x002

[allwehad]

[A] Action: Dairy]

[Margot has definitely been tipped off that something is up during the early hours of the morning when the tv had gone on the fritz, waking her up from a booze induced coma on the couch.

It’s only amplified when, later, she tries to go out the backdoor to have a pre-breakfast cigarette and manages to pass through the door. She plays with this for a moment (in-out-in-out) before it becomes solid again, ramming her face rather painfully into the wood and feeling like a fool.

It gives her an idea, though.

For most of the morning, she listens in to the phone network, confirming that other strange things are happening (and, really, all she has to do is look outside at the drones to know). Before noon, after she’s taken a trip to the floor through one of the kitchen chairs, she works up the nerve to head out and towards the dairy, willing to try something.

It’s Dist’s words that urge her on -- things are falling apart. Time to act. She feels good about this, pumped. She can do it.

The dairy door is in sight, she keeps striding purposefully forward, almost there and...

BAM!

She bounces unceremoniously off the door and lands flat on her ass, rubbing her forehead.

Okay. It only worked part of the time with the door at home and then randomly with the chair, maybe it just needs a bit? She gives it a few more minutes and then tries again, but this time more cautiously.

Same thing. Solid as a rock.

She can be found at this for the next several hours with absolutely no success whatsoever. Gold stars for trying?]

[B] Phone]

Has anyone else tried going through the walls of the dairy or city hall or the post office? It seems like things are -- are flickering. Like something is wrong with the illusion?

I tried myself, but had no luck. Maybe someone else will get it.

[And yes, someone does sound bitter about this.]

Comments

[a_gentle_boy]

[After locating the chopping board, he begins to set the vegetables on top.]

That's too bad. Don't you have any children living with you who'd like them?

[allwehad]

...Yeah, I guess they'd probably go for cookies.

Lucas. They stuck me with three kids. Three.

[This is a terrible travesty. Just terrible.]

[a_gentle_boy]

That's three times as many friends to make!

[Lucas is probably teasing a little. He glances towards her and laughs lightly at her dismay.]

Have you spent much time with them? Are they nice?

[allwehad]

[She makes a face at him.]

Not too much time, but they seem really nice. I mean, they haven't destroyed anything to my knowledge, so that's good enough for me, really.

[a_gentle_boy]

That's probably a good thing.

[Lucas begins to dice up the vegetables with a knife he snags from a drawer.]

Although... Kumatora was great at destroying things, but she was still my best friend, anyway.

[Lucas will neglect to bring up Margot's proficiency at the same line of work.]

[allwehad]

[Margot doesn't destroy things -- she just creatively rearranges them with fire.]

It's not a bad thing; I just mean that it's nice having a mostly quiet house.

[Don't be mad, Lucas, but she gets up to rummage around in the fridge.]

Are you thirsty? We have some juice or I can put some tea on.

[a_gentle_boy]

[No standing you are much too frail to stand!! Lucas carefully brushes the bits of onion off his fingers.]

Oh, I can get it myself! ...Some juice would be nice, if you have any.

[allwehad]

I'm just tired Lucas, not dying.

[Two glasses of apple juice, coming right up.]

So is Kumatora someone you know from home?

[a_gentle_boy]

Mm-hmm. Kumatora uses PSI, too. I didn't meet her until I was ten or so, but we've been through a lot together since then.

[Lucas will accept it and take a sip.]

She's a little like you, actually.

[allwehad]

Ah, no wonder we get along. [sage nod]

How did you two meet?

[Yeah, she's taking this opportunity to learn more about his world.]

[a_gentle_boy]

[She can probably see an expression of unsurety slowly drift across Lucas's face.]

...At. School. Mm-hm. We met in class.

[He hopes he has never said to her that they hadn't had school back home given that there were only six children total.]

[allwehad]

[If he had, she's run into a door so many times today she's lucky she knows which way is up.

Margot can tell something is off, though.]

Class, huh? Which one?

[a_gentle_boy]

Reading. ...I mean, English.

[Not that that had been the language they had back home, either.]

[allwehad]

Always a good subject, I guess. Well, I'm glad that you have people at home that care about you.

[a_gentle_boy]

Yup.

[Lucas responds simply with a smile before heading towards the fridge himself to find some eggs.]

Kumatora, Duster, and me were a team. ...There was my dog, Boney, too. They've all been through here, one time or another.

[allwehad]

They were? Well... shit. That sucks, I'm sorry.

[Margot is going to try to assist in the cooking, getting a pan out because sitting still what is sitting still.]

[a_gentle_boy]

...My mom and brother, too.

[Lucas keeps his voice light as he backs out of the fridge with a few eggs in his hands.]

It's OK, though. I know it's not really them anymore, so I don't mind so much. It was just the same as seeing Mr. Netherlands's drone or yours.

[allwehad]

[Margot wishes she could say the same thing -- seeing Nadia's drone is like a punch in the gut each and every time.]

At least they're home, something I keep telling myself whenever I see someone that used to be here. Lucky bastards.

[a_gentle_boy]

[It's not really too much different for him, but lying is a technique he's learned to use when he thinks he can spare someone some pain.]

Yeah. Lucky.

[He heads for the stove and turns on the heat.]

Do you think it's better to remember this place once you're out of it, Miss Margot?

[allwehad]

[She frowns.]

Depends on the person, I guess. I would't want to forget; that'd mean not remembering you or Netherlands or anyone else I've met here.

Nobody at home would believe of a word of it, though.

[a_gentle_boy]

...Yeah. Maybe some people would be happier not remembering all the stuff we went through over here.

[He shakes his head a little.]

If we're going to go back to the same age we were, it probably doesn't make sense to remember it, either. ...But I still don't want to forget.

[allwehad]

Probably not, but still. [shrugs]

What I wonder is, if we all survive and make it through this in one piece, would we be able to use the technology here to visit each other again? I wouldn't mind some off-world touristing, if I could.

[a_gentle_boy]

Yeah. I've thought about it, too. It would be exciting and a lot of fun, but maybe... it might not be such a good idea...

[Lucas shakes his head slightly.]

It wouldn't be safe leaving all of our worlds connected.

[allwehad]

Yeah... Probably not.

[Stop crushing her dreams, man.]

The amount of weird creatures that would come through alone would be awful enough, I suppose.

[a_gentle_boy]

I really don't think any other world needs to see chimeras.

[Hot pan and beaten eggs are a-go. Lucas pours in the mixture and grabs a spatula.]

...Not that I'd complain too much if that's how it turned out. The chance to see everyone still...