[open]

[prayercycles]

WHO: Fortunato and, perhaps, you?
WHERE: various places in Heropa
WHEN: Throughout the second half of August
WHAT: Fortunato does things. You may join him in doing these things, also.
WARNINGS: If they come up in conversation, usual Fortunato warnings may apply. Will mark if needed.

1. Heropa Public Pool

[ There are a number of problems with employing someone who is blind part of the time as a life-guard at a public pool, and the primary one is that he cannot really do his job. But Fortunato was also too out-of-sorts to really argue with his new boss when he was Ported in, and so he wasn't quite fired...instead he's been placed on duty in the adjacent snack booth. This will likely result in less children drowning, but there still are a number of problems with this arrangement. Particularly considering all United States currency has the exact same size.

You might catch him on a good day, but it's also equally likely you'll ask him for some candy and he'll have some clear trouble figuring out where he thinks that kind was. Or he'll just...accidentally send the rack the candy is on rolling away from him, leading him to stand up and pull it back. ] I- um- sorry.

[ ...Maybe he should start seriously considering that other job offer. ]

2. a comic book store

[ If you visit one of Heropa's local comic book stores this month, you might find Fortunato looking over the available wares, looking...surprisingly pensive. He'd come here searching for something specific, but it appears it doesn't exist in this world. So now he's looking for something that someone he cares about back in his world would enjoy, on the off chance she shows up here- and he's maybe putting a little too much thought into it. He really does want to do right by her. It's just that he has little knowledge of comics on his own, and it shows.

So you may find him holding about four different trades, looking very worried about picking one, or perhaps looking over the rack of new issues and appearing a bit too thoughtful to just be browsing.

Maybe he just needs a recommendation? ]

3. around the Heropa public housing area

[ The one upside of having that terrible job, however, is he can prepare for the worst. Being brought to this world just before the revelation of some...otherwordly apocalyptic force was strange enough, but being in the Shimmer had rattled him even more. Most of the events of that place are a blur, but it was enough to tell him that this place can change in an instant, and he needs to be prepared.

So maybe you can't blame him if you see him walking back to his housing with grocery bags mostly consisting of canned food and basic medical supplies. He was trained for survival as a child, after all- he'd never forget what he'd need. But it's a lot of material, and a few things may fall out of his bag as he approaches Heropa #003; some of the canned food, or a pack of heavy bandages. ]

That- that belongs to me. [ He says, hurrying to retrieve whatever it is. Are you wondering why a sixteen-year-old wants to store this much? Someone probably should. ]

Comments

3

[h2no]

[ahhh heropa public housing. archie will never forget his first few months in 01.

actually, that's a lie. he barely remembers any of it. alcohol.

he's wandering down the street, on his way back home from work early when fortunato's bag accident happens. it takes him a few moments to comprehend what just fell out the bags but... it happens, right? he's certainly dropped wildly more embarrassing things in public. archie crouches gently, picking up a few of the cans.]

Here. [obviously an import. he cocks his head.] That's not what you're survivin' on, is it?

[prayercycles]

[ Archie is also obviously an imPort to Fortunato, particularly walking around here. He seems a bit embarrassed, and he's still automatically somewhat wary of many of the people around here. He takes the cans from Archie gingerly and speaks as he puts them into one of the intact bags. ]

...Not yet. [ And he's hoping not to any time soon. ] I- uh- why do you ask?

[h2no]

You could do better, is all. [he says with a shrug.] An' no offense, but younger imPorts and cooking skill don't exactly go hand in hand.

[said with a light laugh; it's a joke, not so much an accusation.]

[prayercycles]

[ He still considers it a little strange that someone he's never met before would tell such a joke- but...a lot of the imPorts around here are like this, aren't they. ]

Oh. I can cook. [ Not amazingly, but he's got basic skills. He sounds somewhat awkward. Is that what Archie's worried about...? ] I thought...it would be good to prepare. If something happens here.

