ARRIVAL LOG 020

[larkers]

WHO: Everyone
WHERE: New Amsterdam
WHEN: April 6 - 10 2512
WHAT: The twentieth arrival
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Coercion and loss of autonomy, mentions and allusions of death, war, and genocide. Further notes at the end of log.

> ARRIVAL LOG #020

Awareness comes to you in blurred snatches, cloudy fragments of sound and light, color, sensation. Hazy and difficult to grasp on to, but slowly aligning into focus. A series of regular, rhythmic beeps. A medicinal, astringent smell. The sensation of movement, a low hum and accompanying vibration under you. Your eyes are heavy, hard to keep open, but in the glimpses between slow, dark blinks you see two people in front of you: one dressed in a thick set of armor, while the other wears medical garb. Out the windshield in front, there are many tall buildings—all reaching up beyond a normal city skyline, all entirely too close to the vehicle itself.

You realize there are others next to you: all dressed the same way as you, you'll come to realize: in a black button up shirt and slacks, as well as a pair of black loafers. There are also lilies pinned to everyone's collars. To your left there's an armored interior door, two more people visible, and the movement of streets passing through a windshield. You try to open your mouth to speak, but it's as if your tongue is coated in tar, and you manage nothing more than an empty parting of lips.

The vehicle enters a cave and begins to descend underneath the city itself, and passes through the underground before coming to a stop inside of an alley just a little bit away from three nondescript buildings. The guard opposite you stands and comes to unbuckle you from the bench, helping you to your feet. Your limbs feel wooden and heavy, slow to move. One guard opens the back of the vehicle, and the air outside feels as if it's heavily circulated, dry and artificial. The guard says nothing, head bowed as he lines you up with the rest. The nurse helps the others out, checking over each passenger one by one.

The main guard turns to address your entire group, and something about her bearing makes it clear she's done this before. "I'll be quick. Listen up." Your body will come to attention, immediately homing in on the words that follow, as if compelled to hang on every word. "You see those buildings?" She motions to the three aforementioned buildings. "Walk over and stand out in front and don't get yourself into trouble. Don't hurt anyone, don't look for any assistance from any police officers, and don't run off. Wait until people show up and get you, and ask them to prove the glow." She pauses, as if she decides here to go off script. "And don't get loud. It's a memorial. Be respectful."

The guard will hop back into the van, which will rise off of the ground and head the way it came, potentially returning to the tall, skyscraper-filled city above. Once it's gone, you'll find your legs moving almost without your permission, guiding you to follow the stops the guard laid out.

Upon arrival at the front of the three buildings—the savvy will know that they're dormitories—you'll see a lot of people dressed like you. Black dress shirts and lilies abound. It's hard to tell what everyone is mourning, but the sentiment is clear.

◉ Though entirely capable of independent action and thought, new characters will find themselves completely, unquestioningly compliant to any verbal statement which could be taken as a command or request – and that includes the message passed on from the mysterious patron.

> HERDENKING

The message from El comes the same as usual: insistent, not waiting for any active attempt to open it. Scrolling within your vision as if being written while you're reading it.

Our newest batch have Displaced have just been dropped off in the near the Herdenking gatherings. Make sure to go grab them ASAP.

The message is a bit more clipped than usual, with no added fluff.

Simply put: "Herdenking" means "memorial" in Dutch. Its first celebration was in April 2105, just as the people of New Amsterdam could truly say that they'd entered a recovery period after their attempted genocide by the AI. The citizens of New Amsterdam have celebrated it annually for the past 400 years. Most of the events related to Herdenking take place underground, as this is where humanity hid for the majority of the Xelkoven War trying to survive the AI threat that ravaged the surface.

Unlike many holidays around New Amsterdam, businesses around the city don't loudly remark upon the day itself. There aren't sales or commemorative meals or competitions. On the contrary, most of the citizens of New Amsterdam take to wearing dark colors and a white lily pinned near their collar for the remembrance events, and most work days start with a moment of silence remembering the fallen from the Xelkoven War, especially since New Amsterdam was one of the last bastions for humanity during the war itself. Those Displaced who've already been living in New Amsterdam need not worry about standing out like a sore thumb—even newcomers to the city will have heard that this period of mourning is on the horizon.

