(no subject)

[fluxscapemod]

Who: New arrivals and YOU.
What: The last group arrival day before things go weird again (more on that later.)
Where: Greenway Park Information Booth.
When: Mid-Afternoon, Sunday the 25h.
Warnings: None as yet.






You know how it goes. One minute, you're in your own world. You're minding your own business. Going about your day, or maybe you're in the middle of something very, very important. Whatever the case, whether you blinked or you turned around or what have you, you're not where you were before. The first thing you might notice are the sounds around you. It's loud. Crowded. Horns honk and people shout and there's just the constant buzz of activity around you as people play and walk through and hang out in the massive park you find yourself in.

You're in a city. A large, bustling city full of people and all the chaos cities bring.

And somehow, over the din and aggressive noise pollution, you hear someone call your name.

There's an information booth nearby, with a man seated inside, watching you with vague but warm interest over the rim of his newspaper. Motioning you over, he has a packet of information for you and as he does so, he states simply;

"Check your pockets." Unless you're wearing something that doesn't have pockets, in which case, the man will tell you to check the ribbon hanging around your neck. At the end of it is a key. Maybe it's strange to you, and it'll unlock one of the apartments in the buildings nearby. Or maybe it's familiar, and you'll find a shell of your home on the outskirts of the city.

"It would be in your best interest," the man says as he points out the packet of information and hands you an envelope full of money that seem to shift colors very subtly. "If you read all of the information I just gave you."

And he's right. It has where you'll live, where to find jobs, information on a housemate (if you have one) and information on the cellphone he hands you. And there's a box of cookies that taste exactly like your favorite from home, the first bite recalling fond memories of eating them with loved ones, or biting into one fresh from your favorite bakery.

Unless you're rude, in which case, he simply stares at you until you walk away. And remember, if you persist in your behavior, he simply shuts the info booth and no manner of physical or magical attempts will get it to budge in the slightest. Or damage it.

With your cookies and information in hand, he simply gives you a small nod and a half-smile that clearly say it's time for you to move on and he resumes reading his paper.

Welcome to Wechester City.

Comments

Lara Croft - OTA (with one closed to Five)

[belay]

Leaving the Clinic:

She was expecting to wake up in the jungle of Peru, not in a clinic bed. And certainly not in a hospital that looked just as high tech and modern as the one in London. Nor was she expecting to see kind faces hovering over her, grinning their delight as she opened her eyes and saying things like you had us worried, there as they adjusted her IV and checked her bandages with care.

"Where am I?" she asks one of the closest nurses, and the woman turns to look at her with a smile.

"Wechester City, dear," the young nurse says, as if she was surprised Lara doesn't know that. Before she can ask where that is, another nurse hands her a bag with her name on it, a large bag to hold a few of her things from home, and a new outfit inside, too.

"Your clothes were so torn up and dirty, we had to get rid of them. We home this fits," this nurse says, a grin on his face as he marks a few notes on his chart and heads out, saying he's getting her discharge papers soon.

"Wait...discharge...what are you...?" But they're gone too soon to answer this question. And no one seems inclined to talk about much past taking care of her injuries, medications to use, here's her prescription already filled out.

Soon enough, Lara's standing outside the hospital, looking up at the unfamiliar building and then around at the unfamiliar city. One hand presses to the side of her head as she tries to work through what was going on but this? This was nothing she'd ever experienced, and she once stuck a lit torch in the centuries-dead corpse of an angry queen.

Watching the people come and go for a moment, she finally steps up towards one, her accented voice loud enough to catch their attention.

"Excuse me. Where might I find Greenway Park? I was instructed to head there and speak to someone named Jerry?"


The Info Booth.

At this point, Lara was at the information booth, trying to patiently get information out of Jerry. But much like the nurses at Wechester Hospital, he didn't seem inclined to speak. He just pointed out her information packet, helped her understand what she was looking at and while Lara was incredibly tired and fairly pissed at this entire situation, this man was helping.

Of course, she didn't trust any of it, but she listened. Hoping for something she could use to figure out how she got here. This was the biggest mystery she'd ever been faced with, and she didn't have a solid piece of anything to solve it. So, taking her cookies (and what delightful cookies they were, lemon shortbreads, just like her mother used to make), and her pile of stuff, she turns and steps away from the booth.

With her FluxPhone in hand, she's careful to punch in her new address. She could hail a taxi, but as she didn't know the lay of this place yet, this seemed an unwise idea.

Her phone fumbles from her hand and she moves to grab it, bending too quickly and pulling stitches. She hisses loudly and straightens as her phone hits the ground with a sharp thwack and, certain she broke it, she lets out a swear.

"Oh, damnit."

What a fun day she's having.

Honeywell Arms - Closed to Five.

