If Calebventures were a vidya it'd play at 5 FPS

[19:44:02] <castfromhp> Alright so if you want to jump in, I'll cover Caleb's walk briefly then or something?
[19:47:57] <castfromhp> So, stepping outside, the first thing to strike your eyes is the brightness of the rising sun, seemingly locked in place peeking over the horizon. Funny, you're sure that sunrise hit a while ago, and you had that talk and all.
[19:49:17] <castfromhp> Second, none of the buildings nearby are the buildings that were around the noodle shop before. Instead, the roads and sidewalks of the city seem interposed over a looming black void. In place of buildings nearby, there are instead large curtains, drawn into squares or circles or the like.
[19:52:07] <castfromhp> You also notice that these 'buildings' look small, and they're a bit translucent.
[20:02:21] <castfromhp> (there?)
[20:08:33] <castfromhp> (botherer?)
[20:09:13] <Caleb> Oh fuck I did not see that there. Sorry, this client is ASS about dropping PMs to me.
[20:17:47] <Caleb> "..." Caleb looks around as he steps outside. At the change of scenery, the curtains, the black void. "... Well, not like I knew shit about how this city worked proper to begin with..." Is the void, like, just a giant blackness surrounding the city or...?
[20:19:33] <castfromhp> It's more like you can only see your immediate surroundings, and they're these weird small looking translucent buildings. At a closer glance you realize they aren't actually physically small, they just FEEL that way, sorta insignificant.
[20:23:45] <Caleb> Lots of things look insignificant when juxtaposed over a black void. Was gonna try and approach the void if it looked any approachable, but since it most likely isn't... Proceeding to one of those large curtains, trying to get a better look at the surroundings as he does.
[20:24:29] <castfromhp> Oh it is approachable, it's like...you can walk up to it at the end of a road or sidewalk, sorry.
[20:24:48] <Caleb> Then doing so.
[20:25:37] <castfromhp> At the edge of a sidewalk, you're stopped by what feels like a large heavy veil cast over the path in front of you. It's tangible, as if you could feel this darkness and tug at it.
[20:27:44] <Caleb> And if he does...? "... The hell is this thing?" He tries to, like, pull it aside or something.
[20:29:10] <Caleb> Or push it. Whatever you do with giant curtain veil thingies.
[20:29:38] <castfromhp> As you pull it back, you get a vision of all over Hong Kong, images, smells, sounds - actually not too many sounds. Silence is what greets you there save for an occasional chirp of a bird and the white noise of machinery grinding away. Maybe an occasional voice.
[20:30:29] <castfromhp> Though your glimpses are very brief, you can see the streets are just as empty elsewhere, and just as filled with strange constructions, like large skyscrapers twisted into the shape of trees.
[20:32:53] <castfromhp> ..As in when you peel it back, that's what you see.
[20:33:08] <castfromhp> Not that it flashes through your mind or something. You actually physically see that past the darkness.
[20:33:18] <Caleb> "... If there weren't anythin' wrong with this place before with all the magic fuckin' round with everythin', sure is now..." are the visions more like flashes in his head, or he can see this right before--OH.
[20:33:42] <Caleb> He tries... Calling out into the darkness. "... hello? Anyone out 'ere?"
[20:34:13] <castfromhp> No response, except for the occasional voice again. You're pretty sure it's not addressing you. Still a rapid slideshow of images, sounds and smells.
[20:36:28] <Caleb> Can he proceed THROUGH the veil when pushed aside? ... Probably a terrible idea, but trying anyways.
[20:36:38] <castfromhp> You can try~
[20:36:44] <Caleb> Trying.
[20:39:49] <castfromhp> You feel for a moment like you've stepped into nothingness, and an intense feeling of emptiness envelops you. Then that feeling you get when someone's watching you, but you can't quite see them. That feeling a thousandfold. There's a tug at you, reluctant, as if reality itself is pulling at you.
[20:41:22] <castfromhp> And then you find yourself standing in a...forest?
[20:41:35] <castfromhp> Odd, those don't look very foresty OHhhh wait they're buildings. The odd ones shaped into trees.
[20:41:54] <castfromhp> Tall, tall skyscrapers, bent at odd angles without regard to function really.
