cuddletalk | 001. video; un: the illusionist

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001. video; un: the illusionist

[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.

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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. ]

[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]

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.]

[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.]

And what sort of illusions do you do?

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

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. ]

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.]

[ 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?

The best kind.
Full immersion, seamless against reality.

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.]

[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.

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.

[ 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.

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.

Your what? Augmen...?

[ For all that he's not Faraday and apt for being teased for being stupid, English is still his second language and there's still words that he doesn't know very well. Augmen-whatever that he's talking about? It's very strange and Vasquez is starting to wonder what he's getting himself into. ]

Colonel's? You got directions? Still learning about all the different bars.

[ Mostly because he tends to stick to one until it kicks him out, but he never minds getting to know other of them. Maybe soon, he'll even have a job that lets him drink more. ]

Though, I don't know about getting inside my head. Maybe you can show me on someone else.

But is it illusion, or true magic?

[ 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. ]

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.

[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.

My Augmentation... like, my gift? [Who knew how to discuss an augmentation after all. It depended who you asked, after all.]

Yeah, head down the main street, head right on the corner of Paco's Tacos, you'll know that place just 'cause it smells amazing and keep going maybe a block, Colonel's is on the end of the street. [He grins though because yes, good, finally going places.]

And uh-uh big guy, gotta be you or nothing... they gave me some rules when I got here, no playing in someone's head unless I ask nicely.

Maybe I'll stop for a taco, first.

[ He's still not sure about any of this, but he's moving because there are some things that he wouldn't mind to see again, maybe, and he ends up moving with the camera still on, the phone still running, even when he does end up stopping at the Taco shop, speaking to them in Spanish because it's easier and comfortable, before heading onwards. He didn't pick up anything for his new friend. ]

Okay, I'm outside Colonel's. Are you inside?

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?

[ 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.

[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.

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?

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