video, mid-morning | patch of Felucia in Queens

[traceofeffort]

So, uh. I don't think I've ever seen flowers like this, and especially not in New York City? [Her camera shows strange plants all over the place; she's sweating in her light flannel somehow, despite that it's supposed to be a pretty nice day.] They're kinda pretty. I keep trying to look up what they are, I've got an app and everything, but I can't get a signal... The network works fine, though? Can't ask anybody either, it's deserted. I don't recognize any of this, but I was on my way to class, so I guess I'll keep walking and see if I come out the other side?

[She looks and sounds uneasy, but all she can do is her best, right? She's got a strong sense that something is Not Normal about all this, just like something was Not Normal in K-Boz and rapidly progressed to Even Less Normal.]

I'll post again if I get lost. Wish me luck!

Comments

[inquiryguqin]

[The fact that she is in a jungle full of flowers, and is about to get lost has him worried, considering he's a teacher]

You're trying to go to class? You should come to the bureau for safety.

[traceofeffort]

[Tap, tap... ugh, it hasn't even been that long and her sweat's already making her phone screen filthy. What a crazy place.]

I can't do that. I'm sure they'll take good care of you guys, but... I still have my doubts. If it comes down to it, I'll see, but right now I'll take my chances.

[inquiryguqin]

[The signal keeps breaking up, and he felt responsible if a student goes missing]

Stay with me here...don't venture too far out. Call the bureau and someone will drive over to you and pick you up. It's the same as calling an uber

[traceofeffort]

Why would I call the Bureau? Sure, I'm in a weird place, but I'm not in danger. If I'm gonna call for help from someone I don't like, I'm gonna need to be a lot less safe.

[inquiryguqin]

Well, this is what happening now. It's a dimensional shift. I woke up this morning to find my family and my home gone. I don't know what to do, so I called the bureau to find out if they know anything about it. Eventually, when it got too dangerous to stay, they come to pick me up and rescue me, and take me to their facility to stay for a while.

Also, if you ventured too far, there's an army of droids. Those robots will kill you if you face them. Please, don't get kill if you don't know how to fight.

[traceofeffort]

[There's no reply for a bit; Lisa reads the message but isn't really understanding, as she massages her temple with her free hand. Dimensional... what? Army of droids? Something that's going to kill her?]

So what you're saying is, I'm already in over my head and extremely not safe. Great, just what I needed to start my fall. Maybe I'll just... skip class today. I'm really not feeling composition all of a sudden.

[inquiryguqin]

In other words, if you head further down the block and you see the droids, you're in danger. You should run and hide.

If you try to go to class, nobody is there. I'm a professor myself. There's nobody at work. No teachers, no students. Just me and you, and the Different. As a teacher myself, I'm concern about your safety.

Shall I tell someone in the bureau to come fetch you? I require you to find a place to hide and wait.

[traceofeffort]

No! No Bureau! You guys can hide out, I'm glad you'll be safe. But I'll hide out at home, or... somewhere. Maybe hole up with some of the others. Don't call help for me, seriously.

[inquiryguqin]

All right. You should go hideout. That would be wise.

[traceofeffort]

I'll try my best. I'm sure as hell not staying here! Nothing that's here is worth the risk of not going home.

voice;

[howkickassiam]

Hey, so, based on what I've seen going on, you're not going to find anyone at school anyway.

[traceofeffort]

Man, don't tell me that, this is freaky enough! Unless... it's like the thing from that one time. I would not be happy if we were doing that all over again!

[howkickassiam]

I...don't know what you're talking about. But it seems like we're in some kind of half-merged universe...cross-over...thing? I don't know how to explain it. We're still in New York, we're just...also in another place.

[traceofeffort]

You know, over the summer! When we ended up in that other world I still can't pronounce. But... I guess this time the other world came to us? Kinda? This is weird and new. And I don't think I like it.

[howkickassiam]

Oh, I see.

It definitely came to us. I think we met it in the middle, somehow.

[traceofeffort]

That's even scarier! It was one thing when you were either definitely there or definitely here, even if the whole... going crazy thing eventually didn't care which side you were on. But now you're on both sides at once and it's really fucking creepy and I don't like it and-

-sorry. I'm trying not to panic but it's not going so hot.

[howkickassiam]

You ever try the deep breath thing? It doesn't work for me but it seems to for a lot of people.

[traceofeffort]

I- it usually does for me, I just wasn't sure about stopping for too long in unfamiliar territory. Um. Hold on a second.

[There's a faint rustling as she lets her arms drop to her sides; several seconds pass.]

Mm. Better. Not perfect, but... better. Um, thanks, York.

[howkickassiam]

You're welcome.

I think you ought to get back to your place, though. No telling what might happen next, with things being blended like this.

[traceofeffort]

Yeah. If I'm gonna be out here, I sure as hell shouldn't be out here alone. And unarmed. And really I just shouldn't be out here at all, but I know myself better than that.

[howkickassiam]

Too curious, huh.

Maybe you should join up with me and Yotsuyu.

[traceofeffort]

Maybe... I admit I didn't come out here prepared for anything more complicated than class. Home first, I think, then I can talk adventure. Not that I'm going to be any help with adventuring, but that won't stop me from wanting to know, yeah?

[howkickassiam]

Yeah, I understand. It's pretty hard to choose, huh.

[traceofeffort]

A little, ahaha... I don't want to get hurt, but I need to know what's going on. We end up in too much trouble to just ignore stuff like this, yeah?

[howkickassiam]

I think so. But if you've never dealt with any kind of fighting...maybe better to stay in, huh?

[traceofeffort]

...maybe. But dammit, York, look at this stuff! [It’s a half-hearted complaint at best.] I’m definitely coming back with someone that can actually hurt anything that comes looking for a fight.

[not_as_i_do]

Be careful out there, my dear. I've got that bag we talked about ... let me know if you see anyone who needs help and I'll get to them.

[traceofeffort]

If I see anyone injured, you'll be the first to know... well, after anything within 50 yards of me hears me screaming my head off. Not that I've seen anyone at all yet, but we'll see, yeah?

[not_as_i_do]

I'm glad you're safe. Stay that way as long as you can. ... I feel like our little conversation after the first portals may have jinxed us, don't you?

[traceofeffort]

Maybe... Or maybe we're just cursed. Everything going to hell on a three-month timer sounds like the kind of torture we'd end up with, yeah? [She scowls.] I can't even imagine what it'll be next time