[20:42:55] <castfromhp> They're clustered insanely close to each other. Looking at the ones around you they have the same feeling of insignificance you felt before with the curtained buildings.
[20:43:20] <castfromhp> But looking off to your right, you see off in the distance buildings that seem to radiate strength and importance.
[20:43:59] <castfromhp> Far off, one building in particular, a pair of towers growing around each other like a vine, seems to radiate with a divine presence. Its very image feels commanding to you. Demanding of reverance.
[20:47:55] <castfromhp> Actually, let's say they look like two big bamboo shoots instead of vines.
[20:47:57] <castfromhp> That's more fitting.
[20:47:59] <castfromhp> castfromwhimsy
[20:48:05] <Caleb> Emptiness? The loneliness, he's felt it enough before that it's at least a familiar feel to him... Though not exactly familiar enough to be jaded to it. If anyone were around to see they'd see he was visibly affected by it for that brief moment... Which brings us to the next question. In the waves of paranoia that wash over him as he turns about ever so wary of that onlookers from the shadows, IS there anyone? If not... The towers will pre
[20:48:24] <castfromhp> Cut off at "The towers will pre"
[20:49:08] <Caleb> Pretty much end up drawing him towards them.
[20:51:25] <castfromhp> No one around you for a while as you head toward the towers, at least not outside. A few fearful faces make themselves seen in a window, but not much else. You pass shopping malls, banks, a few government buildings. Things feel more important as you get closer to the towers, and you see there is a crowd gathered as you get closer. Not at the building, a block or so away.
[20:51:32] <castfromhp> Well, traditional distance is WEIRD now, but about that.
[20:51:57] <castfromhp> The two towers themselves have soldiers canvassing the entire perimeter, visibly heavily armed.
[20:52:02] <castfromhp> Er, let's say a few blocks away. There we go.
[20:55:25] <Caleb> Caleb draws near the tower... Or, at the very least, the crowd. This shit's just plain weird. Time to do that thing where you shout into the air and hope you get some answers. "Hey, uhh... Any a you guys got any idea the hell's going on here?"
[20:55:50] <Caleb> He prods at the crowd, at the very least verbally.
[20:57:49] <castfromhp> They all turn, surprised at hearing another voice. Among them, two faces stick out, the first's surprise melting into a warm recognition and gratitude, the second meeting yours with a jolt of shock and fear. Meet: Rich and Charis. Both heavily injured, standing toward the back with bandages and crutches.
[20:58:20] <Caleb> ... Oh, fuck.
[21:00:14] <Caleb> ... Also, ALL of them.
[21:00:19] <Caleb> ?**
[21:00:38] <castfromhp> Yeah the whole crowd turns to look at you. Wasn't expecting anyone else here really.
[21:03:38] <castfromhp> "Well Caleb, welcome to our last stand. Not many of us made it out of that hellhole of a prison. I hear Charis guided you there, but what happened then..." He trails off to a frown as Charis backs up away from you.
[21:05:14] <castfromhp> Charis: "...I can't blame him for it. But whatever's taken hold of him, it at least thinks enough like us to use our doorways."
[21:06:15] <Caleb> Well, that's a reception, for certain. "... Yeah, I... Kinda heard about that..." was there supposed to be a sorry 'bout that following? If there was, it doesn't come, but a body gesture showing the awkwardness he's feeling about it does follow that statement.
[21:07:50] <castfromhp> "You could...apologize for running me through." Charis looks at you sternly. "Even if it wasn't your fault. I dropped and cracked my iPhone's screen too, but I guess that's a bit silly to worry about now."
[21:09:37] <Caleb> Okay, she gets it now. "... Yeah... Wasn't exactly somethin' i'd've gone outta my way to do, so, errr... Yeah, sorry 'bout that..."
[21:11:58] <castfromhp> "Hey, back to watching, we don't know when they'll give us an opening." Rich barks at the rest of the crowd and they turn back. "Least they don't they can't take us head-on if they come for us here, but neither can we take them."
[21:13:26] <castfromhp> "What did you DO? Even your run of the mill greedy bastard doesn't manifest the hands that way. The more I think about the less likely I think it was really you in there tapping into that power."
