cuddlecity | EVENT: PURE(-ISH) IMAGINATION

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EVENT: PURE(-ISH) IMAGINATION

It's a great day for something new. As the sun climbs high in the sky on the morning of the first of October, Mayor Drake and her cohorts can be found standing in front of a particularly unimpressive-looking shop just outside of the university's scientific research wing. Should you happen to wander by, you'll have the pleasure of enjoying a first in Cadelle's recent history — a grand opening celebration! While the shop front itself is not much to write home about, the name alone implies what lies within is much more interesting.

METAMalt promises a wide variety of edible creations, ones sure to affect anyone who enjoys them. Yes, even you, new visitor with a metabolism enough for nearly a thousand tacos in one sitting. And yes, even you, strange new face with a penchant for chain-smoking to dull your senses. METAMalt's highly potent creations will be just right for those needing a little extra to get the job done.

Of course, those among you who find yourself leaning more on the side of statistically normal will appreciate the selection as well. Choose the neatly-labeled Standards and experience delicious, well-crafted drinks, sweets, and treats with no worries — the only side-effect you're likely to experience is a small hankering (some might call it a craving) for more. If you're feeling a bit braver, why not try the Enhanced options? While they're unlikely to cause any serious damage, you may find they offer a bit more than you were bargaining for...

▸ Vibrantly orange in color, The Emperor's New Brew tastes unsurprisingly of crisp, tart oranges with a hint of vanilla ice cream. It might remind you of a particularly refreshing summertime treat — and much like in the summer, less is certainly more when it comes to this brew. A warning statement is printed rather predominately on the label, as well, heeding potential drinkers to only enjoy this brew within the privacy of their own homes. Whether you choose to heed this warning or ignore it and take your first sip in the shop, each subsequent swallow will find the color draining from your clothes until they appear almost completely transparent... as if you're wearing nothing at all! The effects are (perhaps thankfully) short-lived, but who's to say you can't have more than one?

▸ METAMalt Lite's pale copper color might make it look a bit dull in comparison to its fellows on the shelf, but looks are often deceiving. With a floral aroma and a taste of freshly-picked raspberries, this particular brew might initially leave you wondering if you've perhaps picked up a bad batch. For the first few minutes, the only interesting side-effect is the fizz that lingers on your tongue and throat after each swallow, sharp and demanding; it's only when the clock strikes fifteen past that you'll find yourself feeling a little bit lighter. Look down, and you'll notice your feet slowly rising up, up, and away until you're (more than just a few) feet off the ground; test your limbs and you'll find you're practically weightless, as if gravity's been switched off only for you. Be careful, though — the effects only last a few hours, and what goes up must eventually come down!

▸ METAMalt Classic, with its faintly blue hue, is the flagship product of the shop, and the most prominently displayed. Designed with the recent crop of superpowered individuals in mind, this liquor is especially potent and highly concentrated. Unlike its first dozen or so incarnations during the testing phase, the finished product thankfully tastes less like pure rocket fuel and more like the fleeting memory of a good barrel-aged whiskey. While it's not particularly flavorful, a shot or two pairs well with a host of traditional mixers; if you heed the label's instructions, you'll enjoy a pleasant buzz regardless of your personal tolerance levels. Drink too much, and you might find yourself involuntarily taking a rather long nap... probably not anywhere too comfortable, either.

Beyond the allure of the glass beverages case and the neatly-arranged rows of pastry, snack bars, and other high-calorie and alternative-diet snacks, observant visitors may also notice a sign-up table near the back wall. Staffed by a rather uninterested looking woman in a lab coat, the table offers a selection of sign-up sheets for a variety of dates in the coming weeks, each described only by a particular color.

Should you ask more questions, you'll regrettably get no answers — "the details of each test will be revealed at that time," — and no real reassurance, either, beyond the simple fact that participants may opt out at any time. It's admittedly not a whole lot to go on, but maybe the promise of paid participation is enough to encourage you to sign up anyway.

▸ The gold test, scheduled for later in the afternoon on the very same day, has room for five ~~guinea pigs~~ participants. For those of you who were brave enough to attend the Energy Festival and request an extra-special drink from the bartenders, you may remember the small drops of golden liquid that were tipped into your cup. Attend the first test, and you'll have opportunity to be the first to experience the concentrated version of this liquor. The test itself is only an hour, but the effects are said to last twenty-four — just how lucky will you be?

