look at you; OPEN

[crypdick]

WHO: The Outsider & YOU?
WHERE: Jeopardy 004, The Porter Cities in general
WHEN: Post dreamplot, throughout May
WHAT: Open prompts! Encounter a crypdid
WARNINGS: Nothing major, but the Outsider is prone to talk about darker subjects, lmk if you want to opt out of anything else

Jeopardy

[After things return to normalcy, the Outsider returns to Jeopardy. He has to take care of his delicate human body now, which includes things like food and sleeping somewhere that isn't a rooftop.

At Jeopardy #004 he begins to settle in. This means that first, his roommates might notice a new inhabitant. Or a few inhabitants, as there's now a few rats that the Outsider fed who apparently decided this was a rad place to be. If you leave food out, you might catch the Outsider scavenging it, because very, very old habits die hard.

He'll look you in the eye and take a bite.

In the general neighbourhood he explores, sometimes walking, sometimes disappearing in a cloud of black smoke glittering with eerie lights and reappearing elsewhere, like on your house's roof, or in your yard. Personal property doesn't seem to matter to him. ]

All Porter Cities
[ This whole world is new to him, down to even the continents. He can't go everywhere, but the Porters give him at least a few more options and he takes advantage of it.

The Outsider regularly gives himself his own mark, and discovers he can hear the whispering thoughts of rats, flies and dogs (and whales, but those are in shorter supply). Often, regardless of where he is, you can find him crouching before a rat, someone's dog, or flies whizzing around his head, listening. ]

It would cause a scandal if that got out, wouldn't it?

[ It's not just the creatures who interest him; he can still see a fraction of what he used to be able to see. Every so often he looks at someone and sees a vision of their past - or what could have been there past, or with imports, what might be their future. Tiny glimpses like the appetizer before the meal. In some cases, he's taken to perching somewhere close to where the person is, or appearing in a cloud of smoke before them if what he sees is potentiall interesting enough. ]

Would you like to know what I just saw?

(( Please check out his his permissions via 1. Black-Eyed God to see how his vision powers work! Thank you!))

Comments

de chima

[adamantlyardent]

[from her spot on the bus stop bench, Cecelia slowly lowers the magazine in front of her face, just enough for her eyes to suspiciously squint his way.

...gods. he is talking to her. she kind of hoped he wasn't? sometimes strange, strange people seem very keen on striking up conversation out of the blue; she is not metropolitan enough to know better than make eye-contact and encourage it, however, and thus...this happens again.

her tone is dry:]

...Not really. But you're probably going to tell me anyway, huh.

[and why not! it was a neat, albeit weird kinda shaky-cam vision? all nondescript spaces and a very large dragon's jaws descending and a sudden flash of holy light. that glow, those wings, that heavenly face!

actual, physical contact with angels is rare -- Cece just doesn't know how lucky she really is!]

[crypdick]

[ He sits on the armrest on the other side of the beach, one foot on the seat. He makes a movement with his hands, simulating a dragon's jaws.

He really is fascinated - his world has magic, but it's dirty and quiet; rats and witches and dreams. Dragons and angels are outside his purview. ]

Such a large beast, jaws as large as a whale's. And the other one - too perfect to be real, shining with light and feathers.

You must have stories to tell.

[adamantlyardent]

[scrutiny intensifies.]

...The sun is quite bright today, isn't it. Have you been sitting out in it too long?

[crypdick]

[ Someone more polite would have answered her question. Someone who cared about how they come across might have protested.

The Outsider ignores what she said entirely. ]

What kind of a creature looks so much like a person, but with such wings?

Jeopardy 004

[the_horror]

[Ben's restless. He's not been sleeping well, especially since the nightmares, but before then as well. Five ins't here tonight and Klaus is avoiding him, he just knows it. No one is crashed out in his room and he can't stand to edit another video at all.]

[It's evening and he's unable to relax. It's a growing trend now. He's jsut uneasy more and more lately.]

[And now? Now there is a rat in the kitchen, and he's not sure what to do about that.]

Seriously, little man? What are you doing in here. [Did one of his room mates get a pet? Is it going to hiss at him? What does one do about a rat in a kitchen of a place that should be rat free. He just wanted some cheese and left over deli turkey. Why this?]

[He didn't even see anyone else up, but he wasn't focused on looking to see WHO was up.]

