5 - And what's hiding inside behind all of our fears

[playsdoctor]

[Aside from the fading bruise on one cheek, Muraki is back to normal as he relaxes on his couch at home. He blows smoke from his cigarette up at the ceiling for a moment.]If you have a birthday in a dream town, have you truly become any older or are you frozen in time from the moment you arrive here? There's not much difference between 34 and 35,

Comments

[playsdoctor]

It's today, actually.

And there's nothing for me to return to other than death, so it's a silly thought exercise at this point.

[playsdoctor]

Happy birthday then.

And I hope I stay here too. It's an interesting place for a second life.

[sinnerofdreams]

35 and still playing with dolls? I'm not sure if that's a good thing.

[playsdoctor]

Everyone needs hobbies.

[sinnerofdreams]

Sounds like more than just a hobby to me.

[playsdoctor]

I had a collection at home, but that's all it is.

[stillneedsakiss]

I celebrated becoming 20 here in June. I think it counts. Even if I'll have to do it over when I wake up, that doesn't mean I'm not experiencing the passage of time in Somarium too. Does it?

[playsdoctor]

20? I wouldn't have guessed you as that age, but it's an important birthday to celebrate even if time doesn't really pass while we're here. I'm still not certain if we are or aren't experiencing time as it was at home.

[stillneedsakiss]

You wouldn't be the first person to mistake me for younger. I'm not sure if it's that no one ages here or something else completely. But even if we aren't physically aging in Somarium, we're still measuring time. And if I can say I've been here for a year, it doesn't make sense to say I'm not also a year older.

[playsdoctor]

Did people make the same mistake at home as well? If so, you may just be lucky enough to always seem young.

[And for just an instant, his smile isn't completely polite. Maybe it's a trick of the light?]

We're measuring time, but it might not even be real time given that this is a dream city. It also doesn't make sense to say you're older if you simply think it's been a year in your dream and one night whenever you wake up. But it's something each of us has to decide on while we're here, I think.

[scaryoniichama]

Congrats on becoming older, good man! As a member of the Black Magic Club, this cannot go ignored... do you desire a gift?

Private

[playsdoctor]

If you wish for it to be a useful gift, I require a long lock of a woman's hair.

Private

[scaryoniichama]

Consider it done!

Private

[playsdoctor]

Thank you, Nekozawa.

[OOC: With that hair, he can create a wire that limits the abilities of whoever it binds.]

[fanboy]

I haven't thought about that before. But if it's there's no physical difference, then it shouldn't matter.

[playsdoctor]

Physical differences are harder to note in middle age, though.

[fanboy]

There is the chance that someone has been in Somarium for more than just a single year, it might be worth seeking them out to find out if they have physically changed in some way.

If it helps to know, I'm 34 myself.

[playsdoctor]

Well, I've already spoken to someone who says she's been around a while, but she doesn't look her age one bit. I'll keep looking into it as people say things here.

It's good to know I'm not the resident old man.