maskormenacelogs | And So Our Story Begins [Open]

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And So Our Story Begins [Open]

WHO: Alice and OPEN
WHERE: Maurtia Falls
WHEN: 3/11
WHAT: 18th century girl meets modern world
WARNINGS: Memories of death

Alice had hidden in the home provided for her shortly after her arrival, her head still spinning from all she had heard and all that she had missed in her daze. It was no small thing to wake from death into a world that seemed to be the creation of her mind. Some soldiers (at least she thought they were soldiers) spoke to her at length about her abilities and tried to smooth over the shock she felt in being in a completely different time. One of the nicer men showed her some of the new technology (something called a 'phone') and showed her how it worked. But it meant very little in her daze. She could feel herself retreating into her head.

With little left to say, they took her home (which would never feel like home) and left her to rest. There was nothing to disturb her recuperation, no attacks, no massacres, only silence. Unlike her time, where there seemed to be one torment after another, this place had nothing but quiet. Comparatively speaking. There was the sounds of the city, some of it recognizable to a girl from London, but much of it mechanical and strange.

Finally feeling some strength in her, Alice pulled herself from her room, no longer wanting to feel like an invalid. She held tightly to the folder they had given her, some details about her abilities written inside that she could look over in the fresh air.

After she found a bench near a park (or what she assumed was a park), Alice opened the folder to read, looking up on occasion at the strange metal things that hurried by. 'Cars. That was what the man called them.' There were people about, dressed strangely and some seemingly hostile. This was a strange place, but at least it was a good deal more calm than her time.

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"Hey!" Archie chirps, flopping down in the seat next to Alice. "That's one of them weird teleport-y file things, right?" He says, pointing to the papers in her hands.

"Y'got anythin' interesting? I don't believe mine. Breathe underwater? Can I, fuck. How do they expect me to test that one out?" he says with a snort.

Friends will be made today, he's decided.

She flinches at the sudden intrusion, her eyes going wide as she instinctively presses the folder against her chest. She scoots a bit further away, her face more akin to a skittish rabbit than the happy girl she once was.

Suddenly aware of how rude she was being, she forced herself to calm down and focus on the man beside her. He seemed harmless enough. No one had attacked her in this world. What did she have to be afraid of?

"I...I suppose you could try to swim underwater?" She suggested in a soft voice. "They said I am a healer..." she glanced back down at the folder.

"I'll pass," he snorts. "Healer, huh? That's pretty cool!"

He does keep his distance, knowing that a guy just randomly sidling up to a lone woman is sketchy as hell. Archie tries to smile sweetly.

"You're gonna be able to help a lot of people with that."

"I didn't think of that." She admits it, much to her shame. Her focus had been of trying to make sense of it all, not the good that could actually be done with the power.

She regarded him more fully, grateful at least to have had that pointed out. It at least eased some of her nerves.

"Do you know why they give us these...abilities?"

"Heh, well, it's kind of daunting, you know? Suddenly told you've been given these amazing powers for reasons you don't understand."

A beat.

"Or I understand. I guess I could help with ocean search and rescue, eh?"

"Or why they chose us." She reflected with a soft expression on her face, thoughtful and slightly haunted. "Why they think we are suited for this world."

She wasn't suited in the slightest, yet they brought her here.

"Perhaps. Or if someone is drowning?"

"Yeah. Ain't much like the one I'm used to, that's for sure..."

No Pokémon, for one.

"That too! Damn, no wonder I was made a life-guard!" he says, laughing like this is some great joke.

It wasn't like her world either, far from it.

"That was the work they put you with?" She doesn't know life-guards, but she assumes it is some sort of occupation.

"What is a re-enactor?"

"Yeah! I gotta teach a buncha kids how to swim and get 'em ready for competitions and stuff. It's been a real hoot so far, they're great!"

The new Team Aqua...

"It's, uh... like. You act stuff that's already happened, but not fictional stuff. Like history! It's for entertainment, mostly. I know there's some experiences ya can go and battle like people woulda in Kalos a couple thousand years ago."

"It seems like a good occupation." Children would be more understanding and kind than the adults, she imagined.

