What's Stopping Us From Breathing Easy [Open to All]

[applesaucemod]

Dreamers of Manhattan, you've lucked out. Rather than finding yourselves in some kind of dystopian nightmare, you'll end up in a series of formal gardens on a lovely day, the air filled with birdsong and a cloud-scattered sky arching overhead. Some of the gardens look a bit wilder than others, in an artful sort of way, but it's clear that all of the gardens are well kept and frequently tended. Aside from each other, dreamers aren't likely to run into any creature larger than a rabbit. True, there are no actual exits - every doorway or arbor leads to another garden - but that's hardly a problem. It's beautiful, it's safe... what could go wrong?

Well, that depends on the dreamer's honesty. No uncomfortable truths will drop unbidden from anyone's mouths like last time, but the dreamers will find that any time they attempt to lie or prevaricate, they'll be beset by a sneezing fit. A tiny lie by omission might only prompt that uncomfortable feeling of an impending sneeze; a larger, more significant (or more stubborn) fib will lead to a sneeze attack so crippling that the dreamer might just need to sit down for a minute.

You could try to pass it off as allergies, if you could get the words out without making everything worse. But while telling the truth is not compulsory, lying is punishable - and pretty well obscured - by sneezes.

[OOC: Usual dream party rules apply. All are welcome to participate regardless of whether they've been apped in the game or not. Dreamers can remember or forget the events of the dream at the players' discretion.]

Comments

[deadeyedchild]

Yeah, well. He hopes so too.

He's not sure how to respond to her next remark. He raises an eyebrow at her. That sounds like something he can't possibly help her with.

"That's... nice?" he says slowly. And then, because he can't actually leave it alone: "I mean... I don't know that you can really write that down. It's... subjective."

[ecks]

"No," she says, not particularly bothered by his objection to the concept. No one else has yet proven willing to use her book, but once it's complete things will be different. "It can't be. There have always been rules; we only need to find the right rules. If I write rules that are good and complete, then I'll always know what I should do."

[deadeyedchild]

"I..." Jay narrows his eyes slowly. "I don't think that's..."

Is this really a fight he wants to pick?

He raises his hands slowly. "Look, good luck with that," he says flatly. "I should probably go. Okay?"

He's not quite sure why he's asking permission.

[ecks]

"Okay?" she parrots back at him, unsure of the meaning. If he must go, he must go, though it's disappointing to lose a new friend so soon. He doesn't even appear to be a murderer. "Can you tell me how to return home from here before you go?" she asks.

[deadeyedchild]

"I..." He hesitates. "I don't kn-"

He feels the sudden intense itch of a sneeze and cuts himself off irritably. "You just have to wait," he says, "until we all wake up."

Well. Apparently that's the truth. Comforting.

[ecks]

"Oh. I can do that." It's a pleasantly simple instruction, if somewhat unsatisfying. And harmless, as far as she can tell. She glances around, then back at him. "Where should I wait?"

[deadeyedchild]

"Anywhere?" he says with an exasperated shrug. "I don't care."

Oh, hey, that's true too.

So, he's a little bit of an asshole. It's not news to him.

"I'm gonna go," he says a little more firmly, and turns away.

[ecks]

That doesn't help her, but it doesn't hinder her, either. She nods slowly. Anywhere. Doesn't matter. She could go exploring. She could wait right here. She could go anywhere.

She stands stock still and stares at him as he turns to walk away.