Video (Fourth Wall Weekend)

[trenchknives]

So, um...

[He never knows what to expect when there're all these people around here. Should he get up his hopes and think that he'll know someone? Or should he just treat it like any other curse? It's perplexing. He scratches his head.]

For all of you that, y'know, just randomly arrived here, welcome. You'll only be here for the weekend, so don't get too concerned about it. Consider it, uh, a vacation, or somethin'. You can ask me questions, if you want, but I gotta say, a whole lot of this place don't make much sense.

[A long pause of indecision, and then finally...]

'n if I know you... I mean, if I know you from home, if there's any chance you're out there... just lemme know, okay?

Comments

[element_wizard]

Hey you!

[Oh. Hell. It's him.]

[trenchknives]

Um...

[A pause, and then.]

Hi.

[element_wizard]

How are you doing?

[trenchknives]

Well, y'know, these weekends're always kinda strange. How about you?

[element_wizard]

I'm doing all right. Glad to be allowed to come and visit. Haven't actually bothered Lar yet, but I'm sure she knows I'm here.

I guess they are kind of strange. Rather odd thing to have happen, I've always thought.

[trenchknives]

I'm sure she'll be happy to see you.

[That's not necessarily sarcasm, even.]

Yeah, it never makes a whole lotta sense -- how can people show up in the City if the rest of us can't get out, y'know?

[element_wizard]

It seems to happen on a fairly regular basis, doesn't it? Every four months or so. And people do show up in the city just more sporadically.

[trenchknives]

Sure, but usually when people show up, they get stuck here just like the rest of us. It's just these weekends that're different.

[element_wizard]

Mmm... true. Maybe it's like a testing grounds sort of thing. Like the City is trying out new people to see if they want to bring them back for keeps.

[trenchknives]

Maybe. That kinda makes me think the City has a mind of its own, though, 'n that's a little odd.

[element_wizard]

Or perhaps the people who run the City, if not the City itself. If that's a little less odd. Though there are such things as localized intelligence locations.

video;

[fivemonths]

Jimmy...

[ The recognition is more muttered to himself than directed at Jimmy. Yes, Wilson is a normal fixture in the City - though this Wilson is visibly a few years older, the slightest hint of grey at his temples and his face touched by a bit of untended stubble. From his perspective, it's been a long time since he's seen the City or anyone in it - it feels acutely like another lifetime. Of course, it nearly is. ]

So, what if we fall into another category altogether?

Re: video;

[trenchknives]

Doc...

[He frowns intently.]

You look... a little different.

[trenchknives]

The people who run the City... sometimes I dunno if they know what they're doin' themselves.

[element_wizard]

Oh. I don't think they do.

I think they run on the principle of "What is the worst and craziest thing that we can do to people?"

[trenchknives]

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised by that, either. Seems like a shitty way to run a place, but what the hell do I know.

Re: video;

[fivemonths]

It's been a while - well. It has been for me, at least.

Re: video;

[trenchknives]

How long? But you still remember me?

[element_wizard]

If you've got the power, who's going to tell you what to do?

Re: video;

[fivemonths]

A little over five years, I think. It's hard to tell.

[ Definitely before things went really bad. He purses his lips and gives a small nod. ]

Some of it started to come back when I found myself here - the people more than the specifics.

[trenchknives]

Nobody. But I don't think a lot of us're content to just sit around 'n do nothin' about it.

Re: video;

[trenchknives]

Five years. Shit. What happened while you were gone? I mean, that's a damn long time.

Re: video;

[fivemonths]

[ He can't help his reaction here - it's a reflex that pulls his expression into a sardonic smile, a breath of a laugh as he shakes his head. ]

Honestly? A lot more than I think I can cover.

[ Five years littered with death, pain, doubt, the remnants of destroyed relationships, and the desperation to hang on serving as an ongoing background theme. And then -- then there's the looming end in sight. ]

Some of it has been rough. [ An understatement, but he's quick to add: ] I'm all right, right now.

[ The addendum isn't untrue. There are better and worse days, but here in the moment, he's largely okay. More than one might expect, if they knew everything. ]

Re: video;

[trenchknives]

Okay, yeah, I understand that, a lot can happen in five years. Shit, I can't imagine.

[He's still studying Wilson intently, though, as though he's not hearing the whole story, and he's not sure he is.]

Wait, so if you're visitin' here... is the other you still here, too? Could you, y'know, talk to him? How the fuck does that work?

[element_wizard]

What would you do if you could do something about it?

I mean, besides go home?