EVENT #11.4 / ARRIVAL LOG #029

[larkers]

WHO: Everyone!
WHERE: The Aerie as it ends in an anime-like fashion, New Tokyo, and New Amsterdam
WHEN: August 23, 2512 onward.
WHAT: Event ending, arrivals, and a lot of changes.
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Coercion and loss of autonomy, religious themes.

> EVENT #011.4 / ARRIVAL #029

As suddenly as they all vanished, the people who remained in the Aerie begin to return. These people have not died: instead, they seem to return peacefully after an extremely unusual experience. As the gods are freed, the Aerie begins to take on a different form, radically altered by this decision. The very fabric of reality unravels. It's not that the city continues to grow more and more dilapidated by the moment—instead, the Aerie ceases to exist, dragging everyone who remains within into a joint, out of body experience.

At once, everyone's memories return in full. As they float in what is an open space, they'll recall who they were once before, right alongside their alternate life in the Aerie. Even if they can't see them, they'll begin to feel the others there: not just that they exist, but their emotions: wonder, surprise, irritation, anger, fear, guilt. Somehow, they recognize that they're connected to the billions of living souls there alongside them.

What once seemed like a wide, open space comes to be recognized as a large, vast ocean. They float in the deepest depths of the ocean, and they begin to see sea life swirl around them. Whales. Sharks. The glint of a dying star? There are constellations in the distance, too far to reach. It's hard to say where they are, and impossible to communicate to ask, to try to reach one of the billions of other souls there. When they open their mouths to try, they only make an unintelligible sound. Have they, too, been transformed into those creatures? It seems, at least for a moment, like they're communicating via echolocation.

The constellations begin to burn brighter and brighter. As they touch the people there, they're able to see more clearly around them. There are hundreds upon thousands of animals, all with bright golden eyes. They push through the water quickly, and the gold in their eyes fully illuminates the space around them.

Once that illumination meets a critical mass, everyone begins to experience a different joint vision. From the very start, the experience itself is excruciating: they feel an object, vaguely comprehended, but perceived to be spear-like in nature, slicing into them, tearing them asunder. The misery results in a complete and total division of self: splintered and incomplete, scattered into trillions of tiny pieces.

An indefinite amount of time later, there is a stirring. Everyone feels frigid and cold. The chill is excruciating, but different from what it was before. And then, as if a physical feeling can become an emotion, that chill becomes anger. And then that rage starts searching, wandering—

Until it adapts and connects with the ocean around it. The gold in the eyes of the sharks and whales begins to dim. A feeling of grief and eventually peace washes over everyone who remains.

And then everyone begins to shift in their beds, awakening as if returning from a terrible nightmare. Of course, given that they recall all of it, it's likely not much of a nightmare. At least not in a literal sense. When they wake to check in on the world, they'll find it in much the same shape—with the changes being far less obvious at first.

> 30 SECONDS FROM TOKYO

At first, you'll hear the buzz of a motor, as well as smell the splash of ocean water not so far away. You'll find that you're on a boat, passing swiftly over the Pacific Ocean to come into contact with a large, man-made structure in the distance. While you're drugged, you find that you're unable to move much. An IV protrudes from your arm, keeping you sedate. When one of the guards on the boat turns to check on you, they'll find your eyes open. "Sit tight and don't move. We have to be welcomed inside." Even if you're naturally defiant, you find yourself forced to comply.

Eventually, the boat pulls onto a dock that extends from the city itself to welcome your arrival. The mechanisms are complicated and hidden. Unlike a drawbridge in our modern times, the dock extends swiftly and completely, welcoming the boat next to it. After the boat seems to anchor itself into place, the guards present begin to move each of the passengers one by one off the boat. You'll notice others like you: dressed in white, long-sleeved scrubs, with recently shaved heads, and a pair of white tennis shoes. Or most of them are.

There are two exceptions: Eames and Aeryn, who have their hair still, but are just as drugged and kept under. They went through a similar arrival process before the Aerie stole them away, and arrived back after the Aerie ended in a similar manner to Max. Their return to society is just less personalized due to the circumstances.

Eventually, you're taken through the city—a wonder in and of itself, as it's a complex system of elevators spanning both vertically and horizontally through the large, metallic structure—and eventually through the back door of a business.

"All right, listen up everyone. There are people coming to get you. We've got this place for the day, so sit tight." At this, everyone's forced to do as they're commanded. Even if you don't want to sit, you have no choice. "We'll direct the people to bring you water, but that's all. Ask them to show you the glow. And—from me to you?" The guard sounds … tired all of a sudden. Her voice is strained as she adds: "Try not to fuck more shit up."

