001 || Action/Voice

[conglomeration]

[Beside the fountain, a statue has appeared. Or so one might assume, given the slate-grey stone of its skin, the sharp glint of wire topping its head as a fall of hair. Despite the illusion of its cape and cloak that billow in the winter breeze, the shimmer of light on the longsword dangling from one clenched fist, surely it can't be alive...]

[But watch from another angle and see that the tunic it wears is in tatters, exposing a lean torso of yet more stone, the features of a chiseled face framed by darker pebbles. The first sign of true life is seen in sluggish trails of blood that flow from his mouth and chest, their slow drips rhythmic against the ground.]

[The stone man sways in silence, eyes closed, and then he pitches forward into the fountain. A sharp crack sounds as his hip strikes the base, and then the only movement are the ribbons of red that flow from his wounds and get swept into the current.]

***
[Voice, some time later]

[A distinctly uncomfortable clearing of his throat, before a low, smoky voice addresses whoever might be listening. He is far from used to communicating through such means, but it might prove advantageous to not require face to face contact.]

How might a new... resident [or whatever a stranger calls himself] go about finding living accommodations and employment? I haven't seen much in the way of advertisement postings. [Wanted posters being, of course, his usual method of job seeking.]


((OOC: So sorry this took so long, I've been (really) sick! Any City dweller that can sense supernatural presence might be slightly pinged by him, but they probably won't be able to identify what exactly he is. For more specific info, feel free to ask!))

Comments

action;

[riceballfruit]

[At first, Tohru had thought he was a statue, then noticed the blood, which threw her into a slight panic. Then he fell right into the fountain, fortunately, before she could take her conniption to him.] Sir?

[She rushed over and tried to move him, get his mouth out of the water.] You could drown like that! Are you alright? Sir? [But he's heavy, and even just trying to pull his head out of the water and turn him over a little is taking a lot out of her, as his blood, led by the water, stains her socks and skin.]

action;

[conglomeration]

[Fortunately, the touch is enough of a shock to get him moving, sputtering as he lifts his face out of the water.]

What in the... [He clutches at the side of the fountain with his free hand (the other still holding his sword) and apparently decides to abandon clever swears in favor of catching his breath.]

action;

[riceballfruit]

[She tries again when she doesn't get a response, but at least he's breathing.]

Are you all right? The blood.... Do you need any help?

action;

[conglomeration]

[As if finally realizing he's not where he expected to be, Zelgadis looks around frantically. The Dark Lord, the battle, Lina and the others, where...?]

[His eyes finally settle on the girl who's trying to help him. In his shock, he seems like he can't decide whether to be scared or offended.] Where am I? What's happened? [He tries to push himself up, and fails, sloshing back into the water.] Dammit. [He starts to try again, a teeth-gritting effort, and finally manages to drag himself to more-or-less sit on the base of the fountain.]

voice;

[universaltranslator]

[Oh. Wow. That is one hot voice.]

The Welcome Center has plenty of beds if you need a place to stay. Some jobs, too. Did you just get here?

voice; /snickers

[conglomeration]

Apparently. [He can't claim to know the exact timing, as the last he remembers is his vision going black as the life was squeezed out of him.]

There's a welcome center? [That combined with her complete lack of surprise...] I take it new arrivals are a somewhat regular occurrence.

voice; B)

[universaltranslator]

Every few days, pretty much. Most of them seem to drop into the fountain. Has anyone explained what this place is to you?

[coyote_walking]

There's a Welcome Center and there are plenty of empty apartments. You can just move in and the City gives you a grace period without rent to get on your feet.

And there are always businesses looking for jobs, you just have to do a little foot work or check out the network.

Welcome to the City.

[conglomeration]

[Huh. That sounds almost too simple. He considers camping out instead as he hates the idea of being beholden, but he'll ask about that in a moment.]

Network. [He says it thoughtfully, never having heard the term before.] That would be the manner of communicating with this... thing?

[coyote_walking]

That would be it, yes.

It's a handy thing.

action;

[moonlitrequiem]

[When he just appeared, Yin could tell he wasn't a statue. Unless the City was investing in statues that breathe. She was in the Welcome Center, to start, but had her observer spirit spying on Zelgadis from the fountain, where it normally was. It was, indeed, one of the best ways to find newcomers, before they found the network, or other people.]

[It was only when he collapsed into the water Yin left the Welcome Center and went to the pool, slowly, as always. Her leisurely pace might have sent the message she was out for a sight seeking walk, rather than approaching a bleeding man in a fountain.]

[Once there, she only reached over, hand going to his shoulder, to see if a touch would awaken him. It probably wasn't good he was bleeding, and breathing fountain water.]

action;

[conglomeration]

[The touch springs him into movement, his battered body visibly struggling for it. His sword emerges first, taking a blind swing at whoever might be 'attacking' him, but there's plenty of warning for her to retract her hand before he strikes it.]