[h2no]

Ahhh... I getcha. Heropa's probably the best place for that-- nothin' really goes on here but ya never know.

[he hums.]

You got any of those giant water bottles? I can help ya carry 'em if you want.

2.

[viced]

[ Mitchell tries to frequent whatever comic book store that's in the town he's in. Ever since the...incident in De Chima, he's been sticking to Washingotn DC, or Heropa -- avoiding some of the actual porter cities outright. He can't help but shiver at the thought of being back where so many...weird distant dreams seemed to keep cropping up.

He'd really just come in for a weekly haul, his hands already full of comics -- yes, he's an adult, fifty-plus year old man, but he loves comic books, and he'd been about to go check out when he caught sight of someone familiar. ]

Fortunato, right? You're -- you're one of the new kids? You into comics?

[prayercycles]

[ Well, that nearly makes him jump out of his skin. He'd been so focused on what he was looking at that he hadn't expected anyone to speak to him, let alone someone who knows his name; his lack of public presence means he's unused to being recognized. It takes him a moment- he'd never seen Mitchell in person- but then he knows where he's heard the man's voice. ]

...Yes? [ Well. Sort of? ] I- I know someone who does.

[viced]

Oh? You getting them a gift, or something?

[ He looked over the offerings. ] Or are you trying to connect, here? Personally, I don't think the comics here are half as good but it's something.

[prayercycles]

[ He frowns. A gift would be the simple answer, but if the person he wants to get this for shows up, it'd be an attempt for connection, too- they've spent a lot of time together in his world, especially just before he left, but he was never really able to offer her anything. And he wants to. ]

Both. [ He says, after a pause for thought. ] I know some she enjoys, but...I do not think they exist here.

[viced]

Oh yeah?

[ Mitchell leaned against a longbox, his hands clasped around his own haul, even still. ] What kinds is she into? I'm -- I've been here a while, so if there's overlap...

[ A pause, and he leaned down, slightly, and lowered his voice. ] Do you know if she's a Marvel or a DC fan? Or do those words mean fuckall to you?

3.

[fauxmarth]

[the suffocating sun doesn't really invite her as much as it did before the disasters in Maurtia Falls and De Chima, but the change of scenery does. it's less condensed, murky, and...well, grim out here in the too-bright streets of Heropa, and it's quieter still in the imPorts' designated housing neighborhoods.

peace of mind is in short supply of late, and it does her nerves well to just...check in on friends in the various cities. she's got friends down here, too, but she didn't quite expect this one.

she didn't notice it was him until well after the weak, plastic bag burst and sent canned vegetables rolling her way. she stops one with her foot, frowning with concern as he scrambles to fetch others, and then is taken aback with surprise when he turns and she sees it's him.]

Oh-- [she ought to be hastening to help him, but she's honestly surprised to see him in the flesh. after all, the last, coherent memories she has of him involved being huddled together in terror, barely themselves at that point.

her heart beats again and she shakes out of surprise.]

Oh, here. Let me help you. [now she sets to crouching and turning cans up on their stable sides for easier collection.]

[prayercycles]

[ He doesn't even see her when she first stops, turning to see her when she speaks. He's equally startled, for similar reasons as she is, but he knows her voice if nothing else about her- part of him didn't even quite remember what she looked like. Really, he's pleased to see her, but surprised even moreso.

He's not sure what to say at first, and he picks up some of the cans she's turning up beforehand, trying to think of how he should approach this. ]

Thank you. I- I did not expect to see you. [ Although it occurs to him, suddenly, that he doesn't even know where she would be. Maybe a foolish thing to say. ] I...did not think you lived here.

[fauxmarth]

I don't. [she smiles slightly, holding out the last can for him to take.] I'm only visiting, seeing how friends are doing. I didn't expect to see you either; kind of lucky, isn't it? [if "luck" is what is at play here.

she straightens back up, smoothing out he skirt, and frowns at all those bags -- one more looking ready to burst.]

You must have an awful lot of mouths to feed where you're staying. I hope that means you've found good company?