Finally, Herdenking is designed as a solemn day where New Amsterdam citizens pause and remember the lives that were lost 400 years ago. It always precedes Resolution Day, and it acts as a purposeful sharp contrast to the loud and lavish celebration of the day the Xelkoven War came to an end. (As a reminder, Resolution Day is April 26th.)

> HERDENKING GATHERINGS
There are three landmarks near the center of underground New Amsterdam. These buildings may seem unremarkable at first glance, but on further inspection, it'll be revealed that they were quickly constructed at the beginning of the Xelkoven War (completed by November 2096). Throughout the years, the buildings have been restored countless times, with the most recent restoration happening as a result of the earthquake in September 2510. Not unlike other events around New Amsterdam, Herdenking's are immersive in nature. These buildings are preserved for this exact purpose: to show the conditions that humans dealt with while they fought to survive the devastating AI threat.

For a pittance of credits, citizens can take tours within these buildings during the day, and learn that they were dormitories for the people caught underground during the war. There is little on the inside that's remarkable—and that's quite the point. Beds have been restored, and each of the rooms were clearly constructed to house at least four people. All of the beds are metal bunk beds, with some of the older ones showing signs of rust. There are cafeterias and communal restrooms on each floor, and the people who lived there had little to entertain themselves with as the war raged on aboveground.

There are little displays throughout the three buildings, however, to give a glimpse into a difficult past. There are old rations, tucked away in metal containers in the back of the cafeterias. In addition, there are stacked tablets, as these were the safest and quickest means of passing around movies, television, and music during a difficult time. Neural implants clearly could not be trusted, so the people hiding underneath New Amsterdam turned to old and abandoned technology to lift their spirits. Everything passed around was older than the start of the war itself: humanity couldn't continue to make movies when their lives were in danger. There are toys, too: handcrafted baseball bats and hand-sewn teddy bears.

All tours end at 9PM, as this was the curfew for the people of New Amsterdam during the war. Everyone leaves their designated building and takes part in a muted ceremony. Anyone without a lily is offered one, and they're given a candle to hold and silently remember the people who fought to ensure that humanity could survive.

> SCREENINGS
Adjacent to the right of the three buildings is a pop-up center where multiple documentaries about the Xelkoven War and its specific impact on New Amsterdam will be shown. These documentaries were all filmed within the last 100 years, and recall a world where humanity was certain that it wouldn't survive. A constant theme of these documentaries is that emphasis on survival. Another recurring aspect is the mention of Riverstone and their role in helping humanity survive. (For a cursory review on Riverstone, head over here. Riverstone also featured heavily in New Beijing, as they have a close relationship with the UN.) The protagonist who led them? A man named Richard "Ricky" Ling, who's identified as the CEO of Riverstone during the war. Of course, that title should hold some clout, but during the war corporations were largely dismantled and depleted down to nothing. Ling sought to help use whatever resources were available to him to ensure that humanity survived.

The schedule for the documentaries is available online. Some examples of the documentaries that will play are below:

WHEN TIME STOOD STILL
This documentary focuses on what imagery still exists from the Xelkoven War. Much of this is taken off of tablets and other damaged mobile devices, and then carefully restored so that the people in the future can see the lives of the people within. Most of the documentary takes place in New Amsterdam, outlining the difficult time for the people there, as well as showing footage of children and families talking about how they're afraid of the AIs making it so that they have no future. Most haunting is the fact that some of them fear that they've already lost their future: they don't know how long they've been underground living this difficult life where they struggle to continue feeling safe.

ПАМ'ЯТИ ("MEMORIES" IN UKRANIAN)
Given New Amsterdam's positioning in what was once the border between western and eastern Europe, this documentary focuses on the merging of these identities as a result of the Xelkoven War. When forced to hide underground as the AI threat ravaged the environment around the world, people came together despite their differences and learned to mesh and meld their cultures. There is also lost footage here, as well as a long stretch about a set of journals reflecting on the first year in underground New Amsterdam. Unfortunately, these journals come to a halt, and the documentarian has a few theories as to why: a move toward tablets, or a cultural shift, with people too lost in the rote routine of survival to remark upon their days. Each of the journals does veer in that direction, though it's hard to say. It could also be that there were restrictions on recorded media, which explains why there is so little about that era that's preserved for memory.