[His head lifts out of the water, a few coughs sound as he whirls around to look at her, eyes darting about in fear and suspicion.]

action;

[moonlitrequiem]

[She doesn't retract it, though, not being quick to begin with. Yin takes the blow without comment, or without much reaction at all. That isn't to say it doesn't hurt.]

[When he seems to be awake, and more alert, she does the job she's paid for, voice monotone.]

Welcome to the City. The Welcome Center is not far from here. [But the next bits have little to do with it.] There is a hospital, also, if you have need of it.

video;

[worldofourown]

[ A model of tact, Karl asks the most important question of all: ]

What's wrong with your face?

video;

[conglomeration]

[Shocked by the sudden picture on his device, and the words of this smug stranger, Zelgadis snaps his cloth mask into place a second too late.]

Nothing. [He wishes his shock would allow for a snappy comeback, but as usual the cutting insult about his appearance is a deep one. He's never quite gotten over that.]

video;

[worldofourown]

[ The smug stranger's smile grows infinitely more smug, ]

Are you sure? It looks almost as if you crashed headlong into a mound of gravel. [ A beat. ] Or swallowed it.

[ action ]

[byherscore]

[ oh dear, oh dear. There's a giggle wafting on the breeze as the stone man falls into the fountain. After all, she's been so terribly lacking in entertainment after those ghouls went away. ]

You fell?

[ she laughed again as she wandered closer, needing to get a closer look of the sad, funny stone man. Should he need a hand, she'll extend it. But it may not be in the form that he wishes. In fact, she may just have to perch on him and touch a fine, fine hand to the steel blades of his hair. And when (or if) it pricks, she'll simply smile, and laugh and hum a pleased, quiet note. ]

[ action ] \o/

[conglomeration]

[He breaks the surface of the water, gasping and sputtering and clinging to the fountain's base. Eyes darting about, they find Diva's form and widen at her wounded hand. She must have -- ]

Don't. [Don't touch me, my skin will hurt you, his words cut short by a grunt as he struggles to pull his battered self out of the water. The combination of a few deep breaths and adrenaline has him in no further danger of falling unconscious a second time.]

Are you hurt? [He looks down at his torn tunic and pierced skin, but his pride won't let him tend to himself until she answers.]

[ action ]

[byherscore]

Hurt? [ she shook her head, licking her hand with only the absentminded gaze of a woman who cares not if her blood is spilled. ]

Do you care? [ In truth, she doesn't. She's far too busy watching him, taking in his measure. She has a feeling she won't be as bored with him as she was all the others.

A good day indeed. ]

[Voice]

[brothertragedy]

[The voice that answers is deep and quiet, unaffected.] Hello, I am Nobori. It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir. [Must get the introductions out of the way!]

The Welcome Center should be helpful in helping you get what you want.

Your name, Sir?

[Voice]

[conglomeration]

So I've heard. [He still finds it odd that whatever circle of hell this is has a Welcome Center, but isn't going to hold it against someone polite and offering information.]

Zelgadis Greywars. [He skips the pleasantries, being unused to them.] I suppose you have news as bad as the others as to the possibility of returning home.

[Voice]

[brothertragedy]

It is a pleasure, Greywars-sama. I only wish that our meeting could've been under better circumstances.

There have been others here who claim to have returned home. Some simply depart, but there are some who leave and return.

They always claim to return to the same time they left, with no memory of this place; it is as if time has stopped for their world, until their return. They do not recall their memories of this place until they return here.

[action] /sneaks in

[bendthekey]

[She had only been out to enjoy the weather. There isn't much snow in Tusseri, save for a month or two in the winter.

Only then she had gotten lost. It was luck that had taken her back to the fountain where she remembered first arriving those weeks ago. But the statue was something new. She hadn't noticed one here before, which could have been a mistake on her part, but she is fairly certain she would have noticed such a thing.

And then the statue fell over and she realized it wasn't a statue at all. She hurries over, kneeling down next to him.]

Are you alright?! You don't look very well. Did you get into a fight?

[action] /o/

[conglomeration]

[Zelgadis claws his way out of the water, sputtering unpleasantly as he clears his throat of water. His sword is ever-ready, though as he takes in the altogether too-friendly voice addressing him, he doesn't make any moves to use it.]

Something like that. [He drags his bleeding, tattered and now half-drowned self onto the fountain ledge, eyes darting about in a fit of shock that, for the moment, overcomes the pull of his injuries.] Where am I?

[action] /o/

[bendthekey]

[She reaches out to help lift him from the water--even if she fails, she couldn't have just stood there--very worried by his appearance.]

You're in The City! Not...that I've actually learned what its name is yet, but it's been really interesting so far. Are you sure you don't need any help? I'm sure we can get you to a healer.