037 Summons ❈ Dictated

[rose_of_battle]

Okay. It seems the castle and everything's back to normal, but is everyone all right?

And has anyone figured out why we were suddenly subjected to an attack of spirals? I don't mean the how... I mean the "why". Because seeing the castle itself affected like that makes me wonder if there's something else we should be worried about.

Like a new enemy.

[Suspicious ninja is suspicious. And on guard.]

Oh, and if anyone has ideas on how to fight dizziness, please let me know.

[She's still having brief spells when she looks at any spirals right now.]

Thanks!

Comments

[i_rule_me]

Huh, y'think there's some sorta third party involved? Could be, I s'pose, knowin' what li'l I do o' this place.

As for the dizziness, there are a couple o' medications y'can take, or jus' bracin' yuirself against something solid when y'feel a spell comin' on. Alternately, I could hypnotize ya, see if we can't root the residual image o' the spirals out o' your subconscious.

[rose_of_battle]

It wouldn't be the first time someone's come here. The only problem is figuring out if the Castle's brought them here by mistake or on purpose--or if they've somehow shown up on their own.

[A pause.]

There's medicine for dizziness? Like what? [She chuckles.] I think I've braced myself against every wall here already. I'm just glad they aren't too bad; just too many time happen--

Hypnotize me? I've never had that done before, but do you think it'll work?

[i_rule_me]

Or it could be someone that's already here. One o' them outsiders who live out in the Dead Zone, maybe.

Aye, Dramamine bein' the most common one. Anti-convulsants can work for that, too. [David being a person who was pumped full of just about every sedative known to man when he was younger.]

Aye, it should. People get themselves hypnotized for all sorts o' reasons. Basically, it's just a person convincin' your subconscious mind ta accept certain things as truth, or ta throw out certain things because they're not. It's...sort of a mind-over-matter thing. I could hypnotize ya, an' tell ya that spirals are no big deal an' won't make ya sick, and after ya wake up from the hypnosis, y'should be fine.

[He laughs.]

I once hypnotized a lass who was a powerful sorceress inta believin' that magic wasn't real, so that she'd lose all power ta attack me an' mine. I'd done it in such a way that it'd wear off after a couple o' hours, but if y'want, I could make it permanent. It's all in how a suggestion's worded.

[rose_of_battle]

Do you mean the First Gens? Or the people who left here to go live out there recently?

[The second idea seems almost impossible for her to even consider, while the first one had never even crossed her mind.]

Now that you mention it, I think there was a time the First Gens sneaked in here while some of us were away on an expedition. I can't remember what they did, but they were here.

[He can't see the head tilt, but her voice is full of wonder when she responds again.]

"Dramamine"? What's that? Is it an herb? I've never heard of it before. ["Anti-convulsant", however, is pretty self-explanatory.]

You can hypnotize people to forget things? There are people here who have lost memories, but could it have been the Castle hypnotizing them in some way? Do you think it can be reversed?

[A brief pause.]

Was the sorceress mad when she found out what had happened? Or did you make her forget you did that? [From what he's saying, it's entirely possible.]

[i_rule_me]

Either one, really. I can't say I know much about the castle folks livin' out there now, but from everything I've read about the First Gens, it seems like a thing they might do, outta spite if nothin' else.

Dramamine's a type o' modern medicine. It's taken as a pill, usually, an' treats nausea caused by all sorts o' different things, be they medical or psychological. It'd help with the dizzy spells, make 'em less intense.

Well, it's more like I'm helpin' your mind ta process whatever pea is makin' it uncomfortable, rather than outright messin' with your memories. Not t'say I couldn' do that, but it'd be like usin' a shotgun ta kill an ant. As for the castle's taste for our memories, I don' think that's a thing I can fix. I've seen what the castle does ta people who try ta mess with it, an' I'd rather not go there.

[He laughs.]

Aye, she was a bit. At the time, she wasn' my real target, so disarmin' her was all I'd really wanted ta do. She'll have ended up forgettin' me by now anyway, but that's a different story.

[deadlybanker]

Do these dizzy spells happen often? It might be a wise idea to visit the Clinic. They might be able to suggest a cure.

As for the goings on of the castle, whether this was a trick brought on by the castle or some new enemy I can not say. I have given up guessing what this place is capible of.
Were you badly affected by what happened? I know I...

[He was not getting dizzy as she was but there were memories of what had happened.]

