ARANEA: Well, Jake? Don't you have anything to say?
JAKE: ...
ARANEA: I think I've spent enough time introducing myself! You have hardly said a word.
ARANEA: It would 8e nice to know whether my long story has confounded you in any particular way, or if you are just 8eing shy.
JAKE: Uh...
ARANEA: Yes?
ARANEA: Jake, I understand this is very much to learn all at once, 8ut do you really want me to keep speaking until I am 8lue in the face?
JAKE: ...
JAKE: Gulp!
ARANEA: You appear to 8e perspiring heavily.
ARANEA: There is no reason to 8e so nervous, especially considering you are only dreaming.
JAKE: Shit!
JAKE: Sorry. I dont know where i put the dream towels.
ARANEA: It's ok.
ARANEA: Well, at the risk talking a8out myself a little more, I feel it would 8e dishonest not to confess.
JAKE: What?
ARANEA: I am a fairly gifted psychic.
JAKE: Whoa really?
ARANEA: Yes.
JAKE: Like you can see the future?
JAKE: Are they ghost powers or troll powers? Or wait shucks thats a dumb sounding question.
ARANEA: No, that was a fine question. They're troll powers. Sometimes those of my 8lood type will have them naturally.
ARANEA: And no, they are not prognosticative a8ilities. They let me access another's mind in a way that can 8e terri8ly invasive if a8used.
JAKE: Invasive?
ARANEA: Yes. Including the a8ility to control minds, when exploited fully.
JAKE: Uh oh.
ARANEA: 8ut don't worry. They don't seem to work the same way on your species. They're considera8ly weaker.
ARANEA: The most I can do is get an empathic impression of your emotional state.
ARANEA: So if I speculate that you are shy or nervous, it is 8ecause I can sense that you are.
JAKE: Aw man youre kidding!
JAKE: So much for trying to be cool i guess.
JAKE: Although i probably blew that when you saw me yelling at nobody about boners and stuff.
ARANEA: I wouldn't say you 8lew it, 8ut that was certainly odd.
ARANEA: Who were you talking to, if you don't mind my asking?
JAKE: That was like...
JAKE: The brain ghost memory splinter of my best friend dirk who is stuck in my head and you cant see.
JAKE: And he was kinda hassling me and trying to get me to talk to him about how his real self has a thing for me but i kind of think it would be weird to talk to his brain impostor about that? At least for now.
JAKE: And then you showed up and you caught me at an awkward moment where he was threatening to make some bodily functions happen in front of you as a joke which would have been embarrassing as all blasted heck.
JAKE: But now it turns out you can read my mind too so im surrounded by brain invaders!
JAKE: You seem cool aranea but uh when am i going to wake up?
ARANEA: I am not a 8rain invader though!
ARANEA: I said I can only sense your emotions. I think it's polite to let people know 8efore long. Otherwise I 8egin to feel a 8it underhanded.
JAKE: Ok. I guess thats not too bad.
JAKE: I think i can keep my feelings buttoned up. That is what strong and adventurous gentlemen do i think. They keep a stiff upper lip even on the inside. That way they are never embarrassed and feel slightly more brave about stuff.
ARANEA: 8ut you don't have to! That was not the point of my telling you.
ARANEA: I'm used to sensing many things from people. There aren't any feelings you could have that would 8e that surprising to me or compromising to you.
ARANEA: I really just want you to relax for the 8rief time we have in this 8u88le and talk to me.
JAKE: Um gotcha.
JAKE: But what should i talk about?
ARANEA: Well, I have spent almost no time examining this iteration of your universe.
ARANEA: The gods have given me very little access to it through the memories of others until now.
ARANEA: I 8elieve they are finally 8eginning to 8ridge the divides 8etween long estranged compartments of reality, allowing previously unintroduced parties to mingle.
ARANEA: Those from different universes, 8oth their initial iterations and their scratched re8oots. Those from different spheres, ones of creative potential and of mortality.
ARANEA: Through us all they attempt to 8ring closure to unsanctioned loops and restore sta8ility to the cosmos.
ARANEA: So I am curious a8out you and your friends. What is your life like?
JAKE: My life?
JAKE: I wish i could say it was more interesting but its actually been a mite lackluster.
JAKE: There are monsters but i try to stay away from them to tell you the truth.
JAKE: Its mostly just me sitting around here watching movies and stuff and sometimes polishing firearms.
JAKE: Guns are sweet. So are movies heh. This is a terrible story.
ARANEA: I understand. The same is mostly true for myself.
ARANEA: I can sense that you are either very impressed or in some way intimidated 8y me, 8ut when it comes down to the 8asics, a description of my life would 8e 8oring as well.
ARANEA: Why don't you show me around?
JAKE: Show you around my room? Yes ok.
JAKE: Well. There are some guns. Like i said guns are great.
JAKE: There is a whole mess of movie posters on the wall. You probably never heard of any of them being a dead alien and such.
ARANEA: Nope. ::::)
JAKE: And...
JAKE: I dont know. Theres a desk which i use to work on silly projects. And thats my bed i guess.
JAKE: Ummmm and...
JAKE: Hmm what else.
DIRK: Dude, just FYI, you've been kind of staring at her.
JAKE: (What? Shh!)
ARANEA: What was that?
JAKE: Nothing!
DIRK: I'm not trying to fuck you up here, I promise. But you gotta watch what you're thinking, remember?
JAKE: (Go away!!)
DIRK: Oh man. No. See that thought you just had? That's exactly what I'm talking about.
DIRK: She's a fucking empath, bro. She can pick up on shit like that.
JAKE: (Shhhhh not listening to you.)
ARANEA: Jake?
JAKE: Nothing! Its cool. Im...
DIRK: You have got to be kidding. Did you seriously just think something THAT dirty?
DIRK: You must be doing this on purpose to spite me now. I mean, just wow dude. That was x-rated as fuck.
JAKE: (No no stop. See youre talking about it and now i cant help it!)
JAKE: (You are psyching me into having dirty thoughts get fucking lost you interloping brain douche!!!)
DIRK: Don't worry, I'm gone. It's like a goddamn peep show in here and I feel like a sleazy piece of shit watching this from a dark corner of your mind.
DIRK: You have a graphic imagination, English. I'm kind of impressed.
JAKE: (Shut up theyre just thoughts its not even like im trying to have them THEY DONT MEAN ANYTHING!)
ARANEA: Hmm.
ARANEA: Should I leave and come 8ack during another dream?
JAKE: No!!!