At once, the guards start to filter out through the back door. As much as everyone left behind can't go anywhere, they sure can talk.

As this process begins, a message is sent to all of the Displaced in New Amsterdam via a private broadcasting channel, one that's meant to only reach a limited number of people. It seems Jimmy's found a way to hack it for his own use, but trying to trace this back to him will prove impossible:

Sorry everyone. Couldn't do an official drop off. I barely scrounged up the people I did to get them to town. They're sitting tight at a bakery called Sweet Omakase in New Tokyo. Just go in and tell the people up front that you're there to pick up a package.

Oh, I forgot to mention: I'll be reaching out to a few of you soon. So … yeah.

JH

As for that compliance drug?

◉ 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.

> NEW AMSTERDAM

Though the Displaced can make the choice to keep the newcomers in New Tokyo for longer than a few hours, it's generally not recommended. Morningstar in New Tokyo is in just as much disarray as the rest of the world, and El doesn't want to disrupt their recovery in these trying times. As such, it'll be necessary to take them on a secure route back to the New Tokyo gate, bring them to New Amsterdam, and start to get them ready for their new lives. Of course, they may see a little bit of New Tokyo along the way, but not much given the urgency. (The link is provided for brevity purposes—please see the "New Tokyo" section for a summary of the city itself!)

The abbreviated trip between New Tokyo and New Amsterdam will bring the newcomers back to a city that's been through … a lot. That means it's probably a good time to have a quick catch up, right?

> LAST TIME ON NAMSTERDAM!
Although a year isn't very long for even a human being, the Displaced have managed to make their mark in this unusual world. Having first been released out into the world in mid-June 2511, they started touching the world around them. Whether it was fighting a giant monster or curing people from the sickness caused by inhaling smoke from that giant monster's parts (as well as any tiny little monsters it brought with it) or taking on the UNA when they tried to wipe out an entire chapter of a rebel organization, the mysterious Blue-glowing people were there.

After over a year of interventions left and right, the Displaced finally came forward as a united group—one that's uniquely tied to a business they opened. No one knows they're from another world. They don't even know what the Displaced's powers are, though they've certainly seen them do fantastical things. One thing became apparent: while the Displaced were spotted in other cities around the globe, their influence has been most felt in New Amsterdam. And even if the world's governing body doesn't like it, the people of New Amsterdam have claimed the Displaced as their own.

Most recently, the entire world found itself dragged into another reality called the Aerie. The Displaced had gone through this before on a smaller scale, but this brought everyone present on the planet Earth to this other world. The Aerie was a miracle world: in order to prevent the death of humanity as everyone knew it, a group of heroes chosen by a handful of gods chained said gods and harnessed their power to create a safe haven for all of humanity. As a result of their actions, these people created a major class disparity in order to maintain the secrets of how they created the Aerie. Since billions of people were saved in the process, the Aerie ended up having an overpopulation problem. The answer? A battle royale for anyone who's committed a crime, held monthly.

Well, as these things go, about two hundred years into this horrible experiment, the Aerie started experiencing some challenges. Rebel groups and bombs and more! Eventually the gods were set free, and with it, the Aerie vanished into nothing.

Though the Aerie (and its smaller-scale predecessor, Zerzura) was undoubtedly brought into being by divine intervention, it doesn't help that the Displaced claimed that their powers seemed to be caused by interacting with gods. Troubling much? So, some of the world is divided, with New Amsterdam being the only pro-Displaced left after the Aerie. Of course, it's a touch more complicated than that.

And it doesn't all fall in the laps of the Displaced. After all, they didn't choose to have this happen to them.

An important thing to note is that New Amsterdam is a very, very green city. We don't mean recycling. As if powered by weird god magic, plants grow a-plenty in the city, leaving numerous trees and thousands upon thousands of credits in plumbing issues. Animals came into the city thanks to the absence of humans to start settling in. It's a beautiful city, one that seems as if it's actively fighting against being reclaimed by nature.

With the worldwide trauma, current singing events are currently on hiatus. This likely won't be permanent, but it's not as if anyone is looking to become a pop star at this exact moment.

But that's where New Amsterdam is currently, anyway.

> SUMMER PROBLEMS
Ah, water rationing. That's right: one of the tried and true traditions in New Amsterdam summers is water rationing. During the hot summer months, the city puts out water rationing warnings, and the city also answers the intense and extreme heat by making it so that businesses are open throughout the evening, with everyone sleeping during the daytime. However, the Aerie shot a lot of that preparation in the foot, so the city won't be able to reverse the clock.

