You Wake Up In A Bar

Time is a free-floating construct.

You are Greene. For Greene, this moment is a blip. For all else, this moment has lasted long enough to be palpable. How can these moments not be felt? Laren has been with you since December. It's been nine months already. It's been nine months already. It's been nine months already.

The bar sits in a void of coldness and blank fever. You hold your grassy, mossy self still for a moment, take a long breath through your leaves, and realize your place in the universe. Then, as the lights flicker with wavering power, you awaken again from a dream that lasted centuries.






Yes! You are. And based off some compiled recipes, and a lot of guesswork, you think you can get it done quick. Having gained some familiar with the Unshaken, you've got a plan about how to use it as the simplified base of a much more complicated recipe. Nadezhda's rather zoned-out state is really worrying the heck out of you at this point, and there's always the potential that more drink on top of everything could make it worse, but anything's better than this... rather hallucinogenic stupor. The Night Drider may have been a delicious, aesthetically-pleasing misstep.






The ingredients mix together beautifully. Water boils in seconds on the Unshaken's "PANIC SERVE" setting. You feel like you're getting more adept with this thing!




She swings her head weakly from side to side, as if drifting on a boat.




The finishing touches. With the gently crackling drink complete, you place a pair of Justice Cherries on the rim, as well as the centerpiece-- a four-leafed Heavenly Mint, which gleams and pulsates.

The bug begins scarfing it down immediately. She takes a large bite out of the mint, and one of the cherries, and continues, as if hungry for whatever clarity she might be able to find inside.









She glances off quietly for a moment.





There's a tinge of uncertainty which hangs in the air, but she begins to pick up her things and leave, regardless.








crc overflowNadezhda has left the bar quietly.






Laren nods without a hint of enthusiasm about the ordeal.





She perks up a little, offering a weak smile.









You glance out of one of the dust-covered windows at the nothingness which exists outside your ev.






Laren looks down a bit, unwilling to stand but unwilling to keep sitting, either. Her voice is dampened, but more from exhaustion than anything, it seems.






She gives you another nod, this time with more firmness.




Laren turns around, takes a long breath in, and exits.

Laren has left Starwood Bough.

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There are no more patrons.

The stillness and dimness of the bar looms above like it's utterly alive. Your presence feels small against the complete absence of... anything else.

Is this what being alone feels like?

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You give it a few minutes. The stillness doesn't feel good.

Being alone doesn't feel good.

But you don't know what else you're supposed to do.

You suppose you could try sleeping-- that experience with the chloral hydrate was... calming, if a little strange. Well, it was a lot strange. But it's what everyone else is doing. And that place you went to wasn't so alone, was it? It wasn't quite as alone.

There are dishes to be washed, too. But you have a feeling you'll have time for that anyhow. The night hours drag on and on, and you've only penetrated the dimness partially.

Cup status:  5 dirty (Bright and Air-ly, INTY, Iced Haze, Night Drider, Lilac Dreamer), 1 broken, 3 free
Meloncup status: 1 dirty (HH)
Plate status: 2 dirty (The Sate Catsberry, Mutually Shirred Deconstruction), 2 free
Mug status: 1 dirty (Mulled Again Mulligan), 1 free

AbilitiesShow

Scavenger: Unavailable (0/1 uses)
Gain a cup and plate every day, on command.

Intrusive: Enabled
Introduction cards show a bio for a given character.

Intuitive: Enabled
Introduction cards show somebody's ingredient preferences.

Phytochemist: Disabled (too dim)
Create drinks/meals automatically (at half speed) during sunlit hours.

Collaborative: Enabled
Attach any length of Cabinet entry to an ingredient suggestion at will.

Perfectionist: Enabled
Gain a hint about quintessential ingredients for drinks/meals. Succeeding makes that quintessential ingredient limitless.

OrdersShow

Nadezhda wants to find SYLG.
Status: Drinkmaster Greene is fated to find SYLG.

Thanks to the Collaborative-assisted assembling of the Lilac Dreamer, you've gained some new finished entries to peruse in the Cabinet.