[21:14:07] <castfromhp> *Charis said that second line. sorry
[21:16:04] <Caleb> Caleb shrugs. "pparently I got cursed by that fuckin sword or some shit..."
[21:16:04] <Caleb> "Least that's what that Rini girl was sayin' happened..."
[21:17:11] <castfromhp> "I wonder where she is now..." Charis gets lost in thought a bit. "Ah, well, this was the result we had to expect from the start with so many of our own overseas. This small crowd is all we've got."
[21:25:56] <Caleb_> did my lines go through?
[21:26:05] <castfromhp> [21:16:04] <Caleb> "Least that's what that Rini girl was sayin' happened..."
[21:26:05] <castfromhp> [21:17:11] <castfromhp> "I wonder where she is now..." Charis gets lost in thought a bit. "Ah, well, this was the result we had to expect from the start with so many of our own overseas. This small crowd is all we've got."
[21:26:49] <Caleb_> "Left her in one a them Triad bases... "Walked outside, through that... Thing, I ain't got any idea the hell it was... An' ended up here, if 'at matters anyway..."
[21:29:38] <castfromhp> "I could 'splain that." Rich steps up again. "I've kind of been making myself an expert on the recent magical whatnots since I've been recovering."
[21:29:59] <castfromhp> "Not being able to run around much, all that."
[21:30:44] <Caleb_> "Then could ya?"
[21:31:16] <castfromhp> "There's no such thing as a physical map in Hong Kong anymore. Places are closer together or further apart depending on their closeness symbolically. Why are you here though Caleb? I thought you didn't want a part in the fighting, though something in you cared enough to put you in a position to free some of us..."
[21:34:45] <Caleb_> "Y say that like I got any clue. Honestly, think yer all a buncha dumbasses, retina make magic somethin' you can buy an' sell. Yer gettin' free kinda just happened ''cause it was just easy t'press the big red button an' let everyone outta there."
[21:34:55] <castfromhp> "Whatever's in you, it uses our doorways, and it seems tied to some notion of acting in the greater interest of Estisse, but..." Charis speaks up this time and rubs her wound.
[21:35:31] <castfromhp> "Do you want to be stuck with your magic then? If you could sell it off to someone - or, hell, give it away, wouldn't you?" Her eyes flare up.
[21:43:31] <castfromhp> (botherer?)
[21:44:40] <Caleb_> (I am having a hard time trying to figure out how to respond to this... Sorry :/)
[21:45:43] <castfromhp> (k)
[21:48:25] <Caleb_> "..." Caleb looks warily at Charis. "The hell're ya tryin'a get at here?"
[21:48:48] <castfromhp> "It's people just like you who benefit the most from our project."
[21:49:13] <castfromhp> "If we succeed you'll never have to feel the tug of your invisible hands again."
[21:49:13] <Caleb_> (don't mind me, just stealing shuku's record for longest wait on response ;_;)
[21:51:57] <Caleb_> Caleb face palms. "What parta 'Yer all the biggest buncha dumbasses I ever met' arentcha gettin'?"
[21:53:16] <castfromhp> She sighs. "You aren't sounding too smart yourself. What are you going to do the rest of your life then? Live with that?"
[21:56:49] <Caleb_> "Honestly..." He sighs. "I ain't got a fuckin' clue..."
[21:57:11] <castfromhp> "Then why the fuck are WE the dumbasses? Think Caleb."
[21:57:20] <Caleb_> (also this app is SO ASS. I have to get your PMs from one window and respond to them in another)
[21:57:32] <castfromhp> "We're throwing a solution to all your troubles right at you, and what do you have to say about it?"
[21:58:07] <castfromhp> At this point Rich intervenes, placing a hand on Charis's shoulder. "What Charis means, Caleb, is perhaps we could make a mutually beneficial exchange here if you're willing to hear us out without getting emotional."
[22:07:51] <Caleb_> "An' what I mean is 'at this shit just plain sucks! 'pparently I picked it up on some accident... An it ended up fuckin' any chance I had a livin' a proper life over! ... An' you guys are just... You're doin a real good job makin' it something at'd happen the whole world over..."
[22:08:17] <Caleb_> (heading out shortly... Think you could !bother me into a channel and drop it there or something?)
