Dreamwalking [open to multiple]

[brink]

Topher is dreamwalking. It's a trick he picked up when he came through the rift in San Francisco, and he's gotten quite good at it since then. He's not quite able to pick a specific dreamer's mind yet, but he's learnt how to visit only those who've been significantly affected by the rift, either by coming through it, or being changed by it.

He jumps from one mind to another, looking for rifties he hasn't met, at least not in dreams. These days he barely sleeps at all without jumping from mind to mind, perhaps because he's lonely. Christmas hadn't exactly helped.

Some people will barely notice he's there, but there are those who do, who recognise him as an outside element rather than a figment of their own mind. Having a certain amount of control over his avatar while in dreams, he chooses to appear as a hooded ranger, straight out of a fantasy novel. Mostly because he thinks it looks badass, and stops him from being recognised easily.

[OOC: Anyone feel free to make a thread with their character asleep and dreaming, and suddenly having Topher appear in their head. Whether they'll be lucid or not, or what they're dreaming about, is up to you.]

Comments

[fucking_ebay]

Peter looks around a bit frantically, catching visions of familiar things out of the corners of his eyes, only for them to disappear as soon as he tries to focus on them. Gone are the green hills and the strippers, and he's unable to take comfort in the fact that the vampires are gone as well due to the fact that he's starting to spot hints of those out of the corners of his eyes, too, now that his adrenaline is spiking once more.

"Stop it," he says, meaning to sound demanding and harsh, but coming out sounding worried. He fixes his gaze on Topher once more, and tries harder to dredge up an imposing air. "Get the fuck out of my head!"

[brink]

"Oh, don't worry, I will. I'd just like the answer to few questions first," Topher answers, clearly not intimated whatsoever. "Answer me honestly and I'll be out of your hair. Well, head. Where are you from, Peter? Before you came through the rift?"

[fucking_ebay]

"The land of none of your fucking business," growls Peter in reply, trying to concentrate and bring back the wilderness -- or maybe the strip club. He can make flashes of...something show up in his peripheral vision, but the white fog still overcomes everything.

"Las Vegas," he snaps after a few moments more of that. His accent doesn't match Vegas even in his dreams, but Topher did ask where he'd come from before the rift, not where he was from originally.

[brink]

It's not so easy, manipulating the dream environment without practice. And a normal human (currently assuming Peter is one) probably won't get as good at it as Topher is, even with some experience. He can tell that Peter's trying, though.

He can also tell Peter isn't lying, feeling it like an energy in the air, or what passes for air. Lying in the dreaming is different than lying in meatspace. There's other things you have to fake besides body language, and Topher has gotten used to picking up on the tells, and it doesn't seem like Peter would be used to having to hide them.

He takes the opportunity while Peter is thinking about where he's from, and makes the surroundings change to the location in Peter's mind. A posh, roomy apartment of dark stone and glass materialises around them.

"It's quite nice," he comments, looking around and nodding appreciatively.

[fucking_ebay]

What's frightening is that it's so hard for him to control what's in his own head when this stranger can show up and apparently do whatever he likes. He scowls at the other man, trying to hide the wave of self-pity and longing that rises in him at the sight of his old place. It would be convincing in meatspace.

"Yes, very clever," he spits, not realizing that his clothing has changed to the lounge wear he was accustomed to wearing in this place. It doesn't leave much to the imagination. He's more relieved than he'll admit to be out of the fog, though now he's trying his hardest not to think of other things from home.

[brink]

Not whatever he likes, but quite a lot. With people with stronger mental barriers it's much more difficult for Topher to affect their minds, but Peter doesn't seem too accustomed to psychic and mental invasion.

"Nice outfit," Topher comments, though he keeps most of the amusement out of his voice. Mostly out of respect given the emotions he can feel subtly emanating from Peter. "Did you have this place to yourself?" he asks. The dreamspace is still quite open to Peter's influence and thoughts.

[fucking_ebay]

It seems like Topher can do anything; it's not like Peter's been able to resist him so far. He utterly fails to show any shame -- or any emotion other than mild surprise -- when Topher points out his outfit and he glances down at himself to see what he's wearing.

"Yes," he lies sharply -- and there's exactly the thought he was trying not to think. He tries to block it out, but it's too late.

"Only because none of his groupies would come back a second time, after they couldn't find his little prick," says Ginger. Her image is hazy as she lounges in the doorway. "I always had to use a magnifying glass."

[brink]

Topher senses that it's a lie, and it becomes quite obvious when the woman appears. Letting the place be more open to Peter's subconscious might've been a good idea, since it seems to be betraying him.

