Everybody wants to rule the world

[maskormods]

WHO: YOU.
WHERE: Downtown Cape Canaveral
WHEN: Wednesday January 15th, around 5 PM EST
WHAT: Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome.
WARNINGS: None anticipated; let us know if this should be edited.

Cape Canaveral. It's no longer the heat of the day and in January the temperatures will be livable; not too hot and not too cold, either. A pleasant change from the City, perhaps. The sun is on its way to setting but the last light of the day still fills the sky, bursting the city into color. The air smells like ocean.

The locals are friendly and smile and wave, looking on at you in awe. They'll approach if you ask for help, or a question, but they don't want to interfere, either; if you want to be left alone you probably will be. American flags can be seen in many windows and restaurants are rolling out their dinner menus. There's no parade, no big banners, but many storefronts have handmade signs and posters that read:

Welcome, imPorts! We love you!

The woman at the Porter told you what to expect: You know what your tattoo means, you've been given your file, and you know in a few hours they're going to be here to answer more of your questions and see if you'll stand with them or if you'll go off on your own. "It's your decision," one of them had said, but you were already told what you get if you agree and what you don't if you don't. After that's done, she told you, you'll be driven to your new homes.

In the meantime, enjoy the area, or try to. It may not be what you're used to, but after the apocalypse even Florida might seem like an improvement.

Comments

[slightlyoffchilt]

Dare I even ask how you came across it -- ah, him?

[He was almost afraid to get the details, truly. Maybe one more bizarre thing would push him over the edge -- who knew? Chilton had been forced to abandon a significant amount of preconceived notions about the nature of the universe, and he was reluctant to keep the trend continuing.]

But -- to the topic at hand. [He opened the door for her, his habits ingrained in tidewater gentlemanners.] I doubt they have decent crab. [Maryland prejudice was a bold thing, in the rare times it reared.]

I guess it's gratifying enough that we're on a world with familiar terrain at all. Is -- or was -- your original universe on parallel to the City? Or what was the City.

[wisecracked]

Asthenoa, he flew into me and somehow he ended up tagging along when we left. [Lucky for him that's about as detailed as she needs to get with that explanation.

Kenzi starts to slip in ahead of him and pauses when she catches sight of her reflection in the glass.] Oh my God, my hair. [She quickly starts trying to smooth it down as she continues on inside, all the while she mutters in a mix of Russian and English about the humidity.

However, it's a losing battle she soon gives up on.] My original universe had a New York, yeah, but that's not where I was from.

[slightlyoffchilt]

I must have missed that one. [He had heard of it, of course, the references had appeared sprinkled in Network talk. But Chilton was still relatively freshly torn from his natural world, and had learned of most events only secondhand.

It was easy to dwell on the timing, to wonder what could have been different if his chronological coming had been skewed -- but his investment in the hypothetical was soon shattered by the harried reaction to that mirror.]

You, ah, you look fine. Really. [Chilton shifted awkwardly, unsure of the propriety that this moment called for. Should he wax poetic, or...]

It's a nice, modern look.

[He shrugged, offering a halfway smile.]

But yes, likewise in terms of the parallels -- I had a New York City, but I lived and worked in Baltimore. Never made it around to the -- to whatever the City's world's Baltimore was like. Bit of a mouthful.

[wisecracked]

As far as alternate universes go it was kind of interesting. Although I was nearly killed by giant plant dogs and a headless flaming chiken [It was a terrifying experience...

She gives a flat stare as she tugs at the ends of her hair.] It's going all curly, it's such a pain when it's curly.

Yeah, a bit. I actually didn't get around to doing much exploring back there. Maybe I can here. Would be nice to travel.

[slightlyoffchilt]

[He winced, his reaction drawn from sympathy. Hazardous situatons didn't really suit Chilton's palate, but evidently Kenzi had made it out all right -- it was something he'd just have to take in stride.]