The apartment complex was lovely, like some castle or fortress, but not intimidating by far. It was well-kept, the doorman was friendly. People helped her carry her stuff to her apartment.

And now that she was settled inside, she supposed she should probably look at the information Jerry'd given her, but her stomach rumbled loudly. Checking the pantries and cabinets and the fridge showed some food, but not much, and nothing she was interested in, if she were going to be honest.

So she scrolls through her phone, finally finding a restaurant to order from and soon enough, she's placed an order for a pizza and soda.

But waiting inside...no, she felt too claustrophobic in here. The apartment, huge as it was, felt oppressive. So she steps outside of her apartment and sits down, deciding it was best to wait out there, just to get some breathing room.

Info Booth

[storyofanapple]

Apple was for the most part trying to get her bearings about the whole situation. Before this school had been cast into a winter-like state and had just been turned back to normal before she found herself here and now she was in a place where the place seemed huge and so many buildings.

So she figured she should come back and maybe ask for more question if they could be answered, but instead when she sees someone in need, she knew what she must do first.

Help out. Walking over she moved to pick it up for the other. "here. You looked like you could use some help, so here you go."

[belay]

Lara watches the girl help her and gives her a grateful smile, balancing her belongings in one arm after sorting through them neatly and taking her FluxPhone back.

"I appreciate the help," she says, accent easy to notice. She wasn't going to go into why she was having a hard time moving, but there were hospital bandages peeking over a shoulder and, if one looks, going down her back under her black tank top.

"Do you know where we are, by any chance? I've asked others. They keep saying Wechester City, but when I ask where that is, exactly, no one can tell me."

[storyofanapple]

"I don't know beyond what we have already been given. I just know this isn't any place I have never heard of." And it was something she probably had to at least learn and study.

"But that doesn't stop us from at least trying to figure this place out, right? Maybe there is a way to help this place and then we can go."

[belay]

"No, I suppose it doesn't," Lara states, finding the girls logic makes sense. Isn't that what she did on Yamatai? She helped?...sort of. She set fire to an Undying ancient queen who was trying to possess her best friend, but the final demise of said queen released the cursed storm keeping everyone stuck on that island.

That's probably not what this girl means.

"I'm Lara. Thank you for picking my things up for me."

the one closed to Five ( lol )

[spatially]

Five had taken a bit longer to locate exactly where his future home would be -- likely due to the fact that he'd spent a good amount of time trying to find a way to jump out of the city and ending up right back at that damn information booth each time.

Both Jerry and himself seemed more than just a little annoyed by the whole ordeal.

Giving up on that endeavor altogether, Five follows the directions being spoken to him through the speaker on his phone -- a polite female voice with no discernable accent other than American -- toting half of a mannequin along with him, tucked carefully under his arm. Once he figured out his living situation, then he could figure out his whole power situation and why it wasn't working right.

Past the doorman and up the elevator, Five carefully strolls the hallway in search of Apartment 07 -- and he's quite surprised to find a woman seated outside of the door. No one had informed him that he would have any roommates, and nowhere on his housing information did it mention anyone else living with him. Momentarily he wonders if this is all some mistake and that someone actually thought he was 13 and needed adult supervision.

"Excuse me." He chimed up once he was standing a short distance away, much more politely than he'd been to probably anyone up until now. "This is Honeywell East 307, correct?"

Re: the one closed to Five ( lol )

[belay]

Lara heard the footsteps before she heard the voice, but they sounded small, so she wasn't concerned. It was likely children lived in Honeywell. The place was rather large, after all.

But when his voice addresses her, she turns to look. Taking in the mannequin under his arm, she studies the pair for a second before looking up at the apartment number and nodding. Easing herself into a standing position, she speaks in return.

"It is. Why? Are you looking for someone?"

[spatially]

When she stands up, Five has to tilt his head just a bit to look up at her -- unfortunately, 13 was a little before he had hit his growth spurt and he's still relatively small in comparison to her.

"No, I'm not looking for anyone." He shook his head, tucking his phone into the pocket of his shorts only to retrieve the set of keys that he'd been given in his welcome packet a second later. He holds them up for the woman to see. Proof that he isn't some teenager trying to pull one over on her. "I believe that this is my apartment, though."

He gives her a curious once over -- he's smart enough to put two and two together, realizing that this was more than likely her apartment as well. "Do you live here too?"

[belay]

She's probably not that much taller than him, only about five foot six. Five foot seven in a good pair of hiking boots. At present, it's sneakers.

She's good enough with details and her memory amazing enough to remember a lot of what she looks at, and she recognizes a duplicate of her key right off, nodding at his question.

"I do. It's where the housing information sent me." That's okay by her, she guesses. Extending her hand in greeting, she introduces herself.