"Oh." She frowns, trying to stomach the thought of acting out her history. Her hands begin to tremble as memories threaten to rise to the surface. Forcing it back, she glanced down at her folder again.

"That is what they put my occupation as. A re-enactor."

He notices her hands shaking and instinctively reaches out, but stops himself just short of taking her hand. That probably wouldn't be nice for her, a stranger randomly grabbing her.

"I'm sure you can change it. I could see if there's any openings at the school I'm working at if you'd rather do somethin' like that."

She appreciated the gesture as it was meant, but felt relieved that he didn't actually touch her. She gripped her folder tighter, willing herself to focus on the present and leave the rest where it should be.

"A school?" That was certainly a thought. As much as she enjoyed being surrounded by objects and houses that reminded her of home, none of them were real. It would be better to be somewhere new and free of the past. "I wouldn't know what to teach."

"I guess I could call ya my teaching assistant. Then all you'd have to do is come in every other day and do whatever. Anyone asks what you're doing, just say Archie send ya for a coffee."

Which... considering he looks like he hasn't slept in a decade, would definitely work as a cover story.

"I don't know how to swim." Considering his position, that might be a bit of an issue. She wouldn't know where to begin teaching children in that. It wasn't something ladies did in her time.

She managed a small smile. "It's a kind offer."

"There's a shallow end. Wouldn't even go up to your chest." he says, putting a hand on his own chest to demonstrate.

"I mean, ya don't have to. S'just an idea!"

"It's a kind offer." But she wasn't sure she could be near water or mountains again.

"I shall consider it." She glanced up, noticing the place of the sun in the sky. "I should return home. I don't know your name."

"It's cool! I'm just sayin' there's a bunch more stuff out here ya can do if you don't wanna do what you were given. I guess I just lucked out..."

He grins brightly. "Archie! What about you?"

"Alice Munro." He was friendly, if not having an odd way of speaking.

"Perhaps we will meet again?"

"I wouldn't doubt it! imPorts gotta stick together, right? Dunno about you, but I ain't ever heard of America before all this."

He grins.

"Stay safe, Alice."

A mockingbird flutters down from one of the trees to land beside Alice, regarding her curiously -- hopping forward and continuously looking up at her almost expectantly. These birds were rampant around the park, pretty much expecting people to feed them bread crumbs or fruits or nuts. This girl doesn't seem to have any food, but the mockingbird seems to think her folder looks tasty -- nibbling on the edge of it.

The owner of that mockingbird isn't too far off. And likely, he will hear the commotion as soon as Alice either speaks to the bird or tries to shoo it away. But for the time being, he stands near the fountain -- a few birds chirping and reporting to him some of the things they saw in the city that morning.

The flutter of the bird pulls her from her thoughts. A sudden flash of a memory sharp in her mind. The sound of birds as they tore from the tree tops, the only heralds to the coming danger that emerged from the woods with murder in their eyes. She stared at the creature, caught between shock and amazement. It was so close to her and so fragile, just as she felt at times.

It was only when it started to nibble on her folder that Alice pulled the papers away. "Don't eat that!" She cried, a laugh bubbling from her throat. It didn't seem to fly away, unlike the more wild birds she had seen in the woods. "Where do you come from?" Asked as though it could answer her.

The mockingbird does answer with a little sound, but it suddenly flies off in a flutter of feathers -- coming to land on the shoulder of Petyr Baelish as he approaches the girl and her files with an apologetic smile. "I hope he was not disturbing you, my lady."

An imPort. She is definitely an imPort. The style of dress gives it away. But so does the folder -- all of those secrets spilled out in the open. Petyr's about as curious as the bird in his desire to know what secrets she has. Still, good things come to those who wait, bide their time and earn the trust of an individual.

"Careful when you read that in the public eye. There are many who would take advantage of knowing your abilities in this world. I believe that is what my little friend here was trying to tell you." He gives a little scratch beneath the mockingbird's beak.

She got to her feet quickly as the man approached, her papers falling from her hands as she reflexively pulled back. The sudden spill only made his advice too true, showing her the error she had made. Was this world so dangerous too?

Alice quickly knelt to collect them, stuffing them back into the folder. "I didn't know I had to be so cautious." She admitted, well aware she was showing this stranger her ignorance. It would be evident either way. She was new to this place and what seemed to be the way of life. "Why would they take advantage? I'm not of any consequence."