I would rather not see a spiral again.

[rose_of_battle]

Yeah, they do. Every time I look at one of the spiral designs in the Castle. They're not too severe--just annoying in how often it happens.

You don't think it could be something more serious, do you? Since you suggested the clinic? I mean, I don't want to bother them if it's not.

Although, as far as the Castle is concerned, I guess everything should be taken seriously--whether it's behind the trouble, or someone else is. But, no, I was confused by how people were acting, but--

[She cuts herself off, and her voice becomes concerned.]

Are you all right?

[deadlybanker]

Does it have to be a serious condition to seek medical help? I was under the impression those of the clinic might even be able to help with these minor vertigo complaints.

[Assuming of course that was only a minor complaint and not a sign of a more dangerous condition brought on by those horrible spirals. ]

Non ti preoccupare. I am all right now, it is just the memory of what recently happened...

[(Do not worry.)
He was not dizzy as she was but the spirals did leave their mark behind, didn't they?]

This castle seems to bring out memories of terrible things. I will just have to grow accustomed to it.

[rose_of_battle]

You may be right. I guess I can always contact them through the journal, right?

[Will she or won't she, though, is the question; she's not exactly the best when it comes to asking for help. Even the little bit she's asked for her dizziness had only come about because she's tired of feeling that way.

And yet, she still doesn't want to go to a doctor.]

Huh? [She repeats his words--thanks to the journal printing them for her, but sadly:] I'm sorry, I don't understand.

[Although she can guess judging by what had followed.]

But I know what you mean about the memories. This place kinda thrives on them--or our reactions to them. [A beat.]

I'm sorry no one told you about that.

(Dictated)

[tylendel]

Until we see the cause, we can't jump to any conclusions. (The new enemy - not her dizziness.) And if you're dizzy, you should lay down and close your eyes.

(Dictated)

[rose_of_battle]

I don't have any conclusions--just suspicions. And after a while being here, I'd say it's a good suspicion.

[She sighs.]

And I tried laying down and the rest of it. But it just happens the next time I see a spiral. Is the same thing happening to you?

(Dictated)

[tylendel]

Even suspicions should be treated with care. It would be...bad...for all of us...if there were a new enemy.

(He pauses and rubs his forehead - though she can't see that, obviously.)

Van wasn't himself, but I've only felt nauseous and...confused. I've been spending a lot of time with my eyes closed.

Re: (Dictated)

[rose_of_battle]

Oh, trust me, I know that--both of them, actually. If someone goes in with accusations they're sure are right, they usually wind up being wrong. I'd rather be suspicious and on guard.

[No she can't see it, but she'd understand it if she could.]

I haven't felt nauseous, though, so i guess that's a good thing... But are you all right?

[ofhope]

Or a really old enemy.

People around here like to forget.

[rose_of_battle]

What really old enemy? I never heard of any enemy of the Castle.

[Or maybe she had and just forgot like he said.]

[ofhope]

I suppose it depends on what you consider an enemy. But a lot here don't like those of the previous generation... The ones who like to stir the pot.

[rose_of_battle]

Someone else had mentioned them, too. But which ones are you thinking are stirring the pot? Them? Or the ones here who don't like them?

[The idea it's someone in the Castle is actually kind of frightening.]

dictated;

[rapscalliongirl]

Enemies?

dictated;

[rose_of_battle]

Yeah. A couple of times things have happened by people who weren't brought here by the Castle--that we know of. Or the Castle itself.

dictated;

[rapscalliongirl]

What kind of people? What kind of attacks? How many were they?

Re: dictated;

[rose_of_battle]

[She takes a deep breath, preparing to mention the crash in town, when something else comes out.]

Those who took our voices so we couldn't scream when they attacked.

[Damn...That's not what she had wanted to say...But it's obvious she's still angry about it.]

dictated;

[wishmadeinfire]

The Castle shifting itself is not really odd, is it? It has done such things before, after all.

dictated;

[rose_of_battle]

But the whole Castle turning into a spiral? That just doesn't seem like something it would do. Especially after the changes that have happened.

Re: dictated;

[wishmadeinfire]

But I have been wondering - did it actually change itself, or did it simply make us think it had?

Re: dictated;

[rose_of_battle]

[Sheena lets out a long breath.]

I'm not sure which is worse, Uncle. But why would it suddenly go for illusions, when it's shown it can put us anywhere and do anything to itself?