Though her manner is not exactly friendly or flattering, Topher picks up on what he thinks is sadness and longing at her appearance.

"Do you miss her?" he asks, his voice suddenly much more soft and sympathetic. His intimidating air is all but gone. While of course he still potentionally poses a threat, the feeling he is giving off now is trustworthyness. He's not sure it will work, but it's worth a try.

[fucking_ebay]

"I need a drink," says Peter flatly, turning and stalking away to the bar. It's fully stocked, everything where it should be, but Peter takes no comfort in that. He pauses with a bottle in hand, remembering that it's only a dream and he can't actually drink the pain away. Probably. Best try anyway.

He leans against the bar and stares at Ginger, who looks around a moment as if trying to figure out what he's looking at, then casually flips him off. "Yes," says Peter at last, quietly.

[brink]

Well, it being in his mind and everything, it's not unlikely it will have a placebo effect, given this entire place is basically placebo.

The fact Peter doesn't bother to lie this time, even in person, convinces Topher this is a conversation he'd rather have in person. His disguise fades away, and is replaced by how Topher would look on a regular day in meatspace, looking sympathetic and vaguely sad.

"I'm sorry," he offers.

[fucking_ebay]

Peter downs his first placebo without much enthusiasm, and pours a second. He arches an eyebrow at Topher -- another time, he might have laughed at the man's dweeby appearance. He lets out a mirthless chuckle instead.

"Why should you care?" he asks bitterly.

Ginger rolls her eyes and speaks to Topher. "Don't even bother; I'm pretty sure it's his time of the month again already."

[brink]

"You're not the only one with someone to miss," Topher answers, ignoring Ginger for right now. He's not about to go into details exactly, but he'll share hints.

It occurs to him, however, that talking to Ginger might be a good way to talk directly to Peter's subconscious, albeit seen through a filter. "Why vampires?" he asks, just as much to Ginger as to Peter.

[fucking_ebay]

Of course -- Topher has the ability to remain vague and keep his secrets, while Peter's going to end up baring all if Topher keeps pressing. He frowns, but doesn't offer his sympathy -- none of this was ever the dreamwalker's business.

"Don't," he says sharply to Ginger, seeing her open her mouth to reply. She pouts, pointedly turning her attention away from him. "Why do you think?" she asks, flicking her hair away from her face. Peter's stomach lurches as her appearance shifts, blood dribbling down her nightshirt from the jagged, raw hole in her throat.

[brink]

While it's Peter's role in the city that's more important to Topher, he's curious and interfering enough to press.

It's not a pleasant surprise when the woman changes appearance. The meaning is obvious. So Peter was already missing her before he came her, it's not just that he can't go back to his home universe. Topher can empathise quite easily with that.

Topher doesn't imagine either of them really wants to see her like that, so Topher wills her away completely. Even the puddle of blood at her feet disappears.

[fucking_ebay]

What, did Topher think they were metaphorical vampires? No such luck. Peter's a bit more literal than that.

It hurts to see Ginger go again -- though it's also a relief, a fact that also hurts. "Fucking cow," he mutters to himself under his breath to make himself feel better. Of course she'd show that to this stranger. Out loud, he says, "Happy now? Saw what you came to see?"

[brink]

Topher doesn't answer for a moment, considering how to proceed. It was always so much easier to get information out of people when you could just scan their brain. Didn't provide you with such up-close gruesome sights, either. Topher himself has very distinct memories of various people getting cut up in front of him. He realises he himself is sending off a very troubled and angsty vibe, and blocks it off immediately.

"No," he answers finally. "It's more important to me what you're doing in the city, not before you got here. Whose shelter have you sought?"

[fucking_ebay]

They can just feed right into each other now, huh? Sorry, Topher, probe too deep into someone's brain and you're likely to see something you would rather not have seen.

Peter watches the other man from where he still stands at the bar, pouring himself another placebo. He wants to feel vindictive when he realizes that some of the pain in the air isn't his, but mostly he just feels bitter and empty.

At the question, he sets his jaw and glares at Topher. "Get. Out."

[brink]

Topher considers pressing the matter, but decides not to. Probably won't be fruitful. Better to come back to Peter later, if he really needs to know, sometime when he's more open and not so spooked and angry.

"As you wish," he answers, and without another word he fades away, leaving Peter's mind completely.

[fucking_ebay]

Dreams thoroughly disrupted, Peter sits a while in the empty apartment, unable to change it to anything different. Eventually he'll either wake up or drift into a new dream.