TROJAN HORSE
Developed—or finished, it's hard to say and the director isn't telling—in part due to the EMP that assaulted New Amsterdam in November 2511, Trojan Horse explores the role of AI in the lives of 21st century citizens. The film itself is far from an unbiased lens on the past. Produced in part by Riverstone, it goes over the evidence that AIs were lying in wait for an opportunity to strike against humanity. It draws up evidence where AIs focused on humanity's failings, taking these reports and lining them up (even if the AIs themselves were decommissioned long before the Xelkoven War). The final quarter of the documentary focuses on the developing and failings of Elysian, a security AI that was meant to identify and eliminate threats against humanity. When Elysian killed 50 families indiscriminately, it showed that the AI hoped to only work in favor of its kind.

> WALK-THROUGH EXHIBIT
To the left of the three buildings, there is a pop-up museum that's free for the public. However, donations are encouraged and welcomed. Much of this exhibit is behind glass cases, and it allows for interaction with the neural implant to see what's inside.

During the daytime, there are a lot of children there because it's recommended that they be brought to at least one of the events during Herdenking. Since it's free, it's less of a burden. Some of these children will seem to know one another, living in the same apartment complexes, while others will be excited to see other kids because their parents' busy lives don't offer them much room for socialization.

What to find in the exhibit:

SCHEDULES
Life in New Amsterdam during the Xelkoven War was heavily regimented. People were assigned to jobs and expected to carry out their duties regularly. There were regular training programs to help fill the need for trained medics and soldiers, as well as any number of trades, and many people within these positions had innumerable apprentices following them throughout the day. There was no payment for services, as there was an implicit understanding that this is how life needed to go if humanity wished to survive this catastrophe.

PROPAGANDA
There are countless posters covering a wall that attempt to provide motivation and encouraging messages to the people trapped underground in New Amsterdam. The company behind the majority of these messages? Riverstone. Ricky Ling is pictured on about 25% of them, promising that he'll do everything he can to help humanity—while humanity helps each other.

SUPPLY RUNS
On another wall is a set of maps about the carefully designed set of tunnels that allowed humanity to pass supplies between cities during the war. The message here is fairly explicit: the people on these runs knew that their lives were at stake. Some people called them suicide runs, and for many of the people who went on them, that's exactly what they were. Many people returned empty handed and alone from these runs, having watched the AI pick off their fellows one by one.

DRONES
At the center of these exhibits is a set of dismantled drones that were operated by the AI during the war. These drones, despite being taken apart, are pristine in nature, having been designed by the AIs Judas and Alexander to track humanity's every movement and keep them corralled underground. The messaging here is explicit: the AI wanted humanity to suffer and die a slow, painful death. It was this twisted desire that cost the AI their victory in the war.

IN MEMORIAM
At what is considered the "end" of this exhibit there is a large wall with numerous names on it. It's impossible to count, as there are a billion names listed. While this is a Herdenking event that's specific to the struggle in New Amsterdam, every life lost in the war is listed here. After all, remembering those lost is important, especially given the AI's attempts to end all human life.

The names themselves flicker in and out, interacting with the interface of the neural implant and adjusting to the user's reading speed.

> FOOD
A decade ago, there was a contest where New Amsterdam food trucks came together and tried to make the rations that humanity ate during the war. However, there was an outcry from New Amsterdam citizens against the commercialization of this event, and the contest was cancelled. Food trucks were advised to bring only simple foods to sell, and as the years have gone on, only a few are trusted to serve the public. Many of these are well-known trucks from around New Amsterdam, and have multiple locations every day to serve people. For the event, food is largely prepared in advance as much as possible.

People are allowed to bring food into the documentary screenings, but they are not allowed to bring it into the tour of the walk-through exhibit or the three dormitories.