Expect a lot of hot, miserable, and extremely humid days ahead. Thanks to the nearly tropical nature of the city at this point, humidity is a natural side effect of it all. The temperatures will be reaching from around 105 F to 115 F during the daytime. The evenings cool off, but certainly not by much, as they dip to only around 90 F to 95 F when the sun goes down.

Oh, and water rationing is most definitely in effect.

> RED WINGS
In February 2512, the bar known as Red Wings first opened. Positioned adjacent to the New Amsterdam stadium, where a wide variety of sporting events occur year round, it's the only business in New Amsterdam that's currently run entirely by the Displaced. However, a few other businesses are set to open in the near and distant future, all tailored to cater to the city that most of the Displaced call home.

On the inside, Red Wings is very, very red. There is a neon sign that's been recently repaired of the Great Lakes state (Michigan). In terms of being a watering hole, the bartenders are all Displaced and all very sympathetic to any newcomers headed their way. Need some free food or a chance to play pool to clear your head? Red Wings is the place to do that. There are tables throughout the bar. There used to be booths, but most of them got shredded during a recent monster attack and … well, tables are easier to replace.

It's likely that all of the newcomers will be brought to Red Wings first for a full meal before being taken to the safehouse across town.

And while there are blank projection screens around the bar showing news broadcasts of what just went down, none of the newcomers will be able to see any of them.

> MURAL
Throughout the past year, multiple murals have gone up around New Amsterdam by a Banksy-like figure. This figure is known to the people of New Amsterdam as Legion, and they tend to commemorate both the Displaced and their ties to the gods. In the Aerie, it was revealed that Legion was a wealthy woman by the name of Nirvana. Upon returning from the Aerie, another new mural goes up in New Amsterdam.

Legion's new mural explodes in color in the large corporate buildings that connect in New Amsterdam's financial district. It depicts the whole story of the Aerie from beginning to end: the conception, the Quarries, the attacks on both the Quarry and the Volary, and then the return. The imagery is woven together like a full story, each picture moving seamlessly into the next. Below are the colors of the gods, painted in vibrant colors that can be seen for miles.

There's specific imagery woven in as well, including the birds that represent the different groups of people, the eclipse and different phases of the moon to signify the timing.

It seems to say never forget.

> HELPING OUT
All around the world, returning members of Morningstar, PRESERVE, and even the cultists who once followed the leader, Ball (though the cultists are only working in New Amsterdam), all spur into action to try to help. Everyone may be traumatized, but they also likely prescribe to the notion of wanting to keep busy. Recalling the Aerie won't be pleasant, and the world needs help. New Amsterdam already has a head start thanks to the resource acquisition and work by a small group of Displaced, but now everyone is back to work.

The work in question? Feed everyone, first and foremost. Countless people are without fresh food. Working in conjunction with both the Red Wings employees and the cultists, PRESERVE will be putting up food banks all around the city. Marcos Diaz's food bank is likely to be fully stocked as a result of this, should he want to get that running again.

Other work that needs to be done involves plumbing, as the plants seem to have very much taken on a life of their own. They're absorbing most of the available water in the city, and have even made the water level decrease in the river (just a bit, though). Water rationing is even more important right now, but it may prove to be a futile effort if the plants aren't held back. Time to get moving. Anyone who wants to be an impromptu apprentice to a plumber is likely going to be welcomed onto the job. They need all hands on deck.

Finally, there are just the people who need help. Roaming bands of former UNA soldiers caused problems even before the mass return. Now they're meeting up and moving as if they're a gang of their own to return order to the land. However, these people are truly traumatized, and it's as if they're calling upon an old order that they can't quite recognize. The problem is that they're extremely dangerous. Though their weapons are mostly makeshift ones, they can fight with them. Along with these roaming bands, there are the catatonic and the confused people, all who could use some assistance to get back on track.

Sadly, the hospitals are not ready to be staffed by typical personnel. If anyone wants to take the lead on this and commandeer those medical centers, they can feel free to! Again, all help is appreciated, even if it might involve some slightly illegal choices.

> SPIRITUAL RECLAMATION
One thing that was significant in Meadowlark's world before the Aerie was a complete lack of religious or spiritual devotion, at least on a major scale. Smaller sects like the tiny cult in New Amsterdam were exceptions that ultimately proved the rule. After all, they didn't even have any written doctrine about their belief systems.

Things begin to change. Some of those changes are obvious, while others are less so—at first.

The first sign of this is in various preachers who take up spots on street corners to preach about the end of the world. With a muddled and confused ideology, these people build little podiums for themselves to speak about the end times: the Aerie was proof that humanity is only buying itself time before an inevitable end—and eventually, the gods will punish them for what they did. While the initial preachers will not have a clear messaging system, this will change in the coming weeks. In fact, it'll seem as if they're all deriving their ideology from the same place—even while located in different megacities.

