[It's clearly the Blue Light, and Kat is sitting at the bar. For the first time he doesn't look so young. He looks older, a little more weathered. He has a drink in his hand; it's something clear, but when he turns the glass it sparkles red, blue, green, purple, orange, polychromatic.]

Hey, Black Dog.

[He says it fondly. He swings his legs. Black Dog is there with him, quiet. Kat's clearly in a mood tonight.]

I've been thinking about it a lot. Stories, you know? I don't think it was ever about the clock, or the deities, or us, or even the Animals - yeah, you too.

I think it was always about stories. About living them. Telling them. About being surrounded in stories. Once upon a time and a story, a story, let it come, let it go. Back, far back, in the mists of time when the world was young.

Back in the day when animals could talk.

A long time, in Estonia, people didn't have bathtubs in their houses.

[There's a deep laugh, and it's not from Kat, or from Black Dog. It's like without people, without the ticking, there's a sound that people can hear. The City itself. Laughing.]

Yeah, you like that one, huh?

[Kat laughs and there's a glitter from his glass.]

Well okay. So I'm thinking it was always about stories. Someone is always telling the story, and they love it. But you know that the story has to end, doesn't it?

That's the best part. The closure. This place wasn't about us. It was about the stories.

[He looks up, then, and walks over to the door. There's a sign - Open.]

You already did the carousel, right?

[He nods and looks at the door, then finishes his drink and sets the glass down on a nearby table, and turns the sign.

Closed]

Come on. Let's go home.

Oh, oh geez, oh noooo, okay-

[This part sounds like it's coming out of a bullhorn (because it is)]

Everyone please be aware that the door is up and functional -one way only- and will remain so for the rest of the weekend

Gosh I sure hope that the invitations made it okay.


[ooc: 4th wall! Here is the deal with this post - I am turning off notifications so if you want to chat, threadjack, harass, stalk, be a nuisance and your character doesn't have anyone in the city they would do that with, or you want to talk to other 4th wall characters, do not hesitate to use this post. Network, voice, text, video, action, everything is welcome, but I do suggest that if you have a character in-game you make a post instead of a top-level comment! Pass it around, give it to your friends, anything goes so if you have OOC preferences please label them in your comment. HAVE FUN, GUYS]

[There's a click and a rustle and some speaking before the words get distinct enough to actually hear.]

-ooking for.

[There's some inarticulate mumbling in the background]

Wait what?

No, what do you mean-

What do you mean curses can explode?

[More muttering]

You could have told me before I went into-

[There's a click off]

Avast-oh, goshdarnit-

Uh, hi! I'm Katstros, I go by Kat, and I'm A's (yes, the lady) personal assistant and resident anonymous intern and I'm here to tell you scurvy bilgerats - darn it - I mean you Cityzens that we found a curse and the pressure is building so be prepared! We can't see the details, except that they've had me excavating the thing for the past day and it feels all salty.

Oh, as part of the preparation thing, you'll notice that there are going to be these bubbles - Tristero knows the details, he and Deacon set it up, it's so cool seriously, and if you get in one before the curse goes off then you're safe from the curse! They'll be in front of a couple of buildings, but keep an eye out because if you don't get to them in time they won't work. Also, you may need to give up a sense or a memory to go into them....but that effect should go away once you leave, but then you might end up cursed anyway. Anyway um.

Oh, A wanted me to read this:

We are very sorry for the inconvenience. We're trying our best to get this system stabilized, please forgive the release of curse pressure.

Oh, and something about how we need you - I can't read her handwriting - so yeah!

[A click like someone tried to turn off his Network Device]

Oh man my own Network Device, yesss-what do you mean, still on? Oh, darnit!

[And a click, it's off now]