undergrounds | (OTA) Things are pretty, graceful, rich, elegant, handsome, but...

[A.]
When looking to buy or sell an unusual item, Kunstkammer is a small, but well respected shop that specializes in ephemera and curiosities. The lights are dimmed to protect the colours of the more delicate pieces, but should one wind their way through the somewhat maze-like cabinets and cases, they will likely find their way to a desk, a few chairs, and a circle of warm lighting. The proprietor, Lan, is most often found here reading or cataloging some new, strange find. She is a petite fae woman with smooth pale pink skin pebbled over with small scales more like a ray than a snake.

Of course, there is a back-of-shop filled with items of a more usual, occasionally salacious or dangerous nature. Should anyone have an interest, Lan is just as happy to sell or trade any piece from her collection. She has a particular weakness for anything that she classifies as 'beautiful', but her definition may not match the standard.

(Or you can continue from the TDM over here.)

[B.] Lan isn't one to be caught out on public transit, not when it's just as easy to slip slideways and walk along a more interesting shortcut. That isn't to say that she's not often seen out and about: there's always a gallery opening, a curious tasting menu, or some flavour of performance that's worth taking in. While she may be Seelie, she's more likely to be spotted at night and she certainly does nothing to hide who or what she is.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's a relief. It's just a shame that he doesn't realize that there are, indeed, things worse than death.

He doesn't realize he hasn't even introduced himself until she mentions it, either, so he's got a pretty poor track record going here. "Oh, right. Just call me Ghoul, it's fine." Not his real name, obviously, but his birth name isn't something he willingly shares these days. "An hour a week, though? That's it?" Pfft, he can do that.

"Would I need to do anything? Bring anything? Or just... show up, and that's it?"

"That's it, and you can call me Lan." Her skin flutters with soft colours, gentle shades of robin's egg and a bioluminescent green that make her appear lit from within. "All I ask is that you show up, be brave, and I'll guide you towards learning something new. I don't promise that it will always be easy to understand, nor untroubling, but you will learn, grow, and experience a great deal."

From behind the teapot on the little table, Lan pulls out a small glass vial with a mouthful of some milky liquor and holds it in the palm of her hand. "If this sounds fair to you, then take this and one evening, when you have the time, drink it. Next week, come and tell me what you learned."

He's briefly startled by the color change- it's unexpected, but... pretty, honestly. He's not sure if it's appropriate to comment on it, or even sure what it means, but he settles on assuming it's probably harmless and probably something he needs to keep his mouth shut about.

The vial is something he feels even less confident about. He stares at it as it rests there in her hand, looking as safe as can be. Everything sounds fair enough... She's not asking for much of his time, and while he's aware they never did outline exact terms of payment, he feels as though he made his limits pretty clear.

Still, he hesitates a bit longer, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. After a quick glance up at her face, he finally reaches out slowly and plucks it from her palm, gingerly examining it like he's afraid of breaking it.

"The lesson's not something like 'never drink strange liquids', is it?" Yeah, maybe a joke will settle his nerves.

According to her rules, they've outlined payment perfectly: one hour a week of his time, during which he will learn something. There are so many things she could teach him, so much he doesn't know or hasn't experienced. It's bound to be interesting for them both.

"In part." But that doesn't matter now, he's taken the gift from her own hand and the deal has been sealed. "But, not as a whole. Tell me, Ghoul, have you ever taken sort of hallucinogen?"

Things are shaping up to be pretty interesting already.

"Just a couple times," he answers automatically as he tilts the vial this way and that, watching the liquid inside, before he abruptly stops. "What?" His eyes widen a bit, his free hand coming up so he can cup the vial inside both of them and hide it from view. He even shoves his hands back under the table, in his lap, as if it needs to be buried further. "You gave me drugs?"

With a lazy wave of her hand, Lan dismisses his concerns as if they weigh nothing. "You could refer to what's in there as a drug. It does have a similar effect on humans."

Contained in the vial is a potent magical mixture that acts as an oneirogen, a drug that creates an immersive dream-like experience, in much the same manner that ibogaine or fly agaric can do so. Should he choose to take it, he will likely experience two hours of deeply altered consciousness followed by several hours of lingering disassociation and flickering hallucinations. Or maybe he's just seeing magic around him in the way one of the fae would. Who can tell?

"Is this one of those things where I need somebody to sit in on me in case I try jumping off a roof?" He's never personally seen a trip go that badly, but then again, he's never watched anyone take magical drugs peddled by fae either. Maybe these play by a different set of rules.

He's concerned, sure, but evidently not enough to refuse it.

"That's your choice." It couldn't hurt to have a trip sitter, but Lan isn't going to tell him what to do beyond 'take it and learn'. He might also want to have a big glass of water nearby. No one likes dry mouth.

"You may wish to have a journal nearby to record what you learn, but that's not mandatory. All in all, it should help open your eyes, maybe begin the process of inspiration."

"Okay..." Psychedelics aren't exactly his flavor of choice or anything, but hell, he's come this far. It's not like it's a completely new concept, besides. He knows the gist of what to expect, or at least he thinks he does. What could it hurt?

Everything, some tiny part of him chimes in- the part that remembers he hasn't taken any sort of substance at all since his curse activated. That's a voice he's going to have to make sure is well-smothered before letting that vial get anywhere close to his mouth. Taking it while feeling anxious will only be setting himself up for a bunch of bullshit.

"I'll try it, but you're probably gonna be super disappointed. I'm real boring," he says with a nervous little laugh while slipping the vial in to one of his pockets. "That all we need to cover for now?"

He might be boring now,but she can wait. Lan has an abundance of time and deep reserves of patience.

"I think so, my apricot." Congratulations, you've earned a pet name, Ghoul! It's not as evocative of the name he usually goes by, but Lan thinks it suits him. "Go forth, learn, and then return. Easy as can be."

While he moves to stand, he ducks his head and silently mouths the word apricot? He's been called a great many things, but that one is... different. It's cute, actually. He doesn't come across as cute, does he? What an identity crisis.

"All right, then. Better let you get back to your business." He gives her a small smile. One hand slides inside his pocket, resting protectively over the tiny vial inside, while the other lifts just far enough to offer a loose little wave. "I'll see you soon." Once he's said his goodbyes, he takes his leave before he thinks up four dozen more questions.

(OTA) Things are pretty, graceful, rich, elegant, handsome, but...

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