001. video; un: the illusionist

[allucina]

[Eli's face can be seen for the first time being publicly broadcast to the network, he looks both upbeat and happyto be showing himself to the city of Cadelle on video. Behind him you can see the busy backdrop of The Colonel's in the evening visible behind him as he lifts a drink and takes a long pull before clearing his throat, the hand that had been holding the glass now coming up instead to wave.] Well hey there, Cuddle City- cute name by the way, I dig it.

[He let's the hand fall into his lap as all his attention focuses instead on the video feed.] So my names Elijah Moore, but we're all gonna be familiar enough soon so everyone should just call me Eli. I'm new here, just blew into town recently and I think its high time I start generating some of this positive energy. [He wiggles his fingers in the air the same way one who's talking about mystical energies would totally do.]

I've got a mutually beneficial way of helping things go down- whoever comes down here and buys me a drink gets a free illusion. [His eyes twinkle a little bit in amusement at the suggestion and the pink tint in his cheeks say he's probably already had a couple.] Its been a while since I've been so alone, I guess I'm looking for some company.

Comments

video; un: driver

[killertrack]

What kind of illusion are we talking about? What's the point?

[ Because Baby doesn't mind buying anyone a drink, but the return here seems a bit, well. Pointless. ]

video;

[allucina]

Any kind you want... you tell me the situation, I make it real. [He looks a little confused about the question though.] What do you mean, the point? Like... escaping reality? [Sorry Baby, escaping reality is all the rage in the twenty-second century.]

[killertrack]

How far can it go?

[ Honestly, right now he's more curious about the mechanics of it than the actual illusions. ]

Don't you think we're already escaping reality, here?

[ Baby definitely is. ]

[allucina]

As far as I want it to- I can make you feel, smell, see, hear, taste just about anything I want. [There's a hint of humour behind it at least.]

I mean shit, we are... this is the first time my feet have ever touched ground level. [And there's a certain degree of trepidation there as Eli takes another drink.]

[killertrack]

[ Way to make it sound dirty, Eli. ]

Must be nice, to live constantly without having to face reality.

[ Possibly, there is a little bit of resentment in his words. ]

[allucina]

[Eli just sighs a little.] I bet it is, for my clients that is... It doesn't work on me though, I can always tell the difference, its like watching a video or hearing a recording.

[killertrack]

I'm not sure I would want to not realize it's not real.

[ Apart from all the illegal activity, funnily enough, Baby's a bit of a straight arrow. ]

I don't take drugs or anything as it is, that sounds like it would be even more addicting. It's your business, where you're from?

video; un: vaquero

[quinientos]

[He's still getting used to all this technology, but it's not like Vasquez is stupid either, especially when things are going to directly help his survival. He's learning about these videos and audios, though texting still annoys him. Too many little keys, too much English]

You know, sometimes when people ask for drinks to be bought for them in exchange for payment, we call them very different things where I come from. Especially when offering tricks in return.

[The video isn't quite squared, mostly it's half of his face, but it's one big improvement given how he'd been when he'd arrived]

video;

[allucina]

[Eli just sighs a little, not unhappily.] Let me guess, pleasure workers where you're from aren't held in high regard? [There's an expression on his face that says he's been called a lot of things based on what he does for a living.] You can call me a whore if you want, though... I promise I won't cry. [It was inferred that he'd done a lot of things in High Tower after all- even if his illusions weren't physical in nature.]

[quinientos]

I didn't say it was a bad thing, just that it sounds very familiar.

[To be fair, it's not like Vasquez has used that anytime recently because women paid to have sex are often greedy for coins and if they worked out who he was, that's more trouble than he needs. Touch-starved is a good way to say it, not that he'd ever say it aloud]

What are you offering? And what kind of payment are we talking about?

[He's interested, this can only go well.]

[allucina]

Hey I don't think being a pleasure worker is a bad thing either. I like being able to say I give all my clients a bit of pleasure at the end of the day. [He says it with a lot of mirth now, some of the ugliness gone from his tone.]

I'm offering the real deal, full sensory immersion- anything you want, any scene, any sight. If I know it, I can make it... if I don't know it, you can describe it and I'll tweak it until its perfect. [He shrugs about the payment though.] I like fruity cocktails, does that count as payment? Listen- back home this is my job, like twelve hours a day bending people's realities... I'm almost scared about not having that job anymore.

[quinientos]

[ He hasn't really seen fit to ever use their services, mainly because when someone does a job for money and you have a bounty on your head, it doesn't really have the prospect of ending well. ]

Bending reality? That sounds like something you made up to steal money from people. How do you do it?

[ That's what it has to be, right? Some kind of magic trick, just like those idiot card tricks of Faraday's where there's supposedly magic involved, but really, it's just a lot of flash and show in the end. ]

I'm curious enough that I'll buy a drink in exchange for something. Maybe just to see if you're not loco.

[allucina]

Its got something to do with my DNA, my Augmentation- [He smiles.] Its not a trick and I don't really deal in money... I mean I pick up a pay cheque the same as anyone else, but I don't take extra handouts just because what I do is different. [There's a little twinkle in his eyes.] Gifts though? That's another question.

[The how though, that was the difficult part to answer.] I just get inside your head, that's how I do it... its why I said people should come buy me a drink, I can't do it through a computer. [He grins widely though, happy the stranger was taking him up on his offer.] You will, great? Come on down to Colonel's, and hey... if I am just loco, I'll make up for it by buying you a drink or two.

text: un: CA

[bylothalmoons]

And what sort of illusions do you do?

[He wonders if it's force abilities or just magic tricks.]

[allucina]

The best kind.
Full immersion, seamless against reality.

[bylothalmoons]

But is it illusion, or true magic?

[allucina]

We don't know, my people...
Some people think its magic, some people think its science... some of us just don't think about it.

[bylothalmoons]

Where I come from, we call it the Force.

I'd like to see what you can do in person.

I'll you a drink, if that's all you want in return.

[allucina]

Where I come from we call it an Augmentation... or a Corruption, but that's for assholes.

And sounds good, I'm at Colonel's. I'll make myself pretty obvious when you walk in.

video; un: j.andrews99

[bikinimail]

[ Jen isn't so sure about the whole cuddling aspect of this place-- she is still dating Billy, even if he isn't here... right?-- and she's definitely not about to go to a bar just to buy a stranger a drink.

But something he said catches her attention. ]

When you say "illusion," do you mean... magic?

video;

[allucina]

[He hums a little at that because, well, magic was such a strange and foreign word to him. He knew his powers came from somewhere but magic always sounded so wishy-washy compared to the concept of humanity's evolutionary leap.] No... or maybe, yes. I don't know what you'd consider magic to be.

video;

[bikinimail]

[ She never expected the "illusion" guy to ask her to define magic. She thinks about that for a second. ]

I guess... Magic is any phenomenon that can't be directly explained or understood by modern science.

video;

[allucina]

[Eli hums thoughtfully.] Okay, I can do magic! [He grins.] Science can prove someone has an Augmentation, but it can't tells us why they do or even how it works... and so far, we've never seen two of them that are exactly the same.

[bikinimail]

Augmentation? [ Sounds more scientific than Jen was thinking. ] So it's less like an illusion spell, and more like... your superpower? You have some kind of mutation?

[allucina]

[Eli was smiling pretty openly while they talked until he hears the word mutation and the expression on his face takes a sharp turn, a grimace which turns into a frown and a darkness surging up in his eyes.] How dare you... [The words tumble out of his mouth.] I'm not some fucking mutant- [An ugly, vulgar word.] - I don't prowl the fucking perimeter killing people.