limacharlie | 144.98750 Public Channel [Day 63]

Entry tags:

144.98750 Public Channel [Day 63]

Hey, guys? Anyone -- I hope you still have your radios...

[Ash sounds worried to the point of frantic, barely keeping her alarm and panic covered under a veneer of anxiety.]

Listen, something's really wrong here. Have you guys actually talked with anyone else? It's scary as hell, guys, they're hollow, it's like their brains have just shut down -- they're running for kicks and thrills like they're the only thing that matters. I mean I know all the drugs and stuff here can have that effect, but it's not just the junkies. And some of you all are scaring the hell out of me too just from what I've seen...

This place isn't safe. We're not safe here. It's too much pleasure and it might even be more than that. Pull out, guys. Please, now.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Ash gets the feeling that 'competent magician' is a big compliment from Strange. And if it isn't, don't tell her otherwise, because it pleases her quite a bit.]

I don't really use outside sources for my magic, though... and maybe here, given what the local effect is, it isn't a good idea.

[ It is totally a compliment. He only knows like two other magicians and one of them barely counts as competent in his mind. ]

I don't know...I think if we limit our outside sources to certain ones, then it might work. After all, the local effect of this place has nothing to do with some of the forces of nature itself. What few trees the Celebration has aren't the ones causing people to lose themselves.

[ it's all said in a very conversational tone, as if Strange is trying to piece together a particularly annoying puzzle. ]

Your outside sources. I really -- try to avoid metathaumaturgy. [Which, considering she actually has a term for it, ought to say that she's honestly given this some serious thought. She isn't afraid of mixing effects, but manipulating magic directly with her own is way too risky.] Mine's all in my blood, metaphorically speaking.

Metathauma... [ Yeah, there's no way he's going to be able to pronounce that word. ] Is that just another way to say my outside sources?

Affecting magic with magic, basically. Directly. [She taps her fists together, out of some belief that this would help illustrate her point.] If I wanted to tap outside magical energy for any reason, I'd have to use MY magic to do that, and it's anyone's guess what would happen.

[She thinks about it for a moment, fingers tapping against each other.] You know how I said it was unpredictable, when I did original songs? Well, say I wanted to get some magical energy to add to my effect. There's a fair chance my magic would get it by draining everything around me, for example.

But if I'm to help, we might have to affect magic with magic in the first place. That is, unless we both target the same thing at once. I'm sure I can come up with a spell that in theory could help break an enchantment.

[ In practice...this is a damn strong enchantment. ]

There's a difference between affecting magic and affecting effects. Like, if someone was coming after me with a Sword of Catgirl Slaying, I could come up with a song to dispel the enchantment and unweave it from the sword... or I could just break the sword, y'know?

[It's like that saying. "No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife between his shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style."]

[ He does understand what she's talking about, and gives a little nod.

...however, Strange can't help but ask, ]

Is the Sword of Catgirl Slaying an actual thing, or simply hypothetical?

[ HE'S GOT A FEELING IT'S THE LATTER but he's learned that taking everything at face value here is probably a good idea. ]

I've never seen one. But it's a big, big universe.

[And it wouldn't surprise her if someone out there decided that her people, or half her people, were abominations and needed to be purged. Hell, they could even make a good argument on that score, what with the artificial creation and everything.]

Well then, we'll just have to hope that we come across some other kind of nonsense in the big, big universe.

[ If Ash hasn't seen one and Strange hasn't seen on, then it's obviously not a problem!

Standing up from his chair, he cracked his knuckles slightly, giving Ash a wide grin. ]

And on that note, I think we've had enough talk. Let's see what we can do to poke a hole in this troublesome spell!

[To be fair, a normal sword put through her gut would kill her pretty effectively too. Her frame might house a lot of magical power, but it's just an ordinary mortal girl frame, ears and tail and claws nonetheless.]

Hmm. We might want to wait till we have a real good shot at affecting a lot of people. We try something small, they might catch on to us quick.

There have been large parties the past few nights. Perhaps one of those would work?

Yeah, yeah. Somewhere we can get as many of our own people as possible. [She twiddles a finger in a circle idly as she thinks, sort of imagining lassoing up the carnival. Maybe even physically.]

Of course, now we've reached a new problem. How precisely can we get as many of the carnival members as we can in one place without seeming suspicious? [ After all, he had no idea just what the host of this place was capable of ]

[Ash is totally willing to smash the host in its face, but...] Yeah. That one might be beyond us. You know if there are any big events coming up that it seems like everyone might be at?

[ Two days from now, they're both gonna go 'oh yeah, this big event might work'. As it is now? Strange has absolutely no idea a masquerade's coming up. ]

Not really. This place doesn't seem to do much with 'calendars' or 'schedules.'

[And then they'll both be going, 'well that sucked'.]

No kidding. Maybe we can come up with something? A lot of people still have their radios, I think...

I wonder...could it be possible to cast a spell through the radios? Your magic is music magic, after all.

[Ash pauses in her fretting to look at him, an expression midway between bemused and sheepish coming to her face.]

Um. Do you want the long technical answer to that, or the short practical answer?

For the moment, let's stick with the short practical answer.

Yes, but it's still not as effective as being there, and if it's going to a bunch of different people in different places, it's even less effective.

[If he ever wants to learn a thing or two about her magic, he should ask for the technical answer someday.]

[ that'll probably happen later, once they have a tiny bit of downtime (oh man, will everybody appreciate that tiny bit of downtime.)

Strange just wants to ask so many more questions. But, as he's just now realizing he shot himself in the foot by asking for the short, practical answer, he files those away for a later conversation. ]

If we ask over the radios for everyone to show up at the same place at the same time, it might seem a bit suspicious. After all, this place can cater to your every desire. Why would a party organized by some carnival members gain attention?

If I did, yeah. [After her message just now, no one would believe her -- and if they did, that's actually kind of scary itself.] But someone else might work better. I mean, if nothing else, we're kinda like one big really messed-up family...

I doubt they'd listen to me either. I know I'm... [ a goddamn madman ] ...a bit erratic in the eyes of some carnival members.

[ That's putting it nicely. ]

I'd suggest one of the supervisors but even then I'm not sure which one would get the most response.

Probably Joker. [She definitely has the impression of her boss as one of the most well-liked and popular supervisors. Though she does glance over at Strange from her contemplation. Why would people find him erratic? He's fine!]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject