####**=«~, ,~«=**####
###**=«~,, ,,~«=**###
##**=«~,,, ,,,~«=**##
###**=«~,, ,,~«=**###
####**=«~, ,~«=**####
###**=«~,, 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. ,~«=**####
###**=«~,, ,,~«=**###
##**=«~,,, ,,,~«=**##
###**=«~,, ,,~«=**###
####**=«~, ,~«=**####
###**=«~,, ,,~«=**###