[crypdick]

[ The Outsider watches from the corner he'd been crouched in, not immediately noticeable to anyone who happened to enter the kitchen.

He had been listening to the rat's thoughts, simplistic and disjointed. Ben interrupted, but he didn't particularly care. He speaks, standing up. ]

It's hungry. It's always hungry. I opened the door and and it took the opportunity to take advantage of my assumed hospitality.

[the_horror]

[He tried not to jump... but he jumped. Startled by the voice and the person he didn't see. He blinked, looking up at the guy. New. He was new. As far as he could tell. Or oh god, he was a stranger in the house. This must be how Allison felt every time Klaus ws over at her place but not for her.]

Oh, hey. So... you let a rat in because it was hungry? [Is he going to escort it OUT again? This was weird.] Did you feed him already?

Animal death?

[crypdick]

[ He tilts his head, holding his hands behind his back. ]

It's afraid. There's a cat that hunts nearby. It killed one of its brothers and didn't even eat it.

[ He describes this happening not with sympathy but factually and dispassionately. Animals kill other animals, that's the way the world goes. He'd rather take the gauge of his new roommate, see how he reacts. So he takes a step forward, watching Ben with his unblinking black eyes. ]

What would you do? Would you defend your own territory, sending the rat out of your home? Killing it yourself? Or would you keep it inside, risking disease?

Heropa

[monster_san]

[Fuu had been thinking--a dangerous pastime, she knows--about the dreamscapes, and the events following, about what she had seen, and done, and been unable to do, and not do.

She detests the feeling of helplessness, she decides. Being a spectator, unable to do anything meaningful. Or to make things worse.

It isn't Emeraude she finds herself thinking of, but Caldina--having to fend off Umi and Hikaru when they were hypnotized to fight her, and being used herself as a marionette, trying to fight her own body as it was forced to attack them. She had managed to devise a solution and free herself. That wasn't so easy, here.

Her feet, thankfully, are thinking for her when the boy appears out of nowhere, and they stop her in her tracks. She offers a polite, if somewhat brittle smile.]

I'm afraid I can't answer such an ambiguous question.

May I ask your name?

[REALLY, THAT'D JUST BE GOOD MANNERS]

[crypdick]

[ It's a good response. Unexpected, but it made sense. ]

You may ask, but there wouldn't be an answer to give you.

[ That said, it would be rude to just not be able to be called soemthing. That's how he got his other name, anyway. He presses a hand to his chest and gives the slightest of inclines. ] I am the Outsider.

But you must have a name.

[monster_san]

[Ah, more ambiguity... but an answer, nevertheless. Fuu wonders what sort of entity this young man is. Undoubtedly, 'young man' is not actually what he is.

She smiles and bows, a polite form.]

I do indeed, Mr. Outsider.

[She contemplates leaving it there, because his wording leaves that possibility open to her. Ultimately, she decides against it; there is no need to be obtuse just for the sake of obnoxiousness, and she can well believe that someone like the Outsider is truthful that he doesn't have an actual name.]

I'm Fuu Hououji. You're newly arrived to this world, aren't you?

[crypdick]

Observant, aren't you?

[ He folds his hands behind his back and observes her. He likes perceptive people, they can be so quick to the point. ]

I can still count the time spent here in days rather than months or years.

( jeopardy )

[melodramagic]

[ The Spellman Mortuary is long gone, but Sabrina has remained in Jeopardy for whatever Satan-forsaken reason. She's alone right now, Salem off somewhere where the mortuary used to sit, meandering along the streets rather aimlessly.

Then this other teenager speaks to her, but when she looks at him curious to see who it, she meets his blackened eyes and her shoulders stiffen. While not everything she encounters is inherently ill-fated in this world, the blackened eyes make her wonder if he is a demon and how he sought her out, if he meant to. ]

... and what is it you saw?

[ Perhaps a girl who carried herself the way those with unimaginable power did. Little does Sabrina know. ]

[crypdick]

[ The Outsider notices that reaction. He's not unused to it, he has that effect on people, so he ignores it for now. He puts the tip of his fingers on his cheekbones so they point towards his eyes. ]

I saw you. Eyes as white as mine are black.

[ He clasps his hands behind his back. ]

I wonder if it will come to pass?

[melodramagic]

[ She scoffs lightly at the idea, not sure what to make of it. It's possible this other kid is only trying to get a reaction out of her; the people of Jeopardy were a strange bunch, after all. It doesn't even occur to her just yet that he's an imPort as well. ]

So you're saying you can see my future?

