Conversation · Electrochemistry

Whoa! In your hand: pyrholidon -- the double rainbow of synthetic hallucinogens. Rare and gritty, a product of the age of atomic power.

Look at the little puck of liquid.

What a funny little cap! Don't let the scary medical warnings throw you off. It's an inadequate antidote to radiation poisoning, but a potent antidote to boredom.

Wait -- radiation poisoning sounds scary.

It's not gonna give you radiation poisoning, stupid. Pyrholidon is a perfect match for a bad-ass junkie cop who's looking for a little heat.

You need to lower the radiation levels, your stomach thinks. Slurp it.

Hmm... open the cap.

The container is warm to the touch -- or is that just the anticipation? You screw the lid open and look. A little slit on the side lets you just slurp it up, like an oyster! C'mon! Slurp it!

Slurp it aggressively.

You suck a manly dose of the extremely chemical-smelling liquid into your mouth. There it seeps into your tongue. When you swallow it's already almost all gone.

Tastes like gasoline.

It tastes like many things, all melting into one conflagration in the back of your throat. As you look around, the world slowly exists. As it did before. Only now gentle flames lick at its edges, as though it were a photo burning.

Really?

No. Of course not really. It's just a metaphor. The effect of that otherworldly drop of liquid is slower, more subtle than that of real flames -- yet just as warm.

This warmth. It makes you want to share your discovery with Kim!

This is going to be so useful in my line of work. [Finish thought.]

Already you can tell you're going to be slurping a lot more pyrholidon! This stuff is going to give you insight into that little flickering light hidden in all human beings.

If you can keep the vomit in. Because it sort of also makes you want to throw up.

In the bottom right corner of the screen there's a PYRHOLIDON button! It gives +1 to PSYCHE skills: Empathy, Suggestion, Authority, Inland Empire, Esprit de Corps, and Volition. This is good before rolling a White Check -- but damages your Health.

Will I be able to stand straight and walk?

Why not? This government-developed substance seems very non-intrusive. You could even operate heavy machinery! Fire-machinery!

Please don't actually operate any fire-machines.

"Kim, I just did a drop of that anti-radiation drug. It's great."

"I'm happy for you," he answers.

His glasses turn golden as the fire reflects off the lenses. Once again, you are filled with the certainty: this man is your brother.

Just don't mix it with anything, he thinks, looking you over. Thankfully his sense of balance seems okay. Whatever. I'm not getting involved.

Wow, Kim's bad ass. Or he's had a druggie partner? Whoa. That's probably it! He's seen it before.

Look at all these guys go off like fireworks as information pours into you -- about the lieutenant's simple remark: I'm happy for you. This stuff is great.

His glasses turn golden as the fire reflects off the lenses. You feel this man is your brother.

Oh god, on fire?

Not really. It's just a metaphor. The effect of that otherworldly drop of liquid is slower, more subtle than that of real flames -- yet just as warm.

No. I can't see it.

Of course, it's just a metaphor. It's just a metaphor. The effect of that otherworldly drop of liquid is slower, more subtle than that of real flames -- yet just as warm.

Tastes like... an anti-radiation drug.

Tastes like a kiss.

Tastes like fire.

You suck a manly dose of the extremely chemical-smelling liquid into your mouth. There it seeps into your tongue. When you swallow it's already almost all gone.

I'm not going to slurp it. [Ignore thought.]

No problem. This one's for the brave and sensitive ones anyway. It could improve your human interactions. But -- you threw that chance away. No matter, in a few hours you'll get the urge again. Maybe then you'll choose more courageously?

You've passed up your chance to start using PYRHOLIDON for now, but don't worry! The option to use it becomes available again in 4 hours.

Slurp it, but only a little.

You suck a minuscule drop of extremely chemical-smelling liquid into your mouth. There it seeps into your tongue. When you swallow it's already almost all gone.

You suck a minuscule drop of extremely chemical-smelling liquid into your mouth. There it seeps into your tongue. When you swallow it's already almost all gone.

Wait, won't Kim see me slurp it?

What is he, your mother? Is Kim your au pair? Slurp it, slurp the morsel of danger-joy!

That's really not what I'm looking for. [Ignore thought.]

Atomic power? Too scary. [Ignore thought.]