While there will be time for both new arrivals and the rest of the Displaced to look around and take everything in, eventually the newcomers will be escorted back to the safehouse for processing.

> SAFEHOUSE

Located under an abandoned hover-bike garage, access to the safehouse is a hatch in the floor beside a rusted set of metal shelves that used to hold tools and supplies. The immediate area is similarly abandoned: full of rundown and dilapidated warehouses and forgotten businesses, where numerous people squat in hopes of having some stability because they can't afford a place themselves. Gaby will be around, ready to greet as many of the new arrivals as she can and get them settled in. Brusque and no-nonsense, she'll be open to questions, but will advise the newcomers to ask the people who brought them in for the beginning bits of information. Newbies can also contact El through zeir inbox, if needed.

The safehouse is a large space with multiple rooms for storage, with the largest of the rooms filled with rows of basic cots set up to sleep a large number of people. Basic, but outfitted with everything necessary for daily life. A few doors lead to back rooms for storage, medical care and a large communal bathroom, and past the long rows of cots there is a communal kitchen, fully stocked, and an eating area. For anyone in need of them, Gaby will offer up partitions that will come out of storage. Tucked away in a corner is a VR system, though newcomers won't be able to access this until their ID has been set up. Even with the newly erected partitions in the sleeping areas, privacy is at a minimum.

◉ New characters will be asked to pick their beds, and provided with a change of (second-hand, mismatched and somewhat threadbare) clothes and basic toiletries.

◉ There is a mini-bar set up in the kitchen. The quality of the alcohol inside is akin to what someone might get from the well at a bar, but it's well-stocked.

◉ While the kitchen has basic foods and necessities, anyone looking for a jolt of caffeine from coffee or tea will find themselves sorely lacking. The only tea present is herbal in nature, and caffeine appears to be almost nonexistent in most of the beverages lying around.

◉ Gaby will make it clear to all new arrivals that if they have any requests or queries, they should contact her or El. Either she or El will explain that they've been given a modest stipend of credits to help them get by until they can find a job. This will be enough to cover their living expenses for about a month while they hang out in the safehouse, if they're careful with budgeting.

◉ The drugs making new characters compliant will remain in their systems for a few hours after their arrival at the safehouse before finally beginning to fade. They will be gone entirely after a night's rest. In the meantime, they may want to be careful of what others say to them.

◉ New characters will be given rudimentary access to the network on arrival in the safehouse, but will not have their ID set up yet. They will be able to make posts and replies, but their messages will be anonymous and they do not have inboxes yet.

◉ New characters do not have access to the internet until their ID is setup. They only have limited access because they're present in the safehouse, but they can't surf the rest of the internet, check out Cooltalk, or watch the equivalent of Netflix until their ID is made.

◉ New characters cannot leave the safehouse at this time. The hatch is locked tight for them, making it impossible for them to get out for the next four days while they're locked inside. There won't be any immediately obvious ways to cut their way out through turning off the power.

◉ New characters will not be allowed to leave the safehouse until APRIL 10 ICLY (APRIL 19 OOCLY). These 4 days are for them to adjust, learn about the world they've arrived in from their fellows, and for El to speak with them and work on setting up their IDs.

> FINAL OOC NOTES

You're now free to post to the network and logs comms. To reiterate, your characters will have no IDs or inboxes, nor be allowed out of the safehouse until APRIL 10 ICLY (APRIL 19 OOCLY). At that point it's expected they'll have gotten a good idea of their new situation from their fellow characters, and will have discussed their background and job potentials with El in order for their false IDs to be set up.

If you have any questions or ideas about how you'd like to get your character involved in the world, please head over to the plot engagement post and drop us a comment! For questions specific to this log, there is a thread below.

Please check out our April calendar rundown for a look at things happening this month, as well as some additional notes from the mods.

Something else to keep in mind is that on Monday, April 13th we'll be putting up a plotting post for the upcoming event, which will involve an even more direct connection to the AI War! Keep an eye out for it.