He wasn't large and looming or seemed to be much of a warrior. It was enough to lower her guard, if only slightly. It was the hulking masses she feared, the men that wielded blades and guns. This man seemed...harmless.

"Dangerous men often take advantage where they can, my lady." Petyr remains where he is because although the gentlemanly thing to do would be to help her collect those papers, Petyr also did not want to seem as though he was one of those men who would take advantage -- who would try to steal a peek of her notes.

"And in this world where we come in with all sorts of powers and abilities, people will often utilize others to get the things they want." He shakes his head. "My name is Petyr Baelish. I serve as ambassador for this city. If there is anything you need at all -- or if you need me to accompany you to your home, I would be glad to do so."

Petyr bows before her ever so slightly -- a gentlemanly motion to make up for the fact that he could not help her in picking up the fallen papers. "Unfortunately, this city is one of the more dangerous of porter cities. So it would be a good idea to have an escort, at least until you learn your way around."

"I don't think that they would find much use for me." She could at least understand something in the file and it was simply healing. The rest seemed like gibberish to her. It made her almost wish she could show him, just to have someone explain it to her in a clear way. Instead, she clutches the folder closer to her chest.

"You're the ambassador?" That seemed like a lucky coincidence. "I-" Alice glanced over her shoulder, trying to get her bearings. "I live at the housing, number 2." She's fairly certain that is the number. There were two women she shared it with, but hadn't spoken much to them.

"I don't know anyone who could act as an escort." She had only met him and a few others, but none well enough to ask.

"Well, my dear -- I can assert the fact that you can trust me. At least enough to act the part of an escort." He says with a smile that reaches his eyes as he offers her an arm and nods to the bird on his shoulder. "Should I try something untoward, I assure you my friend here will peck out my eyes. He is very fond of you already."

And almost to prove that point, the mockingbird flutters from Petyr's shoulder to perch on Alice's almost protectively, giving a little whistle before nestling up under her hair.

How could she possibly refuse? He was the ambassador and a man that knew this city far better than she did. Better still that he seemed kind, there were very few in this city that gave her that first impression. If she was to have an escort, why not Lord Baelish?

"Thank you," she murmured softly, taking a step closer to him. The bird settling on her shoulder was not nearly as shocking as it was before. Now, it almost felt as though she had a friend. Animals were innocent compared to men and she desperately needed something she felt a connection to. If only to drown out the quiet. "So he is my armed guard?" Alice gave a hesitant smile, gently stroking the bird's feathers. "He shall need a rank for this new position. He shall be a colonel." And so the bird was named.

The mockingbird let out a shrill noise and puffed up its chest, trying to act every bit like the colonel it was so named. Petyr chuckled a bit. "Seems he approves of that name." And he opened his arm to Alice, should she wish to take it and be escorted in the traditional sense. But he did start walking regardless to lead the way.

"So you are looking for the imPort housing, correct? Is there anything else you would be curious to see on the way between here and there, my lady?"

It was odd to think that she now had a pet, never having one before, but the thought of the company didn't displease her. The quiet was sometimes too difficult to bear. A mockingbird would at least break the silence with a song or two.

She glanced up at him in confusion and uncertainty. "I don't know very much about this city. What would you suggest I see?" He would be a better judge, given he was the ambassador.

"Well, you've already seen the park. I would imagine the shops would be to your interest. The library is currently under renovation, but if you are interested, I could sneak you in for a view of the progress. It will be quite grand once it has finished."

It's as much painting a visual as it is a promise. Petyr will not settle for something that is less than spectacular within his city.

She isn't certain that shops hold the same appeal that they once did before the colonies, but she would need to know where they were located. The library was at least intriguing, though she had never been a great reader.

"Could we see them both?"

[ooc: Wrap up?]

Although Faith had been stationed in De Chima, she split her time evenly between the Porter cities. She was still new enough to this world to be able to do it under the pretense of exploring, but her real purpose was to scope out some of the less reputable sides of these cities, just in case it ever came up for her job.

Seeing a young woman holding a similar file folder to the type that Faith had gotten shoved into her hands upon her own arrival, it seemed as good an opening as any.