Quietly, tiny religious communities begin to spring up. With real estate already in shambles before the Aerie, much of the construction has come to a halt in order for people to begin to psychologically heal. As a result, various warehouses throughout the megacities begin to be converted into spiritual centers. At first, these locales will be innocuous in nature, but in time, there will be a clear set of imagery connected to them. Some of that imagery will link back to the Aerie (with a lot of birds, as well as ties to either the Cardinals or the gods), or to the sacred geometry imagery that's been connected to the Displaced for some time.

These spiritual centers may simply be people squatting illegally, but it's not as if any of the various local police departments have the resources to stomp them out. It seems that the UN also views this religious devotion as harmless, at least compared to the other problems that could arise.

> NATURE'S RECLAMATION
Plants and a handful of animals have been at it for a while, but the world is definitely in the process of experiencing a second coming of … fauna? Some are springing up unexpectedly outside of walls, while others are inside of the walls themselves in many megacities. Did you know that pigeons were an uncommon sight in 2512? Well, were is an appropriate word for it. They're no longer uncommon. And what about that river in New Amsterdam? Never one to be a place for fishing, it's now filled to the brim with freshwater fish.

Want to go fishing? New Amsterdam will eventually require a license for it, but it's still early days. There aren't any fishing poles around to purchase, but someone can probably fashion one themselves if they have the know-how.

There will also be more wild insects. Pest control was a thing of the past for this world, but with all these new creatures showing up all over, that's going to be a concern once again. Unless, of course, it's prevented.

> SAFEHOUSE

Not long after their arrival, the new Displaced will be brought across the city to an abandoned hover-bike garage in a neighborhood that's clearly seen better days.

Located under said 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. The inside of this safehouse looks better than the outside, as it was beginning to be transformed into a training center by Ian Fowler. Once everyone is brought into the safehouse down below, they'll find no one waiting for them. Though Gaby, a Morningstar agent, is typically around, she's absent at this time. Any newbies will need to be filled in by their fellow Displaced, though they 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. Privacy is mostly nonexistent in the safehouse, with any past efforts that were made to change that destroyed by numerous attacks along the way.

◉ New characters will be asked to pick their beds, and be 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, though it's running low because it hasn't been restocked since before the previous set of arrivals.

◉ While the kitchen has a lot of dried foods to cook, as well as canned and preserved vegetables, most of what's left in the fridge will need to be tossed. In addition, 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 pretty much nonexistent in most of the beverages lying around.

◉ Along those same lines, newcomers will find that this is a world that is steeped in sustainable choices. Paper is a thing of the past. Ever used a bidet regularly? This world gives everyone a crash course in exactly what that feels like if they haven't done that before.

◉ Everyone will receive a modest stipend of credits from Morningstar 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 upon arrival to 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 also 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, either. Time to sit tight.

◉ New characters will not be allowed to leave the safehouse until AUGUST 27, 2512 (JANUARY 23, 2020). 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

Welcome to Meadowlark, newbies! You're now free to post to the network and log comms. To reiterate, your characters will have no IDs or inboxes, nor be allowed to roam free once they enter the safehouse. Meaning: they'll have to sit tight until August 27, 2512 ICly.

All characters will appear as @anonymous on the network. While sitting tight in the safehouse, it's expected that 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 pertaining to this log (and because we accidentally forgot to drop a questions header here, our bad!), please refer to our questions thread on the OOC post.

The January CR meme for the month is here.

Please check out our Event #011 Wrap Up Post for a rundown of all of the changes brought about through the AU, as well as any world changes that will be apparent moving forward.

As we announced on the wrap up post, AC will remain halved until at least June 2021. That said, for the month of January, we're making things check-in only because of the state of the world.

Finally, we'll be back to our standard planned calendar and AC (halved, just to be clear) on February 1, 2021. Reserves will open on January 23, 2021.

> NAVIGATION

Comments

[tekimetexeng]

[ Naomi doesn't think much of the footsteps -- it's a park, there are plenty of people around, but none have bothered her. It's peaceful, and beautiful, and something she never thought she'd get to see in person. But when she hears her name, and spoken by a familiar voice, her head snaps up.

Sure enough, there he is. In full color and larger than life, it's Amos. She blinks in shock -- she had no idea he was here too, didn't even know how to look for anyone she knew that wasn't already in the Safehouse -- and then gets to her feet. ]

Amos!

[ She closes the distance to meet him, stopping just short because they're still... tentative about things in her time, but she's ecstatic to see him and it shows. ]

I didn't know -- it's so good to see you.

