oo1: actual intro!

[cursedtolive]

[action - around town in the afternoon]
[There's a small little boy walking around town. A flat cap pulled down over his eyes, and a brown jacket even in the middle of July. His outfit choice looks a couple decades out of date, too, although the clothes are definitely from the right era. Fashion statement?

Seemingly lost in his thoughts, Czeslaw Meyer-Stanfield is not paying much attention to where he is going. He passes by houses, by shops, by people. He might accidentally bump into people, at which point he will blink the surprise away and smile sheepishly, with a natural-sounding]

Oh...! Oh, I'm sorry [mister, or miss]. I guess I wasn't watching where I was going. I didn't mean to run into you. Good afternoon!

[action - 459 Stone Street]
[Nope. Nope. Nope nope nope. He can't handle this family arrangement. His "mother" won't let him hole up in his room, though, so he's sitting in a chair in the corner of the front room watching the door so he'll never be surprised by his "father"'s homecoming.]

Comments

[action]

[justdumbluck]

1932... It was only 1930 before I got here.

[He relaxes slightly. How could Czeslaw know some of this stuff unless he did speak to Claire? If Claire thought it as okay to tell him, then Firo supposes it can't hurt to believe him. That doesn't mean he'll let his guard down completely, however.]

How do you know Maiza?

[action]

[cursedtolive]

Like I said, he's an old friend. If I tell you I was also on the Advenna Avis, you'll know what I'm talking about, won't you Firo?

[action]

[justdumbluck]

[Firo freezes at the name of the ship. Vaguely, he gets a new recognition of Czes. It's faint as it rises out of the murky depths of Szilard's memory; to him, Czes was just some kid.]

...Yeah.

[action]

[cursedtolive]

[Czes' smile borders on "shy," his gaze lowered a little.]

I went to New York to visit him... but I ended up staying there because of Isaac and Miria. A lot of it is about the future, so I can't tell you. But I know Maiza from a long time ago.

[action]

[justdumbluck]

[His look of shock fades as the conversation moves on to more mundane things.]

Isaac and Miria? You know those guys, too?

[He can't help but pout slightly; who wouldn't want to find out about the future?]

Why can't you tell me?

[action]

[cursedtolive]

What if I told you and the it changed your future somehow, and it changes for the worst?

[That's a worry for Czes more than anything. What if it changes, and Ennis doesn't send that letter to invite Isaac and Miria? What if he never meets them, and he arrives in Manhattan and meets Maiza with his original intention? He would never meet Ennis and Firo the way he did, and he would...

He shakes his head.] Anyway, that's how I know you! Maiza sent me a letter to tell me Szilard Quates was gone, and I told him I wanted to see him again.

[action]

[justdumbluck]

Alright...

[He raises an eyebrow but doesn't argue. Czes could be right; it's better to err on the side of caution.]

So 1932, huh? Guess you can't tell me why it took so long. Oh well. It's... nice to meet you, Czes.

[action]

[cursedtolive]

... You too, Firo. [He wonders if he did it wrong. Did he screw it up? Too late now.]

I'm sorry I dumped it all on you like that.

[action]

[justdumbluck]

Huh? Don't be.

[He shakes his head, as if to clear his mind and smiles at Czes. It's a bit much to take in, but he doesn't have to worry about that right now. It'll make sense eventually.]

Now that I think about it, it's kinda neat that we get to meet early, isn't it?

[action]

[cursedtolive]

Neat? Really...? [His cheeks turn a little red. He's still a little afraid to let Firo get to close, but he feels a pleasing warmth at Firo's words.]

... Yeah! It's nice to meet you, Firo.

[action]

[justdumbluck]

[He beams and nods.]

So you've already run into Claire? Er- Felix or whatever? Did you two meet back home before? I'm sure I woulda' introduced you two, but he doesn't always spend much time at home.

[What a jerk.]

[action]

[cursedtolive]

[At that Czes face turns white as sheet and he looks away to clear his throat.]

U-uh-huh. We... kind of knew each other.

I woke up in the Stanfield house, in this town. [Nope, nope. He's not "father." Neveeer.]

[action]

[justdumbluck]

Yeah? Then I guess I don't hafta warn you about how weird he is.

[And wow, lucky Czes, getting to live with Claire!

Czes's paleness finally registers with Firo, and his smile becomes a look of concern.]

Somethin' the matter?

[action]

[cursedtolive]

[He shakes his head quickly!! Claire's been rather... friendly here, and he did survive their first meeting. But he doesn't want to think about how they met on that train. Brrr.

He wipes his palms on his jacket and shakes his head again before squeezing them into fists.]

N-no, I'm all right, Firo!

[action]

[justdumbluck]

[He raises an eyebrow, not entirely convinced.]

Are ya sure? Ya don't look alright.

[action]

[cursedtolive]

Yeah... I'm feeling just fine. [Big fat lie because he's looking away and starting to shake a little like a leaf because of bad memories, but. Just fine, bro. He's just wiping dust out of his eyes, you see.]

So... So how long've you been here?

[action]

[justdumbluck]

Huh? A long time. A year, maybe.

[The question doesn't distract him for long; he's even more worried now that the kid's shaking.]

Tell me honestly, are you sure you're alright? Are you sick or somethin'?

[action]

[cursedtolive]

I'm fine. I really am... [He shakes his head.] I'm sorry. I don't really wanna think about it.

[He reaches out and tugs on Firo's sleeve.] Do you live by yourself?

[action]

[justdumbluck]

...Okay.

[He doesn't want to risk pressing too hard.

He blinks, slightly surprised by the gesture.]

No, there's one other normal person. Her name's Celes. The two "kids" are drones.

[action]

[cursedtolive]

Celes? So's she like your wife here?

[It's a bit shaky still but he smiles.]

What's she like? Is she anything like Miss Ennis?

[action]

[justdumbluck]

No, that's just what the town-

[Wait, Ennis? Why is he bringing her up? Firo can't help but recall the last time he and Claire spoke about her, and he blushes slightly.]

E-Ennis? W-why are you askin' about her?

[action]

[cursedtolive]

Well, it's because she's the first lady I think of when I think about you.

I mean, I could ask about Miria, but... [Miria can't be compared to other girls.]

[action]

[justdumbluck]

[He really wants to ask Czes what he means by that but doesn't want to open himself up for more embarrassment. Instead he decides to focus on the mention of Miria, chuckling a bit.]

I haven't seen Miria since she and Isaac left for wherever it was they wanted to go.

A-anyway, to answer your question, she's not. She's not a bad person, though, maybe I'll introduce you two sometime.

[action]

[cursedtolive]

Miss Ennis once told me they were in California digging for gold. I met them while we were all heading for New York.

["Not bad" Firo says. Czes wonders just how much falls under the descriptor of "not bad" from a mafiosocammorista's point of view.]

I'd like to meet her. Do you two get along?

[action]

[justdumbluck]

They sure get around, don't they?

[He wants to ask why they're coming back, but that might fall under the category of things Czes can't tell him.]

Then you should come over and visit us sometime!

We get along fine. She tried to help me get rid a' the drone kids yesterday.