Arrival [video/action]

[skintoskin]

[A young man with dark hair, styled with heavy bangs, and intense blue eyes frowns at the screen. He has a slender build and is wearing a black T-shirt that has the seams showing, so it's probably inside-out. He was too distracted to notice when he tried to wring it out then pulled it over his head just a few moments before dealing with his new location. The T-shirt appears to be soaking wet, as does his hair and skin. Looking from left to right, he then regards the device warily. There are traces of injury on both sides of his face, wounds that have been cleaned, but are bruising. There are no bandages. Around his neck is a black cord with a round, silver dog tag on it. When he speaks, anyone from the Midwestern part of the United States might recognize his accent. His voice is uncertain. There is the sound of burbling water in the background - a fountain.]

Hello?

[Pause. He rolls his eyes and reaches for some bravado.]

Hell - lo? Anybody home?

[Pause. He looks left and right again before continuing.]

Shit.

I... asked for a phone and some girl in a bath robe gave me this thing.

[The image of the young man shifts in and out and upside-down as he makes it clear by shaking the device that 'this thing' is currently in his hand. Then the device mercifully remains still. Anyone dizzy?]

This isn't a phone. This is something out of a fucking... science fiction show.

[Pause.]

If there's anybody out there, can they tell me where the fuck I am and why the fuck I'm here? I'd really appreciate it...

[He is shaking by the time he's finished speaking, a touch of sarcasm tinging his barely contained fear. He manages a tight smile, but he isn't in control of anything right now, and it scares the shit out of him.]

Comments

[boutant]

Of course not. That would make things easy.

[skintoskin]

Uh-huh. Who do I have to shake down to get out of here?

[boutant]

Well, the deities have an office building.

[skintoskin]

Do I have to pray for an audience or something?

[boutant]

You ask them for one. [ She sighs slightly. ] I wouldn't trust them, though. And nothing they do is ever free.

[skintoskin]

Oh. That fuckin' figures. You ever ask them for anything?

[boutant]

No. I haven't had to, at least not yet. Someone I know did, though.

[ Someone who looks an awful lot like Neil. ]

[skintoskin]

What happened? What did they ask for?

[boutant]

[ Her lips press together for a moment. ] He died. It probably covered it in the City, if you die, you don't stay dead -- you come back, but your heart doesn't beat. He traded his childhood memories to get his life back.

[skintoskin]

[He actually doesn't know what to say. Finally, he manages something.]

So... he doesn't remember anything about his childhood... at all?

[boutant]

As far as I know. I didn't know him as a kid, and I don't think he'd tell me much if I asked.

[skintoskin]

Uh... Wow. That's... Horrible...

[boutant]

Yeah. So... be careful if you go poking around the deities.

[skintoskin]

I'll be careful. Maybe once I get a better grip on things...

[boutant]

Maybe. Like I said, if you have questions, I'm around.

[skintoskin]

Thanks. Where do you live?

[boutant]

I've got a house with some friends and an apartment for when they're driving me crazy.

[skintoskin]

Sounds like a plan. Is it true you can just choose your own place and move in? Not that I have anything to move anywhere, except my ass...

[boutant]

I think it depends on the building? Some people from home were here when I first showed up, so I just moved in with them.

[skintoskin]

Oh. I... don't have that option... I hope...