Universal Remote [Open to All]

[applesaucemod]

Here's an interesting scene: the dreamers of Manhattan are on a pirate ship. Or perhaps they're standing in a busy ER, wearing scrubs and holding a scalpel they may or may not know how to use. Or perhaps they've found themselves in the middle of a world cup championship game, or an old-fashioned highway robbery, or an interstellar dogfight, or a dramatic, 'unscripted' showdown between arguably attractive people they've never seen before in their lives.

Whatever the situation, rest assured: it probably won't last long.

Maybe the Rift is bored. That might explain why the dream keeps changing, as if someone were idly flicking through the channels and switching up the genre. The poor dreamers are just along for the ride, the only constant amidst a shifting array of scenery, clothing, and overall mood. Perhaps, if things are sufficiently interesting, the dream might settle a little to see how things play out. But given the Rift's definition of 'interesting,' that might not be a good thing for whoever is providing the entertainment.

[OOC: the usual dream party rules apply. All are welcome, regardless of whether they're in the game or not. Dreamers can remember or forget the events of the dream at the players' discretion. Dreamers' clothes may change to reflect whatever scene they're in, but their memories and personalities will remain intact... though the overall mood of the setting might influence their mood, as well. Feel free to throw NPCs into whatever scene you find yourself in, with bonus points added if said characters treat the dreamers as if they're established parts of the 'canon.']

Comments

[singthesong]

One person, at least, doesn't seem overly thrilled by all this.

The Balladeer's been taking the dream shifts in stride, and he doesn't mind crowds. Cheering crowds, though? Finding himself in one of those without explanation puts him off a little. What exactly are they clapping for? This doesn't seem the right setting for an execution, but he slips through the press of people anyway, murmuring half-apologies until he can get a good view of the object of attention.

This turns out to be a mostly-nude and very unhappy-looking woman.

He winces in sympathy. It quickly turns to disgust as he pushes his way through the rest of the crowd. Look, he's met some lynch mobs he could get behind, but this? Honestly! "Okay, move along!" he calls, projecting his voice easily over the noise. "I know it's hard to act like decent people sometimes, but I believe in you!"

[shynotstupid]

Beka looks at the stranger for a moment as though he's a handsome hero of old, come to save her from the evil dragon. Then she sets her jaw and examines him professionally, setting every detail carefully in her memory.

"About your business," she calls sternly to the crowd, though she was glad to have someone diverting attention.

[singthesong]

The Balladeer is tall and lanky, and carries himself with much more confidence than actual authority. In general he's not used to giving orders, much less having them followed. Telling people off comes natural though, and he peers down his nose at a few men in perfect disdain as he moves to the woman's side.

"You okay?" He looks curiously at her for a second. She doesn't strike him as a dream character, but he can't think that he's seen her in Manhattan. A newcomer? "Maybe we should, um - " Does she have this dirty guy's hands tied? " - go somewhere else."

The dream will likely shift someplace else in a few minutes anyway, but there's no reason to stand out in the street.

[shynotstupid]

She shifts defensively as he comes near, one hand gripped to the binds on the adoring criminal's wrists, one hand on the handle of her lead-weighted baton.

"Jane Street Kennel is the closest. He can spend a night in the cells there."

So she says, but they definitely aren't in Corus, much less the lower city.

[singthesong]

The Balladeer turns to scan the streets. "Okay..." His tone's uncertain, but he doesn't know this place. Maybe they really are wherever she thinks they are.

On second thought it seems obvious she's just arrested the guy. People don't normally carry restraints on them. Is that a trapping of the dream or does she actually do that in real life? He's not sure she realizes the nature of this, but he nods anyway. They can talk once they've dropped this person off wherever he needs to be. "Sounds good."

Lead the way, lady-who-knows-where-we-are.

[shynotstupid]

She starts off in the direction her body tells her the kennel is in, and the dream takes them with no more effort straight to... an NYPD station. Thankfully Beka is clothed now, but not in the uniform of the Provost's Guard: she's wearing a full New York police uniform, complete with gun.

She stops now, her prisoner trailing her like a tired puppy, to stare wide-eyed at the bustling police station around her. She looks to the stranger for answers.

"This isn't Jane Street."

[singthesong]

Okay, this is starting to look a little more recognizable to him. The Balladeer was quietly following the pair along, most of his attention on their surroundings as he tried to work out the current theme. That's important; things kept leaping out at him in the other ones. He'd like to know what to brace for.

At the comment, though, he shakes his head. "There's no Jane Street here. Looks like we're back in Manhattan for now." She totally knows about Manhattan, right?

[shynotstupid]

To the contrary, it's starting to look less recognizable to Beka.

"Where is Manhattan?"

[singthesong]

"It's..." Has she never been there? This just got more complicated. It's not enough to deter the Balladeer though, so he just charges ahead conversationally.

"It's a city in New York. I live there now. Listen, I probably should have led with this, but this is all a dream."