"Lara Croft," she states with a faint smile, the lift of the corner of her mouth accenting bruises and scrapes that are in the process of healing.

"Have you just arrived in town, or have you been here a while?"

info booth.

[menarebrave]

He finds it interesting that only a few places from Beachville seem to remain. The Info Booth and its attendant Jerry being one of them. Bruce sits across the street on a bench, hands in his lap, simply watching the people that pass it by. He keeps tabs on who goes to speak to Jerry. They might be people more like them - the ones that seemingly dropped into another dimension.

There are theories but not enough information.

Re: info booth.

[belay]

Once Lara has her belongings tucked under her arm and her Fluxphone in her pocket, she turns to leave the information booth. She's not content to head to the place she was told was her home for now, but seeing no other options, she decides to head that way.

But the site of the man on the park bench is definitely catching her attention, so she heads over. She has questions, too.

"Sorry to intrude," Lara says politely (even though she's sure she's not intruding at all). "I was wondering if you could help me with something."

[menarebrave]

British. Huh.

"I might be able to. What seems to be the problem?" Bruce cants his head to the side and waits patiently.

[belay]

British AF, new friend.

"The problem is I've never heard of Wechester City, but the man at the info booth seems to have been expecting me. Are you a resident, or have you been brought in by surprise, too?"

[storyofanapple]

In the city
Being brought into another place was not exactly new to Apple. After all she had been to Wonderland, but that had been via a spell in an attempt to try and break a curse.

But she hadn't come here in that same way and as she looked up at the sky it wasn't a case of a curse hanging over this place either. So then it beg the questions as to what the situation was.

But she kept her cool as she looked around. "This place seems different than what I know or what I have studied in terms of places that existed... So I am very far from home. But that begs the question as to what my next steps are."

She crossed her arms over her chest for a moment, pausing to think things over before she looked over what she did have. "I guess first steps is to explore and find the place I will be staying at."

[onebadapple]

"Oh dear, I don't mean to eavesdrop, but are you lost, dear?" Snow White was coming home from class, a deer carrying her bookbag while her wolf, Alarick, was staying by her side towards the curb to keep Snow safe, but most people were quick to part when Snow came by. They had to, she was being followed by a literal menagerie of deer, a wolf, squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, hawks and pigeons and songbirds flying overhead, and all sort of other creature that wasn't necessarily out of place in a city if you headed for the park, but certainly out of place on the streets!

"Why don't you come home with me, and then we can get you something nice and warm to eat while we figure out where you're staying!"

[storyofanapple]

She was surprised briefly before she turned and looked at the other. "I am quite lost. This world isn't like any I have been to before, I mean there are some things that sound like something from home, but at the same time they aren't anything I know."

When she had finished speaking, she found herself pausing for a moment. She couldn't help but notice the animals. So they could do such things too it seemed. That was nice to know.

"I see you have animal friends."

[onebadapple]

"Oh, I completely understand! This world isn't anything like what I'm used to either, there's so much more technology than I'm used to!" she giggled. "And yes, these are most certainly my friends. But I certainly enjoy making people friends as well. Let me introduce myself, my name is Snow White! What is your name?"

Number Five | OTA

[spatially]

Here and gone and here again ( Arrival )


He was trying to stop the world from ending (Again.), Vanya’s powers were stronger than any of them could have expected and when pieces of the moon began raining down on him and his siblings, there was no other choice, Five had to take all of them back and stop things from going this way.

It was a tricky thing, trying to move through time with all of them -- Five had only ever managed himself, adding on six others might have been a bit overconfident. He'd definitely made it somewhere but... where were his siblings? And where even was Wechester City? Had he somehow not only traveled back in time, but spatially jumped at the same time? (And that still didn’t explain why the others weren’t there with him.)

Five quickly deemed the welcome packet as useless (other than informing him he was in a ‘pocket dimension’ -- something that he was clearly going to have to research on his own -- it provided him little information he thought helpful), and after a less-than-pleasant exchange with Jerry — who he also deemed as useless — he did the only thing that he knew to do.

“Yeah, you’re not making me stay anywhere.” The boy smirked, and in an instant Five had quite literally disappeared with a quiet wooshing sound.

Then reappeared again in the very same spot.

“What the hell?” Confusion (and slight annoyance) colored the boy’s features and he mentally recalculated before he attempted again, disappearing for a few moments only to reappear again.

And again. And again. Becoming more and more annoyed each time he failed. “What the hell did they do to me?” He wasn’t sure exactly who they were this time around, but he knew there was someone behind why his powers seemed to be suddenly going haywire. The Commission couldn't have been dipping its toes into whatever these pocket dimensions were, right? He'd never seen any evidence of it in his time there.