[22:08:38] <castfromhp> (just PM me when you get back and we'll continue)
[22:09:07] <Caleb_> (Okay)
[22:09:26] <Caleb_> (sorry for being the MEGASLOW)
[22:09:32] <castfromhp> "I think you misunderstand. Nothing we do will increase the rate at which humans are naturally born with language. It simply no longer becomes an immutable trait."
[22:09:49] <castfromhp> "We are allowing people to define themselves, not be defined by their birth and misfortunes of luck."
[22:43:02] <Botherer> a??... Ya??mind runnina??at by me again? In English, not that fancy business talk.a??
[22:46:09] <castfromhp> "Sure. We don't have the manpower to take on the government forces, not with how many we lost back in their prison facility."
[22:46:27] <castfromhp> "You help us with that, and when we're done with what we do, we get rid of your magic for you. Or well, you could do it yourself."
[23:00:23] <Botherer> a??... Question. You guys are tryina??a take down the government ana?? shit... Why? Like, I cana??t say I like a??em all that much considerina?? all they done so far is have guys runnina?? round shootina?? me up real good, but...a?? (Slowerer is so slow tonight ;_;)
[23:04:57] <castfromhp> "They want to use magic for military strength." Charis steps in again, and it's clear she's making some effort to simplify explanations. "We figure that would be Richgerous to the safety of the world. It's also that chakras are limited. If they take this one, we can't have it."
[23:06:33] <Caleb> a??In other words, theya??re even bigger dumbasses a??an you all are...a??
[23:06:53] <castfromhp> "Who in all of this isn't a dumbass then in your eyes?"
[23:09:27] <Caleb> a??... Really, aina??t much a anyone I met so far a??at aina??t one... Hell, Ia??m probably big a dumbass as all the resta ya for lettina?? myself get dragged into this shit much as I did...a??
[23:12:15] <castfromhp> "How would you not be a dumbass here then?" Charis is making a clear effort to be civil.
[23:17:15] <Caleb> Caleb seats himself down on the floor... If these buildings are close enough and physically tangible, he plants himself against one of those. a??Idunno, you tell me... Though it sounds like you guys aina??t half as dumb as the ones who wanna use magic to, like, blow shit up...a??
[23:18:43] <castfromhp> "Then think about it. We're making our last stand here after all. We have time to wait."
[23:26:37] <Caleb> Well, Caleb does take the time to think on things a bit, assuming he has time to do so. a??cause fuckina?? magic, who knows when ita??ll just randomly go and blow shit up? a??... Ana?? the hella??s with those chakra shits you mentioned earlier that yer? Rini was tryina??a say somethina?? bout a??em earlier ana?? that she stopped the... Err, fuck, I dona??t remember who it was, but she
[23:26:38] <Caleb> fucked a??em over outta gettina?? one a??erself... But they seem real important in a??is whole mess a??at you two ana?? the government all want a??em...a??
[23:31:18] <castfromhp> "There are five, which, as I tried to explain earlier, represent the way Hong Kong is moving into a new age, a new paradigm of how society organizes itself globally."
[23:33:22] <castfromhp> "One for each classical Chinese element."
[23:33:47] <castfromhp> "This." She points up at the bamboo shoot buildings a few blocks down. "Wood. Representative of Hong Kong's economy, growing as a strong Tree would."
[23:35:03] <Caleb> a??... Guess a??at explains why youa??re all gunnina?? on this one...a??
[23:47:52] <Caleb> a??... So, youa??re pretty much just plannina?? on blowina?? up the government ta?? take this chakra? ... Ana?? if yer numbers are as small as ya??say they are, the hella??re ya gonna go about gettina?? the resta them? Dona??cha need all of a??em or somethina???a??
[23:48:19] <castfromhp> (oops didn't see your reply)
[23:48:42] <castfromhp> "Each chakra is itself powerful in its own right. With this alone, we could get a good way towards our goal. But more is always better."
[23:56:49] <Caleb> a??... Eh... Ia??ll bite for now. Worst a??at happens at this point is I just end up dead...a??
[23:58:44] <castfromhp> "Excellent!" She claps her hands together and then extends one. "You think you  can take a bit more of some big words? It'll help what we're about to do then."
