position and, not incidentally, away from her.

[wildmage_daine]

Daine curls her lip, unimpressed. Then why don't you? She reaches out with a paw and gives him an exploratory poke, as if she can shove him out of her dream.

[fucking_ebay]

"Because I don't control it, alright?!" snaps Peter, shuffling away on his rear.

[wildmage_daine]

So I'm stuck with you? That's unacceptable. She watches him scoot away without pursuing him, though she can't help wondering if a more solid swat would force him out of her head, since merely startling him hasn't done the trick.

[fucking_ebay]

"I'm stuck with you, you mean," he says, giving her a wary look.

[wildmage_daine]

No, I don't, Daine sniffs. She, at least, has made an attempt to be polite, unlike Peter. But if neither of them really want him here, at least they're on the same page. She peers at him. What normally wakes you up, when you're dreaming? Falling off a cliff, perhaps? Because that could be arranged.

[fucking_ebay]

"The alarm," says Peter flatly. He stands shakily, brushing grass off himself even though somehow none has stuck to or stained his clothing. "...I don't know what happens if I get hurt in someone else's dream," he admits, reluctant to point out his vulnerability but not liking the way she's looking at him.