▸ Held first thing Monday morning, the silver test has slots for up to ten early birds. In fact, it's so early that you might not have time to pick up your morning cup of joe before you swing by, but don't worry — you'll get plenty of caffeine when you try this new energy drink. While the can itself is traditionally silver, the stuff inside is anything but. Once you've taken that last fateful sip, you'll find yourself really ready to move — like, really ready. For the next few hours after the test concludes, once the staff has ensured your heart rate and blood pressure haven't skyrocketed too, you'll enjoy a period of extremely high productivity thanks to a burst of superspeed. Of course, if you already had superspeed, you might not be so lucky... maybe it's time for you to slow down for a change?

▸ Last but certainly not least, the bronze test — not to be missed and hopefully not to be forgotten, especially given its particularly late scheduling in the twilight hours of Friday night — has room for up to twenty-five eager, sober participants. The cup of chamomile tea offered to you is not exactly the most interesting drink in the world, but it tastes decent, and the follow-up questions posed by the researchers are fairly innocuous, if not completely unrelated to the flavor or other details of what you've drank. Strange as it may seem, for whatever reason, you feel particularly encouraged to be honest about said questions. Maybe you're just in a helpful mood. They are paying you, after all. Of course, being cooperative for monetary compensation is all well and good, but what about afterwards? For the next twenty-four hours, you'll find yourself compelled to continue that cooperative streak, agreeing to requests and answering honestly to anything that comes your way — however will you manage? Will you stay home, or will you venture to take advantage and learn a little more about your fellow participants in the process?

Feel free to come in, explore, and pick up a few treats (or maybe some tricks, too) while you're here. You never know what might happen!

Greetings, cuddlers, and welcome to October! As the start of our super spooky month of tricks and treats, we hope you enjoy this special event at our newest retail location, METAMalt. The shop is home to a variety of edible creations, from calorie-dense bars perfect for speedsters to synthetic blood in trendy flavors, as well as a selection of enhanced beers and liquors like the ones noted above.

Much like the treats offered during our Energy Festival, the Enhanced line of drinks and food will all have plentiful labels and signage available so characters can make informed decisions about their purchases and consumptions. Of course, not all characters are the "look before you leap" type, so whether your character abides or even notices said labels is up to you.

In regards to the testing sessions offered by METAMalt's research division, we'd like to remind you of a few important notes. Characters will be asked to sign a waiver, in which they release the testers and shop from any liability, and will be asked to arrive to the test fully sober and unaffected by any other influences. While they will know the color designation and scheduled time of their test in advance, they will not be given any information regarding what type of drink or the effects expected prior to the test itself. The effects are described for the benefits of our players, and should be a surprise to each character experiencing them.

As always, your mod team is here for you with answers to any questions you might have, whether related specifically to this event or the game in general. If you have any further questions specific to this event, we encourage you to ask away on our QUESTIONS COMMENT here in this post. If you have general questions, or prefer a more private venue, our GENERAL INBOX (and SCREENED INBOX) is always available for you. In addition, if you've got an idea for a future event, feel free to drop us a line at our EVENTS SUGGESTION POST.

We hope you have tons of fun out there this month, cuddlers, and we'll see ya around!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Bad different? Or the kind of different you can work with?

[ Buffy was back to studying his chest and touching the scars. She really didn't have an issue with them. In fact it was refreshing to know a man with scars. The couple of men she had dated never had scars. The joys of being a vampire, or a soldier being given experimental drugs.

Her movements had slowed down, no longer moving to the music but rather their conversation. They didn't exactly need to yell now that they were so close. The warmth in Buffy was spreading through her whole body and she just gave a nod. ]

Mmhmm, I'm feeling better than okay. The last time we spoke I was working. Dancing just does something to me. So do you.

Strange different that I wasn't expecting.

[ He thinks that's honest enough without being something that might offend her, but he's feeling very strange, not just because he's been stripped down to the point of having lost a shirt, but also because it's not what he expected of her. If she wants this, he's happy to turn on the charm and press in, but Vasquez can't help but doubt that she's in her right head. Something strange is going on, but he doesn't pull away.