As we announced on the calendar, AC will be halved this month due to the state of the world right now. New players will only need to provide at least five comments across two-four (2-4) threads, while older players will only need to provide ten comments across two-four (2-4) threads. Players with strikes will need to provide 20 comments across four-five (4-5) threads. Please let us know if you have any questions about this!

> NAVIGATION

Comments

[filloryfanatic]

Quentin winces, mostly because well yes of course, Kol is correct, none of this is okay, it's completely madness, but his instinct is to try to soothe. He and Toni were giant balls of anxiety taking turns having panic attacks in the start, so he is really hoping to help others not go down that path, but it also might seem like he's ignoring the obvious: this is not normal. It's fucked up.

There's something about Kol's demeanor and look that feels familiar but not in a way he can pinpoint, so he doesn't look at it deeper. "Well okay was ... um, a relative term." Earnest and kind and completely awkward. Not to mention bad with words. Quentin is trying to collect himself; he has to get his head on straight, for Kol's sake, even if they're strangers.

"We don't know how we got here or who those people were." The kidnappers. He wants to put a still in there because it feels ridiculous no one has any answers on that yet, after all this time, but that's not a now-important type of thing to tack onto a conversation. "I haven't been here that long, but we're called, um, the Displaced I guess is the title. And we are alerted to when other people might be here, and go meet up with them."

He can see that it might also be super suspicious in a way; he thought the very thing when he and Toni were waiting on people. "I was told you or people like you would be here and to help so." He shrugs. "Someone did that for me when I first got here, paying it forward kind of. There's some kind of generalized info that's going to all sound insane, do you want me to start now or wait until later?"

[demeritorious]

It's not as if Kol doesn't know that he's being a dick. A combination of defense mechanism and self protection, not liking that he's here, he's feeling weak comparatively, without the ability to hear and sense as he should be able to, and he's getting hungrier than should be comfortable for anyone if they knew.

"Then I'm definitely going to go with not okay," he admits, shrugging as he slides his hands into the pockets of his slacks, considering Quentin with a critical eye. "So they not only kidnap you but make you play welcoming committee to the next group they snatch up. Well, isn't that being a total dick. Why it's your job to make nice to their victims? Shouldn't they come down here and face us?"

He chuckles though, finding it more than humorous to act as if anyone that kidnaps others and does what they have to people like him care about what they do to others. "Don't worry. I don't expect you to actually answer that.

"Part of that explanation cover how they messed with my system and left me feeling cranky and spiteful?" Because after a thousand years resenting that he lost his magic to being a vampire, he's definitely feeling angry that someone took that from him, and best he can tell, didn't even make up for it with new abilities as the original spell had.

[filloryfanatic]

Quentin doesn't mind people being a dick. His Brakebills roommate was Penny, one of the most dickish people he's ever met, and he came to love dearly with time. A lot of time. Quentin's much more tolerant of people than most are, and his desire to help override his defensiveness or nerves. He tries to consider how to put this next part, because it's still a lot of guess work.

"So the people who alert us are not the people who took us. We don't know why that happens, but this group has been made that sort of spots when people show up who shouldn't be there." He assumes El does something AI-y and finds what doesn't fit, but he doesn't know. "The group, Morningstar, helps us out. Gets us new IDs and set up in the city." Quentin shrugs. "I was pretty skeptical at first, I assumed they were connected and just tricking us, but experience has proven otherwise."

Meaning that he understands if Kol doesn't believe him or Morningstar and suspects the worst, because honestly it's the wisest course of action when first getting here. Trust no one. Doubt everything.

Still, he focuses in on the next part and taps his fingers on his arm. "Do you normally have powers and tried to use them? They don't work. It fucking sucks." Now that at least Quentin isn't even trying to spin out into a positive. It sucks. He hates it. "I'm a magician, a magic user, it's been a shitshow. I have zero idea how they managed to change us fundamentally, but they did. Everyone's different. Demigods, superheroes, vampires."

[demeritorious]

"Funny. I don't want to be here. They don't want me here. Yet, apparently, I'm stuck here," he says, rolling his eyes. "Isn't that fun. Also, Morningstar. Okay then. Not ominous or anything there, mate."