[baltimores]

[ They're not tentative in his time at all, bygones are bygones (and even if they weren't, this is a rather extreme situation, so), and he has the urge to hug her, but.

He's got gloves on - plain, black, light but the point is to make sure his hands don't accidentally touch any other Displaced; it's still hot out, though, so he's sleeveless, and risking any skin to skin contact in general - with Naomi specifically...

Amos swallows thickly, wondering what that means. Settles for putting his hand on her shoulder, almost ghosting over it as if she's fragile, as if she'll disappear, both. He's almost breathless. ]

It's good to see you, too.

[ It takes him a moment. He feels like he's just come up for air, one second drowning and the next there's a lifeline right in front of him.

But that's not what's important right now - in his time he remembers her on Ilus. Her heart. And he can push all of his own shit to the side, focus on that first. ]

Are you okay?

[ Maybe he should be more specific, but that's all that manages to come out. ]

[tekimetexeng]

[ Naomi does want a hug. More than anything she'd like to have rushed up all the way and thrown her arms around him and be held in turn. But she's learned about the bond the hard way, even if she wasn't worried about his response. And his arms are bare.

He touches her shoulder instead and she seems to relax slightly, reaching up to put her hand over his safely gloved one and keep it there. Like a very small hug. ]

Far from it, but if you mean physically... they must have done something to me so I can withstand the gravity, as well. I'm alright.

How long have you been here?

[baltimores]

[ Amos hadn't realized how tense he really was until Naomi rests her hand on his, and it's like a confirmation: it's her, she's here, she's not going anywhere. His shoulders slump slightly; he gently exhales, like his breathing can normal out again now. Rests his hand more comfortably on her shoulder.

Frowns at the idea that something was done to her, while being grateful for it at the same time, because it's better than dying. It's hard to conflate the two. Keeps the same expression for her question, though it's more thoughtful now. ]

It's hard to say. Going by the calendars, a month. But...

[ This is the moment he has to look away, down, his expression shifting into something more puzzled. There's really no way to explain this, but how is any of this supposed to be explained, anyway?

He looks back at her when he figures out what he wants to say. ]

A couple of days after I got here, everyone - and I mean everyone - got pulled into some other world. Made us all think we'd been living different lives. So I've been here a month, but it feels like it's been a lot longer. And I haven't even really been here for a lot of it.

[ He'd woken up in the safehouse and-- a thought occurs to him, and it's not one he likes. Because if Naomi is out here now... ]

When did you get here?

[tekimetexeng]

[ Naomi listens to Amos' explanation of his experience and it seems impossible. Not the other word part of course, but that something could make them think they were someone else. Another life? Her expression turns puzzled as well and she has about a million questions for him but he asks one first that's easy for her to answer. So one thing at a time. ]

Six days ago... they gave us IDs and let us out yesterday. I should probably be helping with repairs or looking for a job, but I wanted to see the water.

[ Now about this other world... ]

This other life... what was it?

[baltimores]

[ It's kind of like he takes two punches to the gut: first that she's been here for six days and he hadn't known. That's six days he could have--

The second is that she's asking about who he was in the Aerie and that--

Amos shakes his head, lets his hand slide off her shoulder, ghosting over her upper arm on its downward trajectory before it leaves her completely and falls limply at his side.

First things first. ]

I'm sorry. If I'd known I'd have... [ He stops. Starts again. ] I didn't like being in that basement. So I haven't been back. I'm sorry.

[ Because there had been people who had stopped by when he'd been stuck there; because Naomi is thinking of going to help with repairs and he's been avoiding that, because she's a good person and he-- ]

The other life. Um. It was bad.

[ No, that's a lie. It had been great, all things considered. It had been rough to start, but then he'd basically gotten to do whatever he'd wanted, taken pleasure in violence instead of just using it as a means to an end and that's still a part of him and it shouldn't be but now that Naomi is here maybe it doesn't have to be.

He pushes it all to the side. Gives her a soft smile. Turns his head slightly, to keep her in his peripheral vision, look out at the water. ]

How is it? The water.

[tekimetexeng]

[ Amos shakes his head and seems upset, for him, and Naomi moves to reassure him quickly. ]

How were you to have known? It's fine... the basement was a good place to acclimate and get restless enough to brave the outside -- I don't mind it, really, so don't be sorry.

[ The communal quarters aren't her favorite, but she doesn't feel unsafe there. She can endure. But then Amos says the other life was bad and she's instantly worried about what he went through -- but he clearly doesn't want to talk about it. He moves on almost instantly, smiling a smile that looks genuine as he asks about the water. He's compartmentalizing. Amos is good at that. Naomi exhales, then smiles herself, latching on to the new topic. ]

Spectacular. Maybe more than the sky, honestly, though I might change my opinion the first time it rains.