No, he just keeps close, his fingers trailing down her bare back, like a spider descending slowly from a web. ]

Me? This is my fault? You tell a man that, he could get very used to such nice compliments, you know. Be careful how many you tell this.

Okay, well, it's a start. Some surprises are good.

[ And there's that small voice inside her saying that maybe she should just come clean. Tell him about the test. But what if it isn't the test? What if it's really just the culmination of everything since she died back in Sunnydale and came here, and found that she was free. Free to not be the Slayer, free to do what she wanted. Or it could be both. It just seemed like a whole lot to try and explain when she was pleasantly distracted by his lack of shirt.

And those fingers. A shiver ran up her spine, but she wasn't about to complain. Her own fingers made a trail up his arm and over his bicep before curling around the back of his neck and the tips teased at his hair. ]

Totally your fault. If you weren't so mysterious and hot. You're the first one I've said it to. And you're worth complimenting.

[Vasquez tries not to wince at the touch to his bicep, but it happens when those fingers pass over the gunshot wound that hasn't entirely healed yet, mostly because a Gatling gun's bullets are no joke and he thinks that it's only been a little while (that, and he hasn't exactly gone to seek out properly medical attention). Still, when those fingers get into his hair, he can't find it in him to argue.]

I'm very handsome, I know this. You can say that as much as you like, but even so, most people can say that with my shirt still on.

[The determination to get him out of it is the part that Vasquez doesn't entirely understand, but as he looks down at her, the lack of back to her shirt, he thinks maybe this is just the future.]

How do I dance? Move my feet, you say?

[ Her nose scrunched up a little at the wound. It looked sore, and if she were in her right mind there was a chance she would have pushed him to seek help. But then again, she wouldn't have seen it had she not made him take his shirt off.

She laughed at his agreement with her compliments. Even rolled her eyes a little. ]

True, but it's much more fun without your shirt. Skin on skin. Body against body. Heat building...

[ It's possible she might not have been quite so forceful in a different environment, but in The Deviant with music playing and the bass thumping, the crowd pulsing... it's hard not to let a more carnal nature rule. But maybe he's right. Maybe it is just the modern way. ]

Yeah, we can start with that. Just move your feet, sway a little. Feel the beat in your chest. That low thumping that takes over your body.

Skin on skin usually means that something else is going to happen, something that requires two people to have access to a bedroom, you know.

[He's not trying to push it, but the way that he starts to dance with his body pressed to hers, the music thumping down to his stomach, he thinks that it would be very easy to let the heat build and for his head to get away from himself. Swallowing back the dryness of his throat, he tells himself not to let his head get away from him.]

B, what are you wanting?

I know. And I guess it's the idea with places like this. Sometimes. I mean, it's a way to have it without having it.

[ Buffy didn't even really know if she was making sense anymore. That warm flush wasn't going away and she was starting to lose her head even if he wasn't. She could only imagine the trouble if she'd made the mistake of starting anything with someone who didn't have his fortitude. Her tongue ran over her lips, and she met his gaze again. ]

You.

[Well, that's a very direct response that he's not expecting, though he's also glad to hear it. Shame is, he's supposed to be a gentleman now, yes? He's not an outlaw or a bandit, not someone who takes and leaves town. He can't, which means that he can't do the things that he might have done, before.

Stepping back a little, he gives her a troubled look, pained to have to step back and do this.]

We should get you somewhere to sit, something cool for your head, I think. Because while I like to imagine I am that handsome and charming, this is very fast, isn't it?

[And if she still wants it in twenty minutes, then he won't be so able to say no, he knows.]

[ Even Buffy wasn't quite sure how long this feeling was going to last. It was a battle to let him put distance between them. Part of her screamed to move back in closer and change his mind.

The sane part of her apparently allowed her to nod, to see reason in what he was saying. But she certainly hadn't been lying with her answer. As verbose as she could be, there was one thing she could definitely put very succinctly. ]

Maybe getting out of here is a better idea. [ After he puts his shirt back on. ] Not sure Faith is really gonna want me taking over her office.

[ And while this maybe wasn't fast for a lot of people, Buffy wasn't like this. Not deep down. And somewhere in that sane part of her brain she was realising that he wasn't either. Better they had a chance to do this the right way. ]

Faith? You've said this name before.