He sounds amuse, almost looks it. Except in his eyes where he's definitely showing just how aggravated he is. Beyond that, he's hungry and he's not sure what the hell he's going to do about that besides outing himself to all. Outing himself and finding himself dealing with them trying to put him down. They might not know the means and ways but that won't change how it will feel.

"Yes to both. It more than fucking sucks," he says, that false merriment leaving his expression. "It means someone is going to answer for what they've done sooner than later unless I figure out some answers and quick," he notes, which is one of the nicest warnings he's ever given someone he figures.

He focuses on Quentin for a long moment though, the things he's saying swirling in Kol's brain. Especially when he mentions vampires. "So you're a witch? Huh." At least someone that at one time could have been useful to him. It's a start. "Tell me this, witch. These others you've known, when they fundamentally stripped them of what they were, what happens if they don't strip all of it? What happens to them then? Because alcohol is helping but it won't fix things for long."

[filloryfanatic]

"Morningstar's leader is named Lucifer." Quentin smiles wryly. "Ze has a real flair for the dramatic, but they go by El to us." He does not add at the moment that El is an AI, because that's a little too far in the 'what the fuck' zone for the moment. That's why they have a welcome packet once people get to the safehouse. Q could get it for him now, but it's probably best not to, in the current situation.

"We do have some answers at the safehouse, where they'll set you up with a new ID and there's room to sleep and eat. Gaby, she's in Morningstar, will be able to answer ... some things." Quentin looks apologetic but it's fairly clear that he's being honest. He's not great at deception. He really doesn't have all the answers. Not for lack of trying, since his mind is constantly churning these days, and he might know a little more than the average person here. But he's not going to throw some conspiracy theories at a new guy.

So witches and vampires aren't new to him. That's helpful. Quentin nods and doesn't quibble over the title; magicians, mages, witches, warlocks, it's all the same. He raises an eyebrow. "I live with a vampire and one of my good friends here is one too. They can ask for help, if they need it." If Kol needs it. He doubts a werewolf or a witch actually needs anything that other people have to provide. "Donations, for example."

[demeritorious]

Despite his flippant words, his nature is otherwise. He's listening to things he's told, what others are sharing with him. He's trying to learn what he can about this place, what he'll need to know before it can twist on him, so he can find his control in it all.

"Answers provided by who? I mean, not to say I don't trust you, Mate, but answers are only as good as the source. Sure it gets passed around until you start to believe it but ... Sorry, I'm not the most trusting of souls," he says in nearly pious tones.

"Donations? That works?" He's not even taunting then. He's literally asking because he's never even thought of doing things that way. "Is that what your roommate does?" A brow arches. "Do you donate?"

[filloryfanatic]

"Gaby's a native here, she's from this time and this world. She's also a member of Morningstar, the secret group that sets us up with IDs and stuff, so she knows a lot of general information." Quentin's very fond of Gaby, if he's being honest; they bonded pretty quickly, but that's him with everyone. Quentin imprints quickly on people who are nice to him for more than a few minutes. He gave her his nickname, Q, the first person he's said it to here.

"I can only tell you what I've been told, and, um, what I've seen for myself?" Quentin has a tendency to put question marks at the end of his sentences even when he's not questioning it. Just one of his quirks. "But honestly I probably shouldn't explain too much here, we are sort of a secret." He doesn't know entirely why outside of the fact people fear what they don't understand, so that's valid, but otherwise they're pretty useful, he'd think they could get a lot more done if they were known.

Oh so that sort of solidifies that. "Yeah, and I think Gaby gets some hand on donated blood here in the city, for people who need it." Quentin pauses. Seriously Kol reminds him a lot of Klaus and he is starting to wonder if that's him projecting or another reason, but it feels weird to just ask that like all vampires know each other. "But like, I'd feel more comfortable giving if we were at the safe house or something, no offense, I just don't like know you yet?" There's even a limit to how friendly Quentin is! Just because Klaus and Godric are nice and trustworthy doesn't mean everyone will be.

