"Like a dream?" Erin finishes wryly, turning her head again to flash Ruby a grin. "On my Earth, places like this are dedicated to conservation and education. Helping animals and species that might go extinct in the wild, raising awareness, fostering a love of nature...keeping the world beautiful and abundant. Even when I was at my lowest I really did love it, just not all the crowds. Hence breaking in, actually."
Erin twirls her hand and -
- The two of them are underwater? It doesn't seem to be a big deal. Ruby doesn't even feel wet. Brightly-colored fish swim up to her and wiggle against her hands for Pettings.
Erin starts explaining, still sounding almost giddy; she twirls in place to face Ruby and rocks back and forth on her boots like a schoolgirl with a juicy rumor. "I'm gonna offer you a useful word here - 'diagesis', the things in a story that are literally, actually happening. Sometimes things in a story aren't literally happening - think of musicals for that where like, people aren't usually actually singing the songs in the logic of the story, the songs are more metaphors or montages or what have you. In the diagesis of a dream, anything is possible, but dreams do have laws that separate them from the narrative they tell to an extent. Thing the first: I'm not in your mind, I'm in your dream. There's a difference. Two, our dreams aren't touching, I'm actually here. My mind is right here -" Erin taps her head, "- where it damn well belongs. I can't read your thoughts or control your actions, but I can pay attention to the dream and what it could tell me about you. Three, when you're awake like this you'll wake up for real if you die in the dream. Your body won't be hurt but it'll make you wish for those nightmares back so try not to hurt yourself if you can avoid it. That will become less of a concern when I'm not here. My presence...charges things, a bit."
Erin gives Ruby an extravagant bow. "Dream logic isn't normal logic, but it's not no logic at all. I can force my will on the dream but there's a lot you can get out of working with its venue. Go ahead, try moving! However feels natural to you. Be a fish, be a mermaid, just walk, float like a god, whatever. Interact with the dream. Just remember that I'm not actually controlling the fish, they'll act however your dream thinks they ought to act." She tips a thumb at a shark, currently showing Many Teeth. "Plan accordingly."
no subject
Erin twirls her hand and -
- The two of them are underwater? It doesn't seem to be a big deal. Ruby doesn't even feel wet. Brightly-colored fish swim up to her and wiggle against her hands for Pettings.
Erin starts explaining, still sounding almost giddy; she twirls in place to face Ruby and rocks back and forth on her boots like a schoolgirl with a juicy rumor. "I'm gonna offer you a useful word here - 'diagesis', the things in a story that are literally, actually happening. Sometimes things in a story aren't literally happening - think of musicals for that where like, people aren't usually actually singing the songs in the logic of the story, the songs are more metaphors or montages or what have you. In the diagesis of a dream, anything is possible, but dreams do have laws that separate them from the narrative they tell to an extent. Thing the first: I'm not in your mind, I'm in your dream. There's a difference. Two, our dreams aren't touching, I'm actually here. My mind is right here -" Erin taps her head, "- where it damn well belongs. I can't read your thoughts or control your actions, but I can pay attention to the dream and what it could tell me about you. Three, when you're awake like this you'll wake up for real if you die in the dream. Your body won't be hurt but it'll make you wish for those nightmares back so try not to hurt yourself if you can avoid it. That will become less of a concern when I'm not here. My presence...charges things, a bit."
Erin gives Ruby an extravagant bow. "Dream logic isn't normal logic, but it's not no logic at all. I can force my will on the dream but there's a lot you can get out of working with its venue. Go ahead, try moving! However feels natural to you. Be a fish, be a mermaid, just walk, float like a god, whatever. Interact with the dream. Just remember that I'm not actually controlling the fish, they'll act however your dream thinks they ought to act." She tips a thumb at a shark, currently showing Many Teeth. "Plan accordingly."