[He's latching onto it desperately, like he can somehow make the topic switch without insulting her, even as he tries to move out of the dancing crowd of people, not feeling very comfortable with all of them around him.]

Who is she? Or is it just someone from a church? Nun, maybe?

[ If anything was going to distract Buffy from what was happening, it was most definitely referring to Faith as a nun. The laughter was instant and unstoppable. Just the mental imagery of such a thing... She quickly waved her hand to dispel any such thoughts. ]

A nun? No. Definitely, definitely not. She's a friend from back home. I mean, a sort of friend. We spent a lot of time trying to kill each other.

[ Buffy winced, since she wasn't exactly exaggerating and this was going to start straying into territory she wasn't ready to talk about with him. ]

She runs The Deviant now, and I mean, this Faith is older so it's kinda weird. But we seem to have a truce going.

I have lots of friends that sometimes I want to kill.

[Not that he ever actually tried, no matter how many times he had threatened Faraday or the others, or taunted them about their families killing each other. It's all good fun, yes? Good enough fun for him.]

How old are you? If she's older?

[This should have been something he asked before, but truthfully? So long as she isn't fourteen, he really doesn't care, and he's pretty sure that she's not so young, looking at her.]

Well, I mean, I guess some people have that effect. There's definitely one I'm not so sure I'd call a friend... Certainly gave me plenty of murderous thoughts.

[ She might have trusted Spike with Dawn now, but that didn't mean she had to completely like him. Not that it mattered here. So long as her little sister and her friends were safe it was all she could hope for. ]

Twenty. Is that a problem?

[ She hadn't even thought about his age to be fair. Anyone seemed young after dating a vampire. Older definitely did not bother her. But if it bothered him better to know now. ]

I've met a lot of them recently, but they're all good people, even if sometimes I think about shooting them in the face and it makes me smile.

[Usually when they're being terrible and annoying, but at the same time, Vasquez never feels guilty about any of it because he knows they feel the same right back, so it's very mutual.]

I'm more than that. Much more. Thirty-five. Is that a problem?

[He doesn't feel it, most times. He's always being called 'son' and 'boy' by older ones around him that he feels younger. Well, also, and because sometimes he acts half his age.]

I don't mind it, really.

I think you're gonna like Faith.

[ Buffy would have made a mental note to introduce them but she's not entirely sure she'll remember. It's starting to feel a little like she's drunk.

Buffy shook her head as she glanced up at him. ]

Age really doesn't bother me. Unless we're talking the other way, like underage. But you're definitely not underage.

[ She doesn't even think he particularly talks like he's older other than when he's obviously willing to come in an protect her from unwanted dance partners. ]

Good, then it's settled. Age is not a thing.

If you say I will, then how about I trust you?

[Well, not really, but at least he'll trust that this Faith isn't going to be someone who instantly dislikes Vasquez and causes problems, he can at least believe that much. He looks down at her when she talks about age, giving a mild huff as he thinks about the jibes others might make.]

No, not underage. Almost double yours, but not under. I don't mind it, even if some people would think I stealing your youth.

[Then again, he also thinks about what he'd been like at that age with a mischievous grin, imagining the danger and charm he would have yielded.]

You two can bond over wanting to kill people that annoy you.

[ Trust was of course a strong word to use so early on, but Buffy had no choice right now in trusting Vasquez while she was not quite herself. She's also not even considering what others are going to think about the age difference. She knows Faith alone wasn't going to give two hoots. ]

My youth got stolen the second I turned sixteen. I wouldn't worry about it. I died to get here. Youth is not something I'm thinking about.

[ She caught the grin and that flush was back on her skin but she did her best to ignore it. Especially now that they were out of the club and away from the pulsing beats. She made a mental note to stay away on her free nights. Just go there for work. ]

Maybe she's actually done it sometimes, too?

[He wouldn't call his feelings towards McCann and his lackeys annoyance so much as a deep, blistering hate for the man that surpassed all other thoughts and feelings, but annoyed is a good way to put it. This Faith might be something interesting to meet.]