I've made a new friend who says he'll teach me to swim.

[baltimores]

[ Logically, he knows she's right, but he still can't help but feel guilty about it. If he was a better person, he'd have been going to the safehouse to check on new arrivals, like had been done for him. But he's not a better person. So.

Just something else he's going to have to find a way to make up for. ]

Okay.

[ If Naomi says she didn't mind it, then. It could have turned out worse than it did, so it's okay. It isn't something for him to forget, but maybe something to beat himself up over a little less, because that part wouldn't do anything.

He turns back to her in full, smile widening at her enthusiasm. ]

Hope it rains soon, then. You know, from the docks in Baltimore, you could see the ocean and the sky meet, far off in the horizon. Kinda like how when you're outside [ on a spacewalk, that is; that's still what outside really is, no atmosphere ] it's just endless black. There, blue. Except there is an end, I guess.

[ He hums in thought. ]

Think you'll like swimming. It's not like low g, but it kinda is.

[ He doesn't need to ask about the friend she's made - if he's a friend, then he's probably alright. Naomi's good at judgment calls in pretty much everything. ]

[tekimetexeng]

I'll have to get a hat, like Miller.

[ To keep the rain off her head, of course. Then she's listening to Amos' description of the horizon off the ocean, and it sounds like something she needs to see while she's here. ]

Apparently there's a way to travel between cities here -- we'll have to take a trip to somewhere on the shore, when the world's in better order.

[ Not Baltimore, but somewhere with beaches. ]

I'm looking forward to swimming. It seems like low g except you can propel yourself with the water?

[baltimores]

[ He huffs a soft laugh at the mention of Miller. That's something he hadn't realized he'd been missing - that shorthand that comes with being around someone you've known for a long time. Most of the people he's met here haven't even been in space; Naomi will instantly know everything he's talking about.

It's nice, having that familiarity back. He's completely at ease now. ]

Sure. I've heard about the traveling thing. We can go hat shopping, then go wherever.

[ He pauses, reflecting on something. ]

Come to think of it, I've never really been anywhere other than Baltimore. So it'll be new for me too.

And yeah, it's kinda like that. You can still sink, but you've got more control over where you're gonna end up. And just being in it can be relaxing, too. As long as, you know, you don't sink. Guess that's where the lessons come in.

[ A beat, as it occurs to him he maybe should ask. Not like he has enough expertise in swimming to teach someone, but. ] Who's the friend?

[tekimetexeng]

[ Naomi beams at Amos agreeing to travel with her. It's exciting, in a way that even a few days ago it probably wouldn't have been -- she trusts Amos, she feels safe with him enough to explore this world. And he deserves to see more of the world, too. Places better than Baltimore. ]

I'll need a job for a bit, then we can save up to travel.

[ The world is in disarray enough she hasn't found work yet, but with her skills it probably won't be that hard, right? People she's spoken to seem to think that's the case anyway, and she finds herself feeling more optimistic now.

She listens to Amos talk about swimming and is eager for that too, but then he asks after her friend. Which is maybe overstating it, but she does feel like they've connected more than she has to anyone else so far. There's no hesitation in telling Amos, in any case. ]

His name is Will. We arrived together.

[baltimores]

[ Right. Employment. Amos' smile fades a bit at that, because amid everything, that's kind of been pushed to the back burner. He's raked in a little extra cash from starting to frequent the fight clubs more and more, but that's never been his primary reason for going there. And it never should have been a long-term solution in the first place.

... Especially now that Naomi is here. ]

I'll need something too, actually. Haven't really had the chance to look around because. You know. Everything.

[ The state of the world. The whole other world thing. He shrugs it off, reaches out for Naomi again, lightly patting her back once in affirmation. Lets his smile come back. ]

We'll land on our feet. Gotta think our skillsets will transfer over here, right?

[ At the mention of Will, though - of arriving with someone else, which, obviously she did - he pauses. ]

Are you still saying in that basement?

[ Who she arrived with isn't really a concern - Amos is pretty sure whoever this Will is is alright, if Naomi is already that comfortable talking about him - but the talk about money, saving up does bring up the more immediate issue of a living space. And... shit, he's really not a fan of the safehouse, but he kinda wants to keep Naomi at his side now. ]

[tekimetexeng]

Of course. I was actually hoping the damaged infrastructure right now would open a few doors, if the right people see that we know what we're doing. My degrees don't exist here, but our skills do.

[ At the question of where she's staying, Naomi tilts her head curiously. ]

Where else could I be? It's... far from ideal, I'll admit, but nothing else seems like an option just yet.