[ Is he peddling readings or something? He doesn't strike her as the sort really... ]

Do you do tarot readings, too?

[crypdick]

[ He actually knows what tarot is, which is almost comforting. So much of this world was new, at least in terms of what they called things. Not people. People were the same everywhere.

His response is just a touch sarcastic. ]

I'm no witch or occult enthusiast, trying to divine what will be from the symbols on the cards. But I do know the rules of the Game of Nancy, if you have a deck on you.

DeChima

[by_candlelight]

[ Ruby had a way with animals, and had made a habit of going around taking pictures of every dog she could. So engrossed in her rather odd habit was she, that she hadn't noticed there was a person there. Well, two people. A regular old civilian who looked a little weirded out by the man kneeling in front of their dog, and the man kneeling in front of the dog.

At first she thought nothing of it, but something seemed a little off. Not in a bad way, but off nonetheless. She reached out to the dog, getting an emotional response that was basically 'I'm talking to someone else!' almost immediately. That definitely had her attention, and she made her way to be a bit closer to the scene, though respectfully far enough that the dog's owner could make for the hills without running into her if they so chose. ]

[crypdick]

[ The Outsider listens to the whispering thoughts of the dog and pays no immediate heed to the new observer.

He looks up at the owner. ]

Your dog could smell her on you. Not the woman who normally sleeps in your bed. He smells this other woman on you often.

[ The owner goes extremely red-faced and attempts to pull the dog away. "Now see here -" ]

[by_candlelight]

[ Oh now this was delightful. Based on the dog's reaction when she tried to reach out, this guy actually understood what was being communicated. And from the sounds of it, better than Ruby could since she'd very possibly need time to get used to the individual animal before she'd have been able to get much more than there being a stranger's smell involved.

Ruby continues to watch on, wondering if this other person was a beast speaker in general, or if he just specialised in dogs. She also wondered what his next move would be, now that he had a red-faced owner with clear intent to protest. ]

Jeopardy #004

[deformer]

hhHHOLY SHIT!

[Look, maybe it was Rua's fault for forgetting to put away that box of Cookie Crisp. And forgetting to close it. Really, it was probably gonna go stale anyway. But he's still surprised enough to fall right back on his ass when he grabs the box and a rat pokes his head out.

Living in a very fancy hotel for most of your life makes you very unaccustomed to seeing rodents in your living space.]

Okay! Okay, guys?! We got infestation here! I'm calling an exterminator and then we're all getting a hotel because there's rats eating our cereal! [He already has his phone out, he seems to mean business.]

[crypdick]

[ The Outsider wasn't even in the room, but he heard the first shout and came to watch, before the object of the problem was revealed.

He appears in a puff of glittering black smoke at Rua's elbow. ]

I'd say it's his cereal now. Does one rat make an infestation?

[deformer]

Whuh-- [Rua falls on his butt for the second time in as many minutes, dropping his phone this time. He starts to exclaim something in shock.

Then he pauses. And he stares for a couple of seconds.]

...do that again.

Maurtia Falls

[topmeup]

[Normally the brief sunny times you get in Maurtia are his favorite times of the week. Max will find any excuse he can to go out during those times, take a jog, eat some food in one of the less ominous-looking parks, or even find some outdoor event that's going on.

But not recently. Instead he's out because he knows that his mini-fridge in his room is completely empty and he has to stock up on something before he forgets again. So he's out, getting bags of food from a nearby grocery when he sees the guy just kneeling down talking to rats. Rats.

But maybe the rat is actually a person? Not like he doesn't know his own fair share of shapeshifters.]

Does that rat need any help?

[Asking if rats need help. Yeah, Max maybe isn't exactly up to his usual self here. But just in case...]

[crypdick]

[ The Outsider wasn't expecting an interruption, let alone one asking a question like that. He looks around to observe this newcomer, black eyes unblinking as he takes him in. ]

Would you help it if it did?

[topmeup]

[It's weird that he asked it that way considering Max did just ask if the rat needed help. Why bother asking if he didn't intend to help if it was needed. He doesn't laugh it off like he normally would, but he does try to give a little half smile.]

That depends on if it's secretly some crazy super villain out to take over the world who got stuck as a rat and needs help getting back to his old body. If that's the case, then nah.