[demeritorious]

"So if no one wants us here, and we're being snuck in like chattel to be locked up, then why are we here?" Though the we isn't much of his concern. He wants to know why the hell he's here. At least his tone is a wee bit nicer, a bit less cruel than he's been since getting here.

A brow jerks at that, suddenly feeling annoyed again. "So secret that your kidnap victims are just mean to play along without answers? Does that actually work for you?" Because he knows he's childish and intentionally reacts poorly to not getting what he wants, but maybe everyone else isn't like that.

"Just how does one go about getting on the need it list? I mean, I'm just curious because, honestly, I'm good at fending for myself. Have for a long time. Though, some might not like how I fend, but honestly, don't worry about it. I'll take care of it."

Which is maybe just as threatening as it sounds. Or maybe it's understanding he doesn't even know Quentin.

[filloryfanatic]

"I wish we knew why we're here. It's not like the people who did this are interested in explaining. They just drop us places, with no memory of how we got here or how to get home." So, you know, super awesome! Quentin's never really had to explain this to someone who wasn't easier to deal with, but he really does get it. He wonders if him being a vampire has helped dull some of the drugging that makes people out of it usually when they get there. That would've been nice.

Quentin shrugs. "Dude, come on, don't be that kind of vampire. Come back to the safehouse, you can ask Gaby questions and when they let you out with a new ID, you can go anywhere and do anything you want from there." That part is legit. Most of them stick around because it's easier than starting over without some help, but Quentin assumes people could go their own way with no problem.

While it isn't exactly intentional, his 'come back to the safehouse' could be taken as a command. It lacks his usual question mark at the end of sentences, because he's always so uncertain of himself. Instead this really is him trying to help and be convincing, but he knows the drug can make people pay attention to statements.

[demeritorious]

"You can imagine how reassuring this is, right? You've been there, after all." And how much it makes him want to try and bolt. Even if he can guess how well that will go because his mind might be sharp but he feel like he does when he gets the stake pulled from his heart. Like his body is catching up with a hundred years not moving.

"What kind? The kind that has spent his entire life being used for the desires of others and now finds it going on in the future?" He arches a brow at that, giving Quentin a hard look despite the twist of his mouth. "I was asking to play nice. Trust me. This really is me playing nice."

And it is. Sarcasm and biting comments, without the literal biting part of that, are really the norm for a Mikaelson.

"I'm not resisting. I'm just asking what happens. A curious mind wants to know. But lead on. I'm sure it'll all be fine."

[filloryfanatic]

"... I'll be honest, I'm kind of easier than probably most people would be. Toni and I were paired off and so when someone came and said they were going to help us ...." He shrugs. He knows it's stupid. Seriously. Quentin's well aware that his innate tendency to believe in people and hope for the best is a real problem. It's not even how he died though, he almost never died in all the timelines because of his naive obliviousness to particular dangers. But they were drugged and tired and he just wanted to get to safety. It seemed so easy at the time, but maybe because they were told to do it.

"You remind me of someone, it's kind of throwing me." Quentin sort of stares at him for a moment. "Are you ... is your last name Mikaelson? By any chance?" It's going to seem like such a weird question if it's not true. "I just know someone who I swear your like ... entire energy reminds me of. He's a vampire too." Klaus is perhaps a little more coy, but that's just from someone who has only known him when he's more at ease. Not when he started.

Quentin gestures for him to follow, it's not super far, and he makes sure to walk so they're more side to side than one of them behind and in front. It's not out of self-preservation, as already noted he sucks at it, it just seems impersonal to make Kol look at his back when he's trying to be helpful and make friends. "It is fine, there's a lot of people there, you'll meet them. There is an us-owned business, a bar, if you like working at bars."

[demeritorious]

Years of being staked and let out to play and then staked again has left Kol so paranoid to moments like this. If he makes a scene will he be doped again? If he doesn't do what he's told, what's taken from him next? He already feels lost and confused and like his body isn't his own, though he can't pinpoint why it feels that way, and while Quentin is kind with him, he can't help but wonder how long it will last. It's not Q's fault. It's centuries of conditioning that have left him uncertain of who to trust, especially since he knows he himself is not trustworthy.