[baltimores]

[ Amos blinks, because somehow, that hadn't occurred to him. ]

Yeah. That's a good idea, actually. Get fewer hoops to jump through.

[ Is it bad that his primary motivation for helping with the repair efforts now is more about himself than altruism? Does it matter?

And... yeah, he figured that's where she'd be staying. He sighs. Had to ask. ]

I can go back there, if you want. Stay with you.

[tekimetexeng]

[ Naomi nods; that's her hope, anyway. She's willing to work her way back up the ladder proving herself, but redoing her schooling just to get credentials? No thank you.

When Amos says he's willing to go back to the Safehouse, she wants to say yes, please stay with her. But she doesn't. He said he hated the basement, and if he doesn't have a job yet he certainly doesn't have his own place where she could move in, so... he must be staying with someone, and that's a better arrangement for him than the Safehouse. She'll survive alone. ]

I don't want you uncomfortable for my sake, Amos.

[baltimores]

[ Yeah, he hasn't been back at the safehouse since he woke up from the Aerie, and he had no problems getting out of it that time, when he was completely on his own, so. Maybe it's okay now.

He's not entirely convinced of that, not when it hasn't been that long since he was blinded in the ruins on Ilus, the first time he'd broken down in... shit. A long time. Hadn't even known it was still possible. But... ]

I mean. [ He shrugs. ] It's you.

[ As in, whatever she says goes. He'll still do anything for her, everything else be damned. That hasn't changed. ]

[tekimetexeng]

[ Naomi smiles softly -- she knows that he'd do anything for her. But that makes his comfort her responsibility in this case, and he hates it. She doesn't want to be the reason he suffers, not ever again. ]

Of course I want you with me.

[ Especially with the roaming gangs of angry soldiers she's heard about, that have her anxious on her own after dark. But there's a but coming. ]

But you have do what you need to for yourself. If you haven't been back there, there's a reason. Maybe you should stay where you are for now, and as soon as we have enough money we can get a place together?

[baltimores]

[ He's ready to drop everything to come back with her, but the but gives him pause he hadn't even considered. Probably would never have if she hadn't brought it up.

So far, it's been realistic to avoid going anywhere near the safehouse again. (Just like so far, it's been realistic to keep wearing gloves, to put off ever using the empathy bond.) He's been trying to push it out of his mind - and he's been successful, to an extent - and really isn't sure how he'd respond, being down there again.

It leaves him speechless for a moment, and then, ]

Yeah. I-- if you're okay with that.

[ He doesn't sound entirely certain, but the more Amos thinks about it, he's not sure if there ever really would be a clear answer for him.

He brightens up considerably at the idea of getting a place together, though. He'd been talking about that with someone before - a Drake, he remembers - about how expensive it could be to live on one's on. And how that's not going to be a problem now. ]

When we've got the money, sure. [ He is really going to need to stop slacking off on finding a job here. A real one. Or at least stop going on the pseudo-controlled bender he's been doing since the entire world came back. ] Hopefully that doesn't take too long.

[ He lets his smile fade a bit, though, as another thought occurs to him. ]

If you run into any trouble there. Or anywhere, really, and I'm not around. Message me, alright? You know I'll be there as fast as I can.

[ That's what he hates the most, maybe even more than he hates the idea of going back to the safehouse - he doesn't know the people there, if anyone might try to hurt Naomi. He knows she's got her friend, but doesn't know if he'd actually be willing - or capable - of protecting her. And he knows she's not helpless, it's just... It's a lot of new things all at once, and this is something familiar to fall back on, something he knows he's actually good at, something good he can actually do. ]

[tekimetexeng]

[ Naomi nods -- the fact that Amos doesn't insist on staying with her just reassures her she made the right choice for him here. ]

It'll be okay. And won't be for long. I have a few leads on work already, just haven't followed up on them.

[ Then Amos mentions if she runs into trouble and... she'd be lying both to him and herself if she didn't admit that's something she's worried about. Not only does she not know the city, if she gets threatened by one of the roving bands of soldiers she doesn't stand much of a chance. Even with the armored jacket Ephemera is giving her, which was very generous. It's not the same as an escort. ]

I've been warned not to be out alone at night if I can help it, so... yes. I'll message you if anything goes wrong.

[ Her expression twists slightly. ]

Not that I think there'll be much nightlife around here for awhile. Too much to piece back together first.

[baltimores]

[ He's almost bashful when she mentions that she's already got some leads on work, because she hasn't even been here for a week and of course she's already on top of that. Even if the month he's been here has been highly unconventional, it's still been a month and he's made no progress on that front. Hasn't even actually tried. His voice goes a bit quieter at that. ]

Let me know if anything pans out? I haven't actually started looking.

