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[jumpthegun]

1201 Sugar Plum Grove

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[jumpthegun]

[There's only one 'tower' in town.]

Apparently something the residents here made themselves. I already checked the body parts under a scope. They're real, but they don't seem to show any signs of decay. I stay away from it. There are people here with some sick ideas.

[He's thinking of the gallows and hanging and beheading Sherlock in effigy.]

[devoutish]

Is there anything else in town like that? Anything that might look normal at first?

[He's thinking about Norfinbury-style hallucinations here.]

[bywolves]

Anything else that's an indicator that this place is a trap. [ Royce says, bitterly. ]

[jumpthegun]

[Well, okay, he was trying to avoid unleashing his paranoia on these two, but if they're going to ask straight out like that, it's hard not to launch into it. John clears his throat.]

The mountains. They go on for days, even though this world is only about six square miles. The stars have changed. Ienzo's been studying them for years. They went from just neon signs in the sky to proper stars overnight. The pipes don't run anywhere and the electricity doesn't either, except the streetlamps. those are all connected to the windmill. We're not getting utilities from anywhere and they can start to go out if the system's being over taxed. Zephyr can let people in here, but they won't let them out because of this Lost versus Unlost thing. But they put people back when a bunch of us were pulled in by accident. Maybe it's just because we were 'Unlost' or whatever, but they can still navigate pretty bloody well, all things considered for someone who says they can't.

[devoutish]

[As he listens, Alfie rests a hand on Royce's knee.]

Then there are illusions, but they're different from Norfinbury illusions. Yeah?

[bywolves]

[ Royce eases just a little at the hand, though he's still looking out to the kitchen and not at John. He's listening. ]

[jumpthegun]

They're different, yeah. More like there's magic properly, instead of there being a technological explanation. I've scanned for radiation and haven't found anything. The nanomachines are still in our blood, but they don't seem to be active. There are other things that could be mucking about with our heads, our emotions. The people here all still have their powers... magical abilities.

At least one of them can do mind control. Another can watch your dreams, know what you're afraid of. Some of them talk to trees and plants. Those can watch us, report on us...

[devoutish]

[Good god John, you're paranoid. He's still glad to get his assessment of things, and he thinks a lot of other people go too far in the other direction and don't question things enough, but still.]

At this point, right now, I just wanna know if we're going to run into anything else that's made of dead bodies.

[bywolves]

[ Ooh, guess who isn't a fan of mind control. Royce tenses right back up again at that, staring at John with a flat expression on his face. Maybe he shouldn't be so relaxed, here. Maybe he needs to just - not interact with other people.

He's had enough of mind control and people watching his dreams and spying on him for a lifetime. ]

Who can? Tell me names.

[jumpthegun]

[John considers Alfie's request first.]

If you visit Izzekiel, the big indigo troll with skull facepaint, he mucks around with bones. You might see those around his place.

Aletheia and Lili can talk to the trees. They're both... good people. But Aletheia's a paranoid kid and Lili doesn't think things through about what she shares from the plants. Jeremy's got some sort of mind control powers he's working to control. He asked for help with it on the Bulletin Board a few months ago. Hears stray thoughts he doesn't want to, apparently. Izzekiel's the one who can sense fear and look into dreams. I wished for a block on him. [John taps his head.] Fair warning, he'll panic if you do the same and don't tell him about it first. When he can't sense people, he tends to assume they're dead. He's not... a bad person, I guess. But I think he likes having that power to help him feel more in control.

[devoutish]

Most powers do, magical or not.

[But that's his only contribution here. He's interested in knowing what the other people here can do, just like he's interested in knowing about their personalities and how they interact with each other - but it isn't as big a concern for him as all the other stuff.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce knows about the trees, and that's - fine. The trees can only see him, they're not in his head, so it doesn't bother him. But the rest? The rest, he wants nothing to do with.

He keeps those names in mind. Jeremy. Izzekiel. ]

I'll keep them in mind.

[jumpthegun]

Hmm... there's another woman here, her name's Renart. I'm not sure what she can do, but she's apparently immune to mind-control and was able to take someone down who has it. She's been evasive every time I've tried to ask her about her powers. And she's... I think her body is some kind of projection. But she won't talk about it, even after I've mentioned another kid here, Pokey, he's a gemstone with a projected body.

I dunno what she's hiding, but I don't trust he.

[devoutish]

Likely she's hiding things that are none of your fucking business.

[He says it mildly, but still. He has no particular loyalty to Renart, but he'll forever be annoyed at Watson's nosiness.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce snorts, at that. ]

Got a point there.

[jumpthegun]

Right because her maybe being able to use mind-control herself is irrelevant to you and him. [He turns his attention to Royce.] You just asked me to name names. You want them or not, Royce?

[devoutish]

[Alfie's silent, letting Royce answer.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce raises his eyebrows. ]

I asked for names of people you think I should watch out for, not for a detailed list and breakdown of things they'd rather you not pry about. I wouldn't tell you the extent of what I can do either. Not after knowing what you'll do to get the information.

[jumpthegun]

[John's feeling more than a little ganged up on now. He balls his hands into fists on the table top and looks away, glaring.]

Justin Law, Sasha Riggs, Milla Vodello, Ienzo, and Xanthous. Other people to worry about. There you are.

[devoutish]

Mm. Details of why would be useful too, if you can manage the difference between that and your indignation that they won't tell you all their secrets.

[bywolves]

[ Royce really wants to bring up Sherlock, but he also knows John will shut down completely if Royce pushes too hard. He's silent on that front. ]

You realize you've also named about half the people here, if the headcount I've done is accurate.

[jumpthegun]

Half the people here are suspicious, including you two. I don't want anyone to accuse you of snooping though, Alfie. Some of the reasons aren't ones likely to come up in conversation. [He knows he's being contrary and Alfie is going to call him on it, but John will have his moment of being a petty bastard, thank you.]

[devoutish]

[Alfie just gives him a look. It's a nonverbal calling-out. Are you feeling appropriately chastised, Watson?]

[bywolves]

I've done nothing suspicious in my life, John.

[jumpthegun]

Hah! [The bark of laughter breaks some of the tension in the room, and John grins at Royce. It's more aggressive than friendly.]

Killed Sherlock. Pair of psychics who can read minds. He does some weird perception things, turned a room cold on me and disappeared once when he was pissed off. He can blow himself up and took out most of his house along with one of the locals here.