,,,:~:$%## ##%$:~:,,,
,,:~:$%### ###%$:~:,,
,:~:$%#### ####%$:~:,
,,:~:$%### ###%$:~:,,
,,,:~:$%## ##%$:~:,,,
,,,,:~:$%# they built the final nightclub on top #%$:~:,,,,
,,,,,:~:$% of an undocumented research site. each %$:~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~:$ floor closer to the collapsed warp $:~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~: prototype. did they know at the start? :~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~:$ classified maps had gone missing some $:~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~:$% years before. %$:~:,,,,,
,,,,:~:$%# #%$:~:,,,,
,,,:~:$%## the deeper you descend, the stranger ##%$:~:,,,
,,:~:$%### the environment - first more ###%$:~:,,
,:~:$%#### enthralling and intrusive, then seedy ####%$:~:,
,,:~:$%### and predatory, but pierce deeper and ###%$:~:,,
,,,:~:$%## there will be more peculiar effects. ##%$:~:,,,
,,,,:~:$%# your sense of space will seem to #%$:~:,,,,
,,,,,:~:$% distort (it's actually the spacetime %$:~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~:$ itself that is becoming fluid), then $:~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~: your body, and finally your sense of :~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~:$ self. $:~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~:$% %$:~:,,,,,
,,,,:~:$%# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # ##### ### #%$:~:,,,,
,,,:~:$%## ### ### ### ### ### ### ### ##### ### ##%$:~:,,,
,,:~:$%### ### ### ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### ###%$:~:,,
,:~:$%#### #### #### #### #### #### #### #### #### ####%$:~:,
,,:~:$%### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###%$:~:,,
,,,:~:$%## ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ##%$:~:,,,
,,,,:~:$%# ###### ###### ######## ######## #%$:~:,,,,
,,,,,:~:$% ######## ######## ######## ######## %$:~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~:$ ######## ######## ######## ######## $:~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~: ######## ######## :::::::::::::::::: :~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~:$ :::: :::: :::: :::: :::: :::: :::: :::: $:~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~:$% :::: :::: :::: ,,,,,, ,,,,,, ,,,,,, %$:~:,,,,,
,,,,:~:$%# ,,,,,, ,,,,,, ,,,,,, ,,,,, ,,,,, ,,,,, #%$:~:,,,,
,,,:~:$%## ,,,,, ,,,,, ,,,,, ,,,,, ,,,,, ,,,,,,, ##%$:~:,,,
,,:~:$%### ,,,,,,, ,,,,,,, ,,,,,,, ,,,,,,, ,,,,,,, ###%$:~:,,
,:~:$%#### ,,,,,,, ,,,,,, ,,,,,, ,,,,,, ,,,,,, ####%$:~:,
,,:~:$%### ,,,,,, ,,,,,, ,,,,,, :, :, :, :, :, :, ###%$:~:,,
,,,:~:$%## :, :, :, :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ##%$:~:,,,
,,,,:~:$%# :: :: :~ :~ :~ :~ :~ :~ :~ :~ :: :: :: #%$:~:,,,,
,,,,,:~:$% :: :$ :$ :% :# :# :# :# ~, ~: ~~ ~: ~$ %$:~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~:$ ~% ~# ~# ~# ~# :, :: :~ :: :$ :% :# :# $:~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~: :# :# $, $: $~ $: $$ $% $# $# $# $# %, :~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~:$ %: %~ %: %$ %% %# %# %# %# #, #: #~ #: $:~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~:$% #$ #% ## ## ## ## #, #: #~ #: #$ #% ## %$:~:,,,,,
,,,,:~:$%# ## ## ## #, #: #~ #: #$ #% ## ## ## ## #%$:~:,,,,
,,,:~:$%## #, #: #~ #: #$ #% ## ## ##%$:~:,,,
,,:~:$%### the ceiling is covered in actual stars. ###%$:~:,,
,:~:$%#### eyes above ####%$:~:,
,,:~:$%### fading into silver flakes as they fall ###%$:~:,,
,,,:~:$%## bubbles in drinks ##%$:~:,,,
,,,,:~:$%# #%$:~:,,,,
,,,,,:~:$% drinks with a secret ingredient, that %$:~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~:$ makes you see the stars even when you $:~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~: close your eyes. :~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~:$ $:~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~:$% at these deeper levels it can be hard %$:~:,,,,,
,,,,:~:$%# to remember who and where you are #%$:~:,,,,
,,,:~:$%## (were). normal staff is as transformed ##%$:~:,,,
,,:~:$%### as guests. instead, care and protection ###%$:~:,,
,:~:$%#### are offered by (overly flirty) ####%$:~:,
,,:~:$%### pool toys and other such automatons. ###%$:~:,,
,,,:~:$%## ##%$:~:,,,
,,,,:~:$%# if you stay above absolute madness, #%$:~:,,,,
,,,,,:~:$% there is some sort of control to be %$:~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~:$ had. you could slip into your ideal dog $:~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~: body there, explore that. you could :~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~:$ drink poisonous ambrosia and not be $:~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~:$% burned away. you could explore %$:~:,,,,,
,,,,:~:$%# territories just as mapless as those #%$:~:,,,,
,,,:~:$%## closer to the core, but with a chance ##%$:~:,,,
,,:~:$%### of finding your way back. ###%$:~:,,
,:~:$%#### ####%$:~:,
,,:~:$%### ,# ,# ,# ,# ,# ,# ,# ,# ,# ,# ,# ###%$:~:,,
,,,:~:$%## :: the honey is a trap and there's a :: ##%$:~:,,,
,,,,:~:$%# ~~ sting, a sting, a sting. ~~ #%$:~:,,,,
,,,,,:~:$% :, it's in your eyes and it's in your ,: %$:~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~:$ $: mouth and your hands, their hands :$ $:~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~: %~ it's in your heart and in your ~% :~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~:$ #: mind and the minds of those around :# $:~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~:$% #$ you, their hearts, their bodies. $# %$:~:,,,,,
,,,,:~:$%# #% #% #% #% #% #% #% #% #% #% #% #%$:~:,,,,
,,,:~:$%## and if you're lucky, you'll never get ##%$:~:,,,
,,:~:$%### out. don't bite the other guests. ###%$:~:,,
,:~:$%#### (or do) ####%$:~:,
,,:~:$%### ###%$:~:,,
,,,:~:$%## the deeper the floor goes, the more ##%$:~:,,,
,,,,:~:$%# expensive the drinks. this is not #%$:~:,,,,
,,,,,:~:$% coincidental. the more expensive the %$:~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~:$ drinks, the more likely it is that $:~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~: someone will buy them for you. :~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~:$ this is also not coincidental. if $:~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~:$% someone buys you a drink, they are very %$:~:,,,,,
,,,,:~:$%# likely to take care of your needs in #%$:~:,,,,
,,,:~:$%## other ways as well. ##%$:~:,,,
,,:~:$%### ###%$:~:,,
,:~:$%#### ####%$:~:,
,,:~:$%### ###%$:~:,,
,,,:~:$%## ##%$:~:,,,
,,,,:~:$%# #%$:~:,,,,