[ It's. It's time. It's also kind of a signal as to just how badly he needed Naomi to be here. Any one of his people, really, but he's known Naomi the longest, she's helped him the most. It's a much better pattern to fall back into, being around her again.

He feels a little better at her assurance that she'll message him too if she ever needs him. Nods. It's not as good as actually being with her, but. It's something.

He frowns a bit at the mention of nightlife though, since, well, it's still there on some level. Doesn't just completely go away. ]

There's some if you know where to look.

[ Which, he does - it had been like falling back into his oldest habits. He hadn't missed a beat, even if it is more dangerous to be out and about now. He's already gotten into one fight with a gang of soldiers, had... maybe too good of a time doing it.

He looks off into the distance for a moment, back into the city, where plants are still overgrown across buildings, where there's still so much that needs to be done and he's just been ignoring it. Sighs, looks back at Naomi, really looks at her. ]

I'm really glad I found you. I... It's good that you're here. You can help a lot of people.

[ Him included, yeah, but he's trying to think a little more like how he knows Naomi does. That if you can help other people, you should. Her being here is a net good. He's just. Kind of clinging to that. ]

[tekimetexeng]

Of course.

[ She doesn't sound surprised or disappointed that he hasn't looked yet -- it sounds like he's been through a lot in his time here, not even technically in this world. You can't exactly look for a job somewhere you aren't, to that degree.

The talk of nightlife she lets slip away, not feeling that brave or comfortable just yet. Once the soldiers are under control and she has some money to spend, maybe? Right now she's more tuned in to Amos saying he's glad she's here. Something warm and fond spreads through her, and she smiles up at him. More than anything she wants a hug, but there's basically no way to make that happen without engaging the bond and they shouldn't do that in public even if she didn't know he was averse to it. ]

I'm glad you found me too. I don't know how I'd do this alone, even if people have been kind.

[ For a lack of hugs she reaches for his hand again, safely gloved. ]

Stay with me awhile? We can take a walk, I haven't explored very much besides the work sites.

[baltimores]

[ Amos blinks, because if anyone would be able to get through this alone, he would have thought it'd have been Naomi, if gravity is somehow no longer an issue. He intertwines his fingers with hers, feeling a little less lost now that she's said that.

Really wishes he could give her a hug, too. It's almost a level of cruelty he's never experienced before - to have lost someone, gotten them back, and then not be able to even do something so basic.

It's not like there are a lot of people he even wants to hug to begin with. And he already hated the empathy bond.

He smiles at her again, small but warm. ]

Yeah, that sounds nice. [ Obviously. He just found her, he definitely doesn't want to leave her. ] I've kinda been wandering around a bit, just through the streets, bars and stuff. The plants being everywhere is weird. I keep thinking about how happy Prax would be if he could see this.

[tekimetexeng]

[ Naomi squeezes his hand and smiles back. He's right. And of course Amos will know she's never seen so much green -- Ganymede was what came closest, but it was ordered. Not the chaos of nature reclaiming a city. ]

It's obviously not ideal for the city infrastructure, but it's very impressive. Prax would love it.

[ She keeps hold of his hand as she turns away from the river back to the path out of the park. ]

Which way were you coming from?

[baltimores]

[ It's like one affirmation after another that Naomi really is here now. He feels more at peace as she squeezes his hand. Really happy at the knowledge that he doesn't have to let go any time soon. ]

Yeah. I've heard they were pretty big on plants everywhere before, but it got kind of out of control with everyone gone. More animals, too. Before everyone else got back I saw a deer for the first time. I don't think they're in the city as much now though with more people around.

[ And speaking of actually being in the city. He turns with her, looking out into it. Starts walking that way, back amid the buildings jutting out of the ground in ways they could never be structured in space, independent on their own rather than all sharing the same levels and walls. ]

I was coming up from the south, along the river. This is actually my first time here; I hadn't seen it before. Seemed kind of low priority to take a look at.

[ And he heaves a soft sigh because they've already gone over this, but, still seems worth saying again, ]

Really glad I waited until today to check it out. Timed that perfectly.

[tekimetexeng]

I heard there were new animals in the city -- a girl told me to avoid the ones with horns if I was worried but I think I'd like to see a deer. The most I've ever seen before here were rats stowed away... do you think I might become a birdwatcher? There are so many of them in the parks.

[ She's pretty sure the novelty will wear off quickly, but for now they're kind of enchanting. And it's something to talk about as they wander. ]

I'm glad you came by today, too. But I have to believe we would have found each other one way or another.