{001} Video

[wall_painter]

[The camera clicks on and wobbles slightly as Johnny adjusts it, trying to get optimum lighting to properly frame himself against the dingy background of his new bedroom. Careful as he is to keep his head in the center of the frame, it's clear when he steps back that he's abnormally thin, with deep, dark circles under his eyes that speak to a lot of sleepless nights.]

I'm Johnny, and I'm newly spat out by the teleporter-of-random-doom. Hi. [He attempts a smile, but ditches that after a second in favor of asking a question.] Anybody know what the medical care situation is here? I was thinkin' about signing up for a sleeping pill trial back home, see if that worked, but being self-employed cut out good options administered by people who knew what the hell they were doing. And nothing over-the-counter can fell me. Except gas station burritos, but that'll kill anybody, so, [he waves his hand dismissively, visibly struggling to stay on topic if the way his brow furrows is any indication.] I... what was the other thing I was going to ask... nope. Nope, it's gone. Well, dookie, and it was all going so well, too. [He shrugs, abandoning the point entirely.]

Eh, while I've got an audience - anyone know where to pick up some decent art supplies in Maurtia Falls?

Comments

[am_i_a_monster]

[Abigail knows that feeling.  Her nightmares often keep her from having a good night's sleep.]

I have a power that can help people sleep.   Other people have healing powers too. There's also traditional, scientific doctors and hospitals, all of that.

[She pauses for a moment.]

I don't know any in Maurtia Falls.  I used to work at the Van Don't Gogh Art Shoppe in Heropa.   They have good supplies and it's just a quick trip by porter.   What type of art do you create?  I sketch.

[She moves the camera to one of her drawings, a sketch of a mountain.]

[wall_painter]

[Huh. He wouldn't have thought that was a superpower this place gave out, but it makes sense not everything is of the classical break-shit-and-look-cool strain of superpowers here. Johnny blinks in surprise at the offer.]

Well, I'm currently mostly money-less. I don't know what hospitals and doctors here charge, but it's probably more than zero? [He's a recluse, but he's not that out of touch with the world.] So I'm hoping we get imPort insurance or something, or else it's back to Slurpees and static for me.

Oooh. Nice sketch work. I, um, I do surrealist comics, mostly. [There is no proper description of Happy Noodle Boy he can give her without some back issues to help illustrate the concept. Damn, if only the Porter had let him take his work with him...] But I also paint, too. More abstract spookiness than nice scenery.

[He's bad at scenery that isn't pulled from his dreams, but he can appreciate the work that goes into a decent sketch, and that shows when he smiles, a brief, fleeting expression that de-ages him instantly.]

[am_i_a_monster]

I don't charge for my fellow imports.  I know what it's like to come from a place that makes it hard to sleep.   You have to listen to my music for it to work. [She walks over to her harpsichord, making sure the camera stays on her.]  I call it my harpsichord power.  I can heal people, help them sleep, help them with their memory.  You don't have to listen in person.  It'd be kind of awkward to have people falling asleep at my place.  [She gives a small amused grin at that and then becomes serious again.]  I can play over the phone.  Or you can buy one of my CDs.  You have to pay for those though.  My record label wouldn't like it if I gave them out free.   

[She pauses for a moment.]  Oh, there is a hospital and clinic in De Chima.  I think they treat anyone, regardless of insurance.  I haven't actually been there.  It'd be best to check with someone who has. 

[She smiles back when he compliments her art.]  Thank you.  I paint sometimes too.  I only do spooky when I'm trying to get a scary image out of my head, if that makes sense.

[wall_painter]

That's really decent of you. Thanks. [Kindness is so radically absent from his entire world back home that he's at a loss on how to respond. He's intrigued by the harpsichord, if only because it's a rarity in terms of instruments.] You got a really useful power, compared to mine. I don't mind buying a CD if it means I'll be able to sleep for longer than two hours for once.