"Some of what they put in there is pretty hard to believe, isn't it?"

Alice looked up, a surge of fear shooting through her before her eyes were able to focus on the woman. She seemed kind enough, allowing Alice to lower her guard and accept the kindness that was being offered to her. At least there was someone else equally intimidated as she was.

"They explained this to me, but I still can't seem to make sense of it." She sighed with frustration. "I can't imagine being able to do any of this. It seems like magic."

Which she would have believed made this a fairy story, but it was all too real and the proof was before her. "Did you recently arrive too?'

"Magic or some pretty wishful advanced tech," Faith agreed. "I'm kind of surprised there aren't more people questioning it. I'm still trying to buy into the whole multiple worlds part. There are definitely no people where I'm from who can do the sorts of things they're claiming."

She gestured toward the other end of the bench. "Mind if I sit?"

"So am I. They did there best to try to tell me this is another time and place, showed me those metal things and then left me at what is supposed to be home. It didn't answer my questions." It only ended up raising more, none of them answered in the folder.

Alice nodded, making room for Faith. "I imagine everyone has wished for special abilities at one time or another. Here, apparently you can have them."

"Another time and place... well, this definitely isn't like any place I've seen in Cascadia. I've been here for a little while, maybe I can answer some questions?"

She sat, folding one leg over the other as she leaned back on the bench. She offered Alice a wry smile and added, "I know I've daydreamed about it before, but thinking it was actually possible-- that's a whole different thing. I'm Faith, by the way."

She felt grateful at the offer, uncertain how she would manage on her own. "It is more...the strange things people use. How do they work? They gave me this device..." she held it out, the one they were all given. "They said I can speak to others on it."

Alice smiled genuinely. "I'm Alice. You have been here for awhile, you said? How long?"

Ohh, Faith realized. So it wasn't just the strange abilities that had Alice confused, but the technology as well. Most of what Faith had seen so far was on par with tech levels in Cascadia, so she hadn't experienced much culture shock.

"A few months," she said evasively.

"Yeah, it's..." What was the best way to explain this, because she didn't want to sound condescending. "It runs on a network. Like an invisible spiderweb that connects to all these devices and lots of others. Ever seen water run along a web? Sort of like that, but a million times faster."

It was a metaphor she could understand, which helped her look at the device differently, a measure of relief on her features. "I see. Then I could use this to connect to others wielding the same thing? Similar to a letter, but sent through this." Please tell her she has this right.

All the rest of it, she would have to figure out on her own, but this at least made more sense.

"Will you show me how to use it?"

"Right," Faith nodded. "At least, the text feature is like a letter, the other parts... well, here-- let me call yours right now, and you can see video."

If she could show Alice that the screen would display the same things Faith was doing in real time, hopefully that would convey more than Faith's attempts at analogies.

"What's your last name, Alice? See, you look up people by their names on here," she added, tilting her own device so the other girl would see.

She leaned over to look, pointing at her name as it appeared on the list. "Munro." There seemed to be so many people, but it was at least made simple by having them compiled to a list. It was easier than simply remembering an address.

"And I will hear your voice on this?"

That seemed to be the strangest part of all of this. That a box could produce sound or pictures in this way. She had been shown something to that effect, but it still seemed impossible to her.

"And see me too," Faith confirmed. "Okay, so you select the person or people you want to connect with here, and then whether you want to send them text, or just your voice, or picture -- video -- and voice together. Let's do the video one first, because that's probably the weirdest for you, right?"

A couple of button pushes, and Alice's screen lights up with Faith's face at an angle, since Faith is looking down at hers in her lap while helping the other girl. "See?" she asked, wiggling her fingers over her device. "Just like a little... portal, I guess? I mean, there's science behind it, but you don't really need to know it to use these."

She watched diligently, trying to remember everything that Faith was doing. It would likely confuse her again later, but at least some of it would be familiar. It felt almost like she was learning to walk. Something so simple to some and she was struggling.

Alice looked down at her device and gave a small smile. "Thank you." She would at least be able to contact someone, if she needed to. If she met anyone that she could consider a friend. "Do you live in Maurtia Falls?"

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And So Our Story Begins [Open]

slides this at you

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