[prayercycles]

[ He takes the can from her, nodding. He supposes it is lucky. One of the strangest things about being in this place has been, of all things, small conversation- fairly easy to get out of it in the daily bustle of classes, and he's never been one to socialize. ]

I thought it would be good to...have food on hand. In case something happened here. [ At least she'll understand his reasoning for stocking up. But he should clarify. ] I started before- before what happened to us. If strange things occur so often here...

[ Well, she should get the point. ]

[fauxmarth]

You're right. [despite the pang of sadness at his very clear reasoning, Lucina forces the smile to stay and for her tone to stay cordial and mild.] Whomever you do find yourself sharing spaces with will be lucky for your preparedness.

Still-- [her eyes wince at the rustling of the bags.] May I help you carry them? At least to the door, before another bag gives up on you.

1

[mostlyprofessional]

[Chloe's lived with Fortunato long enough to realize that his sight has good days and bad days, so when she orders a peanut butter cup and hands over some cash, she gives him a moment to figure out her change in case this is a good day.

[... This is apparently not a good day.]

That's five bucks. And honestly, greenbacks get to me too.

[Why are they all the same color!!!!!!]

[prayercycles]

Oh- hello.

[ That's a voice he knows, thankfully. He's still unused to the concept of trusting any of the adults around him- not being able to do that for two years will do that to you- but Chloe hasn't seemed particularly terrifying to him yet, and that's been a relief.

And also being told that American money really is that inconvenient is helpful, although that doesn't change how awkward this is. He thinks the peanut butter cups are $1.50, but he's not certain... ]

Um. I am sorry, I- how much does it say it costs?

[mostlyprofessional]

[Were this someone else, like a complete stranger, and an adult, Chloe might be inclined to lie. But she knows Fortunato, and he's a kid, so he gets the real price.

[(With her power, she could go and duplicate herself a peanut butter cup, but something like this is cheap anyway.)]

Dollar fifty. [Part sympathetic, part amused:] And here I thought I was in a rubbish job for my skill set.

[prayercycles]

[ By now he's figured out where everything is set in the cash box, at least, so he gets to work making change. Finally being able to actually do something is a relief. ]

I...do not think I know where you work. [ And he doesn't even really know what her skill set is, to be fair. ]

[mostlyprofessional]

A cellphone service shop in De Chima, when my approach to phone problems back home was to buy one it'd be much harder to break.

[She watches him with the change for a moment, checking it's right.]

Surprisingly, they didn't fire me after I walked out mid-shift because I was younger and had no memory of working there.

1

[aboveand]

[Terry hadn't realized he would accidentally create a whole ordeal by asking for a kitkat, but when the rack goes rolling he feels a bit guilty, even if he doesn't know exactly why.]

You all right, man?

[prayercycles]

[ It's not as if Fortunato hasn't survived much worse things, but he can't say this isn't somewhat mortifying. That said, he's developed a system at this point; pulling the rack back towards him, moving a foot around to see if any of the candy fell. ]

I- I am. [ He says, though not enthusiastically. He picks up one of the kit-kats- he knows roughly where they are at this point. But now he's been somewhat distracted. ] This...is what you wanted. Right?

[aboveand]

[Even if it wasn't, Terry is half-tempted to say yes regardless because he feels bad about embarrassing the guy.]

That's it. You take creds...er... debit card, right?

[prayercycles]

Yes. Right here.

[ He points to the card reader, sounding relieved. That solves one problem.

...He would be less relieved if one of his co-workers had remembered to tell him the card reader is displaying an OUT OF ORDER message, which he hasn't yet realized. Whoops. ]

[aboveand]

[Which is a fact Terry is just now realizing as he goes to slip his card into the reader.

Slag.

There's an awkward pause as he tries to figure out his next move, one that will apparently involve cash. Man he hates cash; he will never, ever get used to it.]

Soooo I changed my mind and I'm going to pay in cash after all, sorry man.

How much was it again?