Thanks for the info. I might swing by there, check it out. It's got to be better than the big old pile of nothing I was doing before. Introvert problems, am I right? [Granted, he also had other things making it hard to get help back home. Here, though, with it being the future and people having superpowers that can fix things, even someone as bad at being a responsible adult about his own health as Johnny is really doesn't have an excuse not to put in more effort.

He rubs the back of his neck self-consciously.] I don't aim for spooky on purpose, I just get images in my head and have to get them out. Some people think they're kooky or spooky or unsettling but I don't aim for any of that. I aim to recreate what comes to me before the image fades from my mind.

Ugh, I sound so pretentious. I should be wearing a beret and denouncing the mainstream art scene while I'm at it.

[am_i_a_monster]

It's no problem.  Just call me when you want to sleep.  [She nods.]   It is.  I've been able to help a lot of people and it boosts my album sales.   It'd be more useful if I could use it on myself though. 

Introverts and prisoners. [She has thought of herself as a prisoner when she was in the hospital and when she was in Hannibal's basement. She realizes that sounds a bit too dark though.]   It doesn't have to be for introverts.  There's plenty you can do on your own.   Art of course, music, cooking, hunting, just go out for a walk.   There's lots we can do here.   [More than she could do back home.]

It's the opposite for me.  If I draw something spooky, it's because I want the image to fade from my mind.  I might tear it up afterwards.  Kind of symbolically destroying  it. 

[She chuckles.]  I don't mind.  I'm sure a lot of people think my harpsichord is pretentious.   Or the way I talk about cooking.

[nightmarist]

You get free healthcare if you sell your soul to the government.

[wall_painter]

Interesting. I wouldn't think my soul would be worth that much; I'd have been happy with a free Slurpee.

What does this soul-selling entail? I'm morally bankrupt and very tired.

[nightmarist]

There'll be a Swearing-In ceremony in a few days. You go to that thing and sign your name on the registration form and then you're property of the United States government for... ever? I dunno. I never signed the fucking thing, but that's the benefit of being rich as shit.

Anyway, I've got pills and I'm not using them anymore, so if you feel like taking drugs from a total stranger, it can be arranged.

[wall_painter]

Hmm. I'm not as adverse to the idea as I probably should be. After all, aren't we all property of capitalism or pride or our own fears, in one way or another? You're always a slave to something. But how many benefits do I get for the registration? Drugs? A therapist who can crack open my skull and figure out what went wrong and thus how to fix me? Churros?

Eh, why not? I already died back home and it didn't hurt that much. I don't have much to pay you with, though, unless you take random watercolor paintings.

[nightmarist]

I mean, I'll take paintings if you feel like getting rid of them, but the drugs are free.

You should probably ask your fascist recruiter about the details of government benefits. I only go to Swear-Ins for the booze.

[wall_painter]

Eh, if I give 'em away I've got more space for the new stuff I'll make later.

I would have, but, um. Apparently my criminal record is something the people in charge know about, so they sort of booted me out of the car and drove off into the night. At least Maurtia Falls has foodtrucks.

Is there a non-government, non-shady dealer way to get sleeping pills that'll work? Preferably ones that involve as little contact with humanity as possible.

[nightmarist]

Assuming these don't kill you, I can always get you more. That probably still makes me a shady dealer, but on the bright side, not really human.

[wall_painter]

Hmm. Is it bigoted to say I don't expect non-humans to be different enough for me not to be utter dookie at dealing with them? People aren't my favorite thing.

[nightmarist]

That's fair, but I'm out of alternative suggestions.

[wall_painter]

So if you're not human, what are you? You don't look like the talking Styrofoam monstrosities back home.

[nightmarist]

It's complicated. There's no Styrofoam involved, as far as I know.

[wall_painter]

That doesn't narrow it down much.

[nightmarist]

No, it doesn't.

[hellosirs]

There's an art supply store downtown, sir! It's called "Til Death Do Us Art". The phone-map says that it's kinda squished between a coffee shop and a used bike place.