video; un: labyrinths

[buildindreemz]

[ Ariadne's eyes are fever-bright, her skin pallid. She's clutching something in her hand, something she's reluctant to share with anyone else. Her eyes dart away, then back again, as though she's looking for something - or someone - out of the corner of her eyes. ]

Have you ever thought you were going crazy? Ever... questioned reality?

[ Christ, she's becoming a huge cliche, and she knows it, but there's nothing she can do about it. She didn't think she'd ever be in this situation. Maybe it was her own hubris. But now, here she is. Seeing shades again. Not sure if this is real or a dream. ]

I don't - it's hard when - none of you are -

[ Real. They're not real. She's thought that was a possibility, since arriving, but it's becoming clearer - or maybe muddier? The past several days.

Ariadne starts, jumping a little at something she sees offscreen. ]

I don't know what she wants from me. I never met her in real life. [ Annnnnnnnd cut.]

Comments

video; un: eproghuefgdzptrrw

[vorrutyer]

Ah, dear Ariadne.

[ His manner isn't that different from how it usually is, but he's just a little bit softer. Just a touch gentler. ]

Perhaps you should be resting.

video;

[buildindreemz]

I'm trying, but it's really difficult right now, you know?

[ Hallucinations are not restful, By. ]

I wish you were real.

[vorrutyer]

[ With a quirk of his eyebrow - ]

Am I not? That's news to me.

[buildindreemz]

You take it better than some might.

[ Siiiiiigh. ]

I know, I sound like a nutcase.

[vorrutyer]

Ah, don't you apologize, dear girl. In my book, you don't qualify as a nutcase until you actually bathe in the blood of virgins to keep yourself looking youthful. Although...

[ He squints at her playfully. He sees you, baby-face. ]

So are you real?

[buildindreemz]

Blood is gross.

[ She sighs. ]

I'm real. It's everything else that isn't.

[vorrutyer]

Oh? That sounds quite lonely.

[buildindreemz]

You have no idea. None of them are here - none of the people who could really help me.

[vorrutyer]

Hmm. Well, what special qualities do they have that make it so that they can help you?

[buildindreemz]

They know the dreaming.

[vorrutyer]

Dreaming? Well, I'm familiar with dreaming as well, dearest Ariadne.

[buildindreemz]

Not shared dreaming.

[vorrutyer]

[ A beat - ]

No, not shared dreaming. What, exactly, is shared dreaming?

[buildindreemz]

Exactly what it sounds like.

[ She's way too sick to explain this properly, but here goes! ]

A bunch of people, sharing a dream together. With drugs.

[vorrutyer]

[ Beat. ]

Actually, maybe I do have experience with that.

[buildindreemz]

I'm not talking about LSD here.

[vorrutyer]

Then what are you talking about?

[buildindreemz]

Hang on.

[ She steps away, leaving the camera on, going to dig almost frantically through her things until she pulls out a silver briefcase. She brings it back to the communication device to give Byerly a better look. ]

This. It's a PASIV device. I found it under my bed last week. It's what we use, to administer the somnacin. It controls the dosage, so you can have as many as six or eight people sharing the dream at once.

[vorrutyer]

[ Huh. ]

So could I share a dream with you, using that?

[buildindreemz]

Yeah. I'm too sick right now, but yeah.

[vorrutyer]

And...if we could do that, wouldn't that prove this wasn't a dream?

[buildindreemz]

[ She laughs a little. ]

Hell no. Haven't you ever woken up from a dream only to realize you're still dreaming?

[vorrutyer]

[ He spreads his fingers in acknowledgment of the point. ]

So. We're left with a dilemma, then. How do we prove to you that we do indeed exist? Or how do you set your concerns aside enough to simply go on as before.

[buildindreemz]

There isn't a way. I'm sorry.

[vorrutyer]

[ A little quietly: ]

Oh, dear girl, don't apologize to me. My only concern is your distress.