superworld

[Gifted]

"But... don't you think he would have brought me with him?" Willow said, clearly a bit hurt at the thought. "Unless you were in his head, but he usually checks that before making big decisions like this..."

"Oh. So you buy from some people and sell to other people. But why don't the other people buy from who you buy from?"

[Raven]

"Why would he bring you with him? You'd slow him down," Kenny said.

"Because they don't have the right connections. They don't know the right people, they can't get to the right place, and they can't get the drugs here - except from me," Aaron responded, but he seemed to approve of the question. The kid was smart.

[Gifted]

"...Because he wouldn't just leave me behind..." she said quietly. He protected her. He wouldn't just abandon her.

"Oh yeah, I guess you keep them out, huh." Liam nodded.

[Raven]

"If you say so, Willow," Kenny said, his tone patronizing.

"I sell for quite a bit more than I buy, and that means I make a nice profit," Aaron said.

[Gifted]

Willow sank into her chair. There was no way he'd leave her behind, was there? Was she remembering wrong? She didn't speak again.

"That's smart." Liam smiled. "It seems simple enough. But um, Mr. Villein... what are drugs? I don't really know. The teachers at school said something about them being dangerous or something once but no one ever really explained..."

[Raven]

"A drug is anything that affects your body or your brain if you eat it or smoke it, under the old law they were illegal," Aaron summarized. "Some of them, people don't want to stop taking once they've started, which means they'll buy more."

[Gifted]

"People take them to mess with their brains?!" Liam asked in shock. How could anyone want that?!

[Raven]

"Yes, or to make their bodies feel more pleasurable, or less painful," Aaron said.

[Gifted]

"I... guess that part kinda makes sense. But why would anyone want less control over their brain?"

[Raven]

"For some people, it makes them feel less afraid, more confident, or just care less. Most of them lack the capacity to actually deal with their problems, so instead they hide from them by forgetting or not caring," Aaron said.

[Gifted]

Liam shuddered. "I never want anything in my head again. It's bad enough I can't stop my dad."

[Raven]

"Good," Aaron said. "Still, it's important to know what the perks are of taking different substances so that you can more effectively sell them."

[Gifted]

Liam squirmed. "Does that mean you think I should try them?" He asked.

[Raven]

"Or talk to someone who has, but it's not something urgent to worry about," Aaron said.

[Gifted]

Liam nodded. He wasn't terribly excited about that, but if he needed to to learn this stuff, he would. "What do you want me to do now?" He asked.