☞ 029. (audio + text)

[wouldnotkindly]

[At first, the only sound is a loud, heavy breathing. Then comes a deep, low groan, a huffed breath, and the noises of someone quickly fumbling with the device before it shuts off entirely.

A few minutes later, a text post appears on the network:]

Hello

This is the city right ?

Can someone please bring me a coat its very cold out here and i landed in the fountain again

Thank you

[Meanwhile, anyone passing by the fountain might notice a large man in a sweater and jeans ensemble — bruised, bloodied, and soaked head to foot — and trying to figure out what to do with what looks like pieces of an old-timey diving suit. Be careful about getting too close, though, as a thick, briny stench surrounds him.]

Comments

Text

[rianofski]

Yes, this is the City. I won't 'welcome' you, as that would be vaguely insulting to your intelligence; I imagine you're well aware that you are now trapped here.

[Yeah, he... has no idea who he's texting. Which may be for the best, really.]

Text

[wouldnotkindly]

[Lucky for you, Ryan; neither does he.]

I thought so

Ive been here before so i know about that already

Thank you anyway

Re: Text

[rianofski]

I see. And now you've returned again. How unlucky. I don't imagine things have changed much, overall. We're still plagued by curses, of course.

Text

[wouldnotkindly]

I dont know if its that unlucky

Its better than where i was before anyway

[Then again, he's not sure if that's something he wants to talk about so soon after coming back.]

Re: Text

[rianofski]

In that case, perhaps 'welcome' wouldn't be amiss after all. Or welcome back, in this case.

Text

[wouldnotkindly]

Maybe

What day is it ?

Re: Text

[rianofski]

December the 15th, I believe. Why?

audio;

[beyourarmy]

I'm near the fountain and have a jacket you could have. I'll be there in a bit.

text;

[wouldnotkindly]

Thank you i would really appreciate it

Im not going anywhere so i will just wait here

actoin?

[beyourarmy]

[He shows up no longer after that, smiling, at first. Then he gets wide-eyed at the smell and backs away a little, holding his jacket out.]

Whoa! What were you doing before you came here?

[wouldnotkindly]

[Jack had gotten used enough to the pheromone stench that he'd almost forgotten about it, but now he remembers. Whoops.

Still, the most he can offer as he takes the jacket is a nod and a sheepish, self-conscious smile. The bloodied bandage around his throat might not be immediately obvious, but it's the only visual cue he has to indicate that he's not exactly able to speak.]

[beyourarmy]

[It's the lack of speaking that causes Setsuna to give the guy a closer look. Suddenly, the stench is that important anymore. When the jacket's passed over, his eyes widen.]

Hey, man, are you okay? You're kinda a mess. We have a hospital here! I can take you there.

...also hope the jacket's big enough. [Setsuna is a little on the skinny and not very tall side.]

[wouldnotkindly]

[He quickly shakes his head at that. He's not hurt right now...probably. Honestly, he'd sort of stopped keeping track of that at some point in Rapture.

Besides, with all that's happened, he's still not sure if he can bring himself to trust a doctor.

At any rate, he tries to pull on the jacket and . . . no, it's not quite big enough. Somehow he manages to look even more sheepish.]

[waitedforyears]

don't freeze your ass off before someone gets you a towel yeah?

[wouldnotkindly]

Im trying my best

If it gets really bad i guess i can go inside somewhere but i dont know where to go

[waitedforyears]

guess you could come over here if need be. you've been here before, right?

[wouldnotkindly]

At least twice i think

The city i mean

I dont know if weve met ?

[waitedforyears]

welcome back then

don't think so. amy pond, hi

[wouldnotkindly]

Hello miss pond its nice to meet you

My name is jack

[horseish]

[A small child is near the fountain, carefully and methodically collecting all the snow into piles. And watching you, Jack. Carefully from a distance.]

[wouldnotkindly]

[Jack has dealt with plenty of small children, thanks to his time in Rapture. He's not quite as used to small children watching him, though.

He shivers and gives the kid a weak smile. It's the least he can do, and at this point, probably also the most he can do.]

[horseish]

[She doesn't give any real acknowledgement of the smile, but doesn't stop watching him either. She's used to spying on people, after all. She's had lots of experience being patient and watching.]

[wouldnotkindly]

[Well, that's. Mildly unsettling.

Still, there's not much else he can do about it, given his lack of voice. So he'll just continue to sit here, shiver, and pretend not to notice her.]

[horseish]

[He doesn't seem to mind her watching, so she comes a little closer still.]

Why do you have so much blood on you?

[wouldnotkindly]

[Er. Well. How is he supposed to answer that?

He glances down at himself, visibly vexed, when it occurs to him that his pistol is still tucked into his belt. He carefully retrieves it, holds it out just enough to show it to her; maybe this can convey at least part of his answer.]