[23:59:29] <Caleb> a??Try ana?? keep a??em to a minimum, then...a??
[00:00:12] <Caleb> Hand is extended enough for Charis to reach... And if he cana??t reach from the floor, hea??ll send a Grabby Hand her way.
[00:00:26] <castfromhp> She stoops down to shake your hand.
[00:00:44] <Caleb> Good. a??cause he was feeling kinda lazy :p
[00:04:44] <castfromhp> "To take a chakra, what you have to do is infuse yourself with the meaning of it, in this case the Hong Kong economy. What we have planned is a variety of purchases and transactions to put a much larger share of the global economy into the hands of our Hong Kong-based corporations."
[00:05:01] <castfromhp> "It won't work unless we're in the building though. The IFC means a lot to Hong Kong."
[00:05:23] <castfromhp> "It could've been another building, but this one seems to be what everyone's fixating on, and that creates a sort of magical reality all on its own."
[00:06:42] <Caleb> a??... So, basically, ya??just gotta blow a hole right through their front lines ana?? get inside?a??
[00:07:13] <castfromhp> "And hold them off for long enough to do our thing. We aren't convinced they themselves have a method for taking the Chakra at the moment. They've had time enough."
[00:11:37] <Caleb> a??Well, just... Lemme know when ya??need me, then...a?? He folds his arms, just biding his time and waiting until THE BIG MOMENT if theya??ve got nothing else to fill him in on.
[00:12:12] <castfromhp> "You have any questions yourself?"
[00:13:52] <Caleb> a??Seems simple a??nough... Just dona??t get shot ana?? punch anythina?? thata??s gotta gun, if I aina??t missina?? nothina???a??
[00:16:25] <Caleb> a??a??less ya??got anythina?? else ta??add ta??that.a??
[00:18:55] <castfromhp> "I meant about the larger conflict. You're confused, right? Though if you just want to go in and punch out the government's thugs, fine by me."
[00:19:41] <Caleb> a??... Oh yeah... Dona??t know shit about that. Was sa??pposed to get some more information a??bout that before shit hit the fan...a??
[00:19:47] <Caleb> that last night**
[00:26:22] <castfromhp> "I'll give you the same offer I did the first we met. Ask away."
[00:26:35] <Caleb> (Which was?)
[00:26:53] <castfromhp> (just ask questions)
[00:26:59] <castfromhp> (that's pretty much how the previous conversation went)
[00:34:27] <Caleb> a??... So, you guys are all tryina??a fix the world to your shit with sellina?? magic? ... (Son of a bitch, the chance I get to ask questions Ia??m fucking blanking hard) The hella??re the chakras ana?? havina?? em sa??pposed ta?? do ya for gettina?? there?a??
[00:37:47] <castfromhp> (I was expecting more questions the first time around too, but then whoops emotions)
[00:38:44] <castfromhp> "Don't you think there are those without magic who want it and those with magic who'd rather not have it?"
[00:38:51] <castfromhp> "The chakras are pure magical power."
[00:44:27] <Caleb> a?? a??course therea??re people like that... Ana?? theya??re as much dumbasses as anyone else ...a??
[00:45:04] <castfromhp> "So everyone's a dumbass to you, huh Caleb?"
[00:45:24] <Caleb> a??Aina??t met anyone who isna??t in one way or another...a??
[00:47:27] <castfromhp> "Anyhow, what the chakras do is let you shape the direction the world is changing. Magic is born of the world's changes, and so it comes back to that, having a hand in what changes are made."
[00:47:46] <Caleb> a??... Ya??dona??t say...a??
[00:48:51] <Caleb> Ideas. They are forming.
[00:50:16] <castfromhp> (waiting warmly for them)
[00:50:57] <Caleb> Well, more a??scheminga??...
[00:52:29] <castfromhp> (well, just wondering if you're thinking of more questions to ask at the moment or not)
[00:54:52] <Caleb> a??... So, you can shape the world however ya??want with these chakras? ... Well, aina??t that some shit!a??
[00:56:01] <castfromhp> "Not however you want. Changes occur in line with the domain of the chakra. Obviously if we want a magical marketplace, the chakra comprising the economics of the city works best."