What happened when you turned sixteen? [Said in the voice of a man who thinks he might be killing someone if he gets a chance to find out who it was. The mood, for him, shuts down now as he pulls his shirt back on, giving her a pointed look that says he wants to know.]

Oh, I know she's done it sometimes.

[ Buffy was still a little too close in her time to everything Faith had done, but here in the city, knowing it wasn't the same Faith exactly... She was trying to believe the other Slayer really had redeemed herself. It was a good truce they had going. And to be fair, it had been Buffy that stabbed Faith once upon a time. She wasn't free of her own sins.

Buffy huffed out a breath, her face scrunching as she waved a hand. No, no she did not want to do this right now. She placed her hands on his arms, trying to get him to see that she was okay. That there was no vengeance to be taken. ]

Take a breath, V, because seriously, there's nothing you can do about it. If you're thinking what I think you're thinking. To put it as simply as possible let's just say I had to start work at that age and it didn't leave a whole lot of room for being a typical girl allowed to take my time growing up. There was a whole lot of responsibility on my shoulders and not a whole lot of wiggle room to say no. Things got adult pretty quick. But not like, adult.

[ That was a whole other story. ]

[He makes a face because truthfully, he can't even blame her for it. After all, it's not like Vasquez doesn't have a lot of blood on his hands, so maybe he has nowhere to speak about this. Still, when she tries to calm him from murdering another person and adding it to the list, he's not very happy and he thinks the grumpiness will show.]

It's still not right. People shouldn't get to hurt others, especially not when they are so young. Besides, maybe I just like to think about shooting something or someone?

And I get that, but there really isn't anything you can do. Where I came from, how my life changed... it was decided by something bigger than either of us. And yeah, some pretty crappy things happened to me, but I also wouldn't be me without them. You'd be talking to a very different Buffy. If she even spoke to you.

[ Buffy let go of him and could only shrug in apology. It was true. The Buffy she'd been before getting chosen, before knowing all the things that went bump in the night and that she had to stop them, she wouldn't have spoken to Vasquez. She had been ridiculously shallow and focused on the lesser things in life. ]

Hell, I don't think she would speak to me and I am me. There's no one you can hurt. But if it makes you feel better then just picture a lot of British men in tweed and shoot them up.

[It happened in the past and you can't change that, but it can change you. Vasquez understands that very well, seeing as that happened to him after he made the decision to shoot the ranger instead of letting the insult go. Still, if he could go back and shoot him again? He would. Hasn't learned his lesson, is the problem.]

You saying you wouldn't talk to me? Even when I'm so handsome and charming with you?

[He raises a brow, thinking about British men, how they would be so disrespectful and decides, yes, he would like to put holes in their heads.]

[ Buffy wouldn't have changed anything about her life. Not now. She'd fought against being the Slayer for so long because she had always assumed she couldn't be Buffy. They had been mutually exclusive in her mind for so long, but it wasn't the case. She was both. Althouh here there really was no need for the Slayer. ]

You are definitely handsome and charming with me, but that me? I'm not proud of her stuck-uppery.

[ Even thinking about it now, she just shuddered. And then she took Vasquez's arm and draped it over her shoulders as she leaned in close. Not like she had in the club. Just for comfort even if she was still fighting the effects of the test. ]

What is stuck-uppery?

[One day, he's going to sit down and force someone -- maybe Buffy or even god-forbid Faraday -- to teach him about slang and English words and all the things he doesn't understand, because it's turning out to really affect his daily life.

He leans a little forward into the touch, his fingers curling in at the short hairs at the nape of her neck, not so much trying to do anything, but just stroking lightly, a little, to show that he's not really upset about anything that's happened.]

[ Buffy made a face, kicking herself for one again falling back into slang. Giles would be having a field day at her expense if he even knew. He'd teased her about her 'lack of English' before, but now there really was going to be a language barrier.

And Vasquez shouldn't just rely on Buffy to teach him English. Honestly, no one needed that. ]

Ah, snob? High and mighty? Thinks they're better than everyone else.

[ She tried to think if that was enough options to describe what she'd actually meant. And of course the correct way to phrase it, not just her slack use of slang.

A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth and she closed her eyes briefly at the touch. She would still make an apology at some point. When she had her senses about her. ]

EVENT: PURE(-ISH) IMAGINATION

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