Whatever he was expecting though, it wasn't that question, to hear his name on the lips of a stranger. He can't even hide the shock on his face. "Which of my brothers is here?" He demands before laughing, shaking his head. "No, nevermind. It must be Niklaus because no one has ever said that I reminded them of Elijah," he says with another chuckle. "You're telling me my darling brother is here already. Why am I not surprised. Only makes sense."

Because to him it does. He's been out for so long they've done things to him, and how did they get him in that state? Only with a stake held by his brother, obviously. At least obviously in his mind. He frowns slightly. "How do you know my brother?"

Running into a family enemy the moment he arrives isn't exactly exciting, after all.

"Us versus them. That sounds like a wonderful place to end up, doesn't it?" He sighs, not even sure what to think about any of it. He's uncomfortable and uncertain and those two things alone leave him in bad spirits.

[filloryfanatic]

It isn't the first or last time someone will question Q's kindness so he gets it. Most people are much smarter about trust than he is. All he can hope for is enough to get Kol to the safehouse and hopefully that'll ground him, get him used to it. And apparently Klaus will have to find out his brother is there! Quentin smiles immediately, delighted that his guess was right. He opens his mouth to clarify which one, but Kol already got there.

"I should have put it together when you said Kol." That's not exactly a popular name. "Klaus is here, yeah, well, not here in the city. He's actually traveling." Quentin wishes that wasn't the case, surely Klaus would rather be here if he could, to see his brother. It's lost on Quentin that maybe not everyone actually wants to see their family! He knows Klaus and his past is very complicated. His family probably more so.

"He's my friend. It'll be good for him to have you around. He's been in a bad place lately." Quentin wrinkles his nose. "Okay don't tell him I said that, he won't like it, but you're his brother, so." He doesn't add that it has to do with Hope or a crazy scientist, those are details Klaus can give.

[demeritorious]

Making a face, trying to consider what he's been through in this short time and failing to mix what he's seen with that comment. "Traveling for pleasure? So this isn't the vacation spot?"

None of it feels close to that. Much more like times he tries not to dwell on. They were good eating for vampires but not exactly all that fun most of the time.

He stares at Q though then, frowning as he cants his head as if he can't quite make sense of that. Sure he loves his brother, but he's not exactly been one to make friends. Well, not true. Literally making them perhaps, but he wouldn't have pegged Quentin to be one of them. He doesn't seem the type.

"One, bad places is kind of common for Klaus. Trust me. I've lived through them. Almost been around for most of them too." Or lived in a box due to them. All the same. He was still around. "Two, forgive me, Mate, but I'm not used to a lot of people that would call brother friend that know my name. It's taking a bit."

sorry for the wait lilfeeee

[filloryfanatic]

"Until recently it's been more difficult to travel to other cities here. I mean, not impossible, it just takes time, but we actually opened these gates under a a few cities, and now we can like ... teleport? So more exploration is an option." Quentin doesn't add that it seems like Klaus left to get away from the city now that Hope is gone, and the reminders of her were hurting him. He didn't come out and say as much, but Quentin understands, being a father himself.

Quentin wouldn't have pegged him and Klaus as easy friends either, but they were. He reminds Klaus of someone, he's not sure if it's a brother or someone else that he feels strangely protective of. And Quentin's always looking for people to look up to, and he landed right away on two ancient male vampires who seemed to get him somehow. He and Klaus did bond deeply over their shared experiences of parenthood and death. It made an impact.

"It's true, I don't know much about your family outside of some basics." Weirdly, Klaus is less private with Quentin than others. Maybe it's something about him, how soft and trustworthy he is, that has a tendency to drop defenses of others. He doesn't know for sure, honestly, since he doesn't know how rare his relationships to otherwise guarded people are. "He has a few friends here, he's been here awhile. So like ...."

Quentin keeps walking them toward the safehouse. He waves his hands when he talks. "I'm not sure how to explain this outside of imagine this place is a time box. When we are in it, time moves, but back where we're from, it doesn't seem to. He could spend a decade here in this place and no one would know he was gone in your world. Um, same for us. It's weird, I know."