I wouldn't mind exiting Florida, at any rate. I don't think the atmosphere suits me. [He was already concerned about the summer time humidity, whatever weather horror that might prove. But the problem was the back-up plan: what would he do? How would he live, by what means?

When the hostess led them to a table, Chilton forcibly pushed back these anxieties. He was hungry, the rest only added to his stress.]

I'm fond of curly hair.

[As if she had asked for his opinion.]

[wisecracked]

[Fortunately Kenzi is somewhat used to hazardous situations, it helps that she lives with a hazard-prone succubus back home. Unfortunately she's not used to dealing with the really out there situations on her own, powers or not.]

I could enjoy the sunshine and beaches and hot boys running around half naked but I really don't think I can live with the heat. [It's not even that hot and it already feels too hot for her. On the way to the table she has to keep a hold on her little dragon, he smells food and he would be more than happy to take some off someone's plate.

Chilton's comment receives a raised brow.] Then you've obviously never had to deal with it.

[slightlyoffchilt]

[He shrugged at the accusation -- quite truly, Chilton wasn't a man prone to curliness himself.]

I can't really speak to possessing similar joys concerning the beachfront, either. [The smallest twitch of humor flickered in his mouth, just before his eyes dropped to scan the menu. After the week of foraging and cosmic duress, the normalcy of sitting in a restaurant and deciding what to order seemed so surreal.

So he procrastinated, turning his attention instead back onto Kenzi.]

At they the welcoming committee here seems to understand what value we pose, as interdimensional beings.

[wisecracked]

[There's a distracted sound from Kenzi in response as she tries to get Sir Apple to sit on the booth bench beside her. The smell of food has the little dragon wanting to get his little claws on anything he can. Eventually he listens and curls up against Kenzi's side to wait patiently.]

Last time they understood our value they treated us like animals and entertainment. At least they aren't doing one of those here. [She responds as she picks up a menu. She's well aware of the looks she and her dragon friend have been receiving, such a creature has already made it known she's not from here. Her style of dress doesn't help much either.]

[slightlyoffchilt]

Oh, God. That's disturbing.

[Said the man who could easily be accused of abusing trust and manipulating his patients. But everyone had a skeleton in their closest, didn't they? Or a bit of people in their meat dish. Nevertheless, his stance was somewhat hypocritical.]

Well, our recent development isn't unfortunate. We ought to be regaled for our capabilities, shouldn't we? Or at least have it acknowledged that we're valuable citizens. Empowerment fantasies are surprisingly common among the populace -- and here we are, living it.

[wisecracked]

No kidding. [She's not going to go into detail but it sucked and her tone says that much.

She snorts at his comment about empowerment fantasies.] I looove being the center of attention but this kind of creeps me out. [And the memories of the world where she died still haunt her. The world where she died and the world where they were treated like animals being one and the same.]

[slightlyoffchilt]

More of an exhibitionist on your own terms, huh? [He asked the question without judgement, though it could be interpreted as somewhat provocative. Depending on Kenzi's experience with psychiatrists, she might identify that Chilton was using his therapist tone -- neutral, curious, polite, calm as it was.]

I kind of enjoy it, I'll have to admit. All the strings attached.

[Chilton, of course, had no psychological baggage associated with his importation. It was mildly inconvenient, and his frequent spats with his peers did him little favors, but the universal difference also granted him new opportunity. And superpowers. Perhaps his perspective on the matter was thus easily naive.]

This isn't too bad, don't you think?

[Referring to the food.]

[wisecracked]

[Kenzi draws her menu up to hide her face but she's scowling, she's watched enough TV and movies to know that tone. Just what she needs a shrink.] Something like that.

Never liked being tied down so the puppeteers can go eff themselves.

[On the one hand they do make life easier, on the other she can't trust them.]

Mmn, I guess if you really like sea-- Whoa, hold up, does this really say gator? [She's not sure if she should be excited or disgusted.]