[00:57:17] <Caleb> a??... Ana?? ya??got any idea the hell those other chakras are for?a??
[00:58:36] <castfromhp> "We've mostly worked it out by now. Water has something to do with the old mystical traditions of Hong Kong. Earth is about the advancing technologies of the city. Fire represents Hong Kong's action movies. They're that big apparently. There's a lot of trouble for us figuring out exactly what Metal means. It's something to do with the globality of Hong Kong."
[00:58:57] <castfromhp> "Really, the independence movement is who's after Metal, and we know they can't be up to any good."
[01:04:37] <Caleb> a??Speakina??a them... All these other people fightina?? for these chakras... There much a anythina?? ya??know a??bout a??em at all? Dona??t really know much past what ya told me an...a?? Fuck, I forgot. Does he even know anything beyond the fact that the Triad has some kind of connection with Arae, if even that?
[01:05:46] <castfromhp> "We know the Independence Movement wants to eradicate all magic." She sighs, then adds quickly. "I know, I know, might sound tempting to you, but trust us, it's something that will bring harm to the entire planet."
[01:07:33] <Caleb> a??Ya??wanna fill me in on a??at?a??
[01:08:45] <castfromhp> Charis smiles wryly. "You think you can handle the jargon?"
[01:09:20] <Caleb> a??Aina??t been lost yet this time... Think I can handle more fancy words...a?? How wrong he will be, most likely.
[01:12:54] <castfromhp> "It's not as if all life will die or anything like that, but human society advances over time. We overcome old prejudices like slavery, and that changes the world the same way it's being changed now."
[01:13:05] <castfromhp> "Take away magic, and the growth of civilization stagnates."
[01:13:29] <castfromhp> "Old mores become cemented and humanity never advances. We'll become a species locked in time."
[01:15:54] <castfromhp> "Without magic we're a dead species, Caleb. Or we might as well be."
[01:19:47] <Caleb> a??... Right... Think I got just one last question a??ere a??less somethina?? comes up with all a??em other people...a??
[01:19:55] <castfromhp> "Shoot."
[01:21:54] <Caleb> a??If they go a??long with the way theya??re tryina??a make magic go ana?? disappear... We become dead people a??cause magic dona??t exist... Or a??cause people dona??t got their magic?a??
[01:22:49] <castfromhp> "Not literally dead, but humanity will stop advancing. We'll stop inventing, stop becoming better people, we will be exactly as we are as a civilization now until forever."
[01:23:04] <castfromhp> "And eventually, that means we will kill ourselves off, because we still have nuclear weapons, and people are still too stupid to handle them."
[01:23:22] <Caleb> a??I got that much! I might be a dumbass, but I aina??t retarded!a??
[01:24:59] <Caleb> a??I mean, ya??think peoplea??d still be able a change ana?? shit if theya??re near it and have it a??round... Or do they gotta actually use it to make change?a??
[01:25:58] <castfromhp> "Magic is the force of will of humanity's collective unconsciousness. We all 'use' it per se. Some simply tap into it in a much more direct manner."
[01:29:45] <Caleb> a??Right...a?? He just nods along with it...
[01:31:10] <castfromhp> "It just needs to be around for us to take advantage of it. The Independence Movement thinks they can freeze things as they are, that if we progress too much further we'll be assured to destroy ourselves with even more deadly weapons than nuclear ones."
[01:31:34] <castfromhp> "And that it's safer to stop here, stop everything. But we still have racism, we still have dictatorships, we still have many horrible things humanity should not be forced to live with. Don't you agree?"
[01:34:53] <Caleb> a??... Well... Yeah, guess that kinda does make a??em a lotta dumbasses in a??eir own way...a??
[01:36:46] <castfromhp> "More than us, right?" Charis smiles. "Anything else?"
[01:40:14] <Caleb> a??... Enough a??at Ia??ma need ta??figure out what Ia??ma do after all this shit...a??
[01:41:33] <castfromhp> "Give it some thought, and let me know when you're ready to go."
[01:44:24] <Caleb> Other than that, hea??d just wanna know whatever would be useful to know a??bout the Triads and other people involved (if there were more than four parties... What was it, Independence, Estisse, Triads, PRC?) ... Past that, GO TIME.