A bite to eat. ( Nelly’s Pancakes )


[ Number Five is no stranger to different dimensions, timelines, and all things time-space continuum adjacent — he wouldn’t yet claim to be a master in those arts, but could one ever really become a master of time and space? (Deep down, Five might have liked to try, however. It was the kind of thing he pondered a time or two in the apocalypse.) — and finding himself in Wechester City is only strange because he hadn’t intended to end up here.

He hadn’t intended to end up in the apocalypse either. Things didn’t always go your way, did they Five? He at least knew where he was in the apocalypse, though. This place is completely foreign to him, a city he can't even remember ever reading about in the stacks of library books he's devoured over the years.

He needs to figure out where he is, that's at the very top of his list. Second on that list is figuring out exactly what's wrong with his powers. Trying to simply teleport himself back to The Umbrella Academy had proven to be useless — he ends up right back at the same information booth every time, much to his (and Jerry’s) annoyance. Getting back home is going to require a plan with a little more sophistication and research.

And that requires pancakes and coffee.

He sits at the end of the bar with a hot cup of black coffee and a small stack of pancakes in front of him, although all of his attention is focused on scribbling down various notes into a worn notebook. Anyone that's able to decipher the chicken-scratch will notice that it's a very detailed account of all of the events before and immediately after Five arrived. Oh, and he occasionally comments to the top half of a female mannequin taking up the seat next to him. ]


Wildcard

[ not liking those options? throw something else my way and we’ll run with it. don't feel tied to any styles above, use whatever is comfortable for you. hmu at cabeswater if you'd like to plot something out, or want a closed starter! ]

nelly's pancakes.

[menarebrave]

[ DENNY'S YES Bruce has already sat down at the small booth that has seemingly been reserved for him. Namely because it is the one that he always sits at when he comes to Nelly's. There are warm smiles and friendly tones with the wait staff. No one seems to have a complaint for Bruce Wayne.

That makes investigating things a bit easier.

Although he dearly wishes he had all the equipment from the BatCave... ]

[spatially]

[ Number Five doesn't seem to be having the same luck as Bruce. The servers are nice to him in that condescending way that adults are always nice with children. All upward inflection and high-pitched tones as if he were some kind of pocket-sized animal that needs to be appeased.

(Well... Technically a pocket-sized old man, but don't remind him.)

There's a slowly simmering exchange happening between Five and the older woman unfortunately tasked with being his waitress -- she's still under the impression that the person she's speaking with is 13 years old and obviously in need of adult supervision. ]

No. I am not waiting for anyone else to arrive. I am completely capable of watching over myself and have been doing so probably longer than you've been slinging these plates.

[ He clears his throat, adjusting his tie. ] Now, I'd like a cup of black coffee, and if you try handing me that children's menu again I'll shove it down your throat.

[ The waitress scurries away to get the coffee -- and an adult menu -- and Five gives the mannequin next to him a knowing look. ] Don't give me that look, you can't expect me to deal with that the entire time.

sorry for the delay!!

[menarebrave]

[ Bruce looks up at the display of... well, one could say it is childish, but that obviously wouldn't be the best thing to say. He waits until the woman has dropped off the menu and coffee before standing and making his way over to the young man.

Good thing he hasn't ordered. ]

Having issues with the staff?

Rosabella Beauty | OTA

[legacyofarose]

Around the City

While suddenly being transported to another city - another world, even - had been a shock for Rosabella, she did her best to stay calm. It wouldn't do much good to panic, really, and she needed to keep a level head to understand what was happening.

She'd found her place of residence first, and after dropping off some of her things, she set off into the city again to look around, though this time accompanied with her pet butterfly, Adelita, who she was pleasantly surprised to find waiting in the apartment with her. Having her companion with her certainly helped soothe some of her nerves, and as the butterfly stayed safely perched in her hair, she felt a braver as she explored the city, checking the map and keeping track of important places while eating one of the cookies she received from the man at the booth.

"Hmm...looks like I'll have to find a job as well," she said while looking through her phone, and while she was speaking to Adelita, anyone around her might not notice the butterfly right away.

[madcuriosity]

"How are you doing that, miss?" a small voice asks behind her. Alice is very keen on butterflies, so of course, she noticed the butterfly before she noticed Rosabella. But she also noticed that the butterfly was just following Rosabella around the way a dog might their owner or a cat their person.

[legacyofarose]

"Hmm?" Looking up from her phone, Rosabella turns to the younger girl, and the butterfly lands in her hair. "Oh, hi there. I'm sorry, doing what?"

[madcuriosity]

"How are you getting the butterfly to follow you, miss? I've never met a butterfly who follows someone around like that one is following you. I've only ever had butterflies land on me because of the flowers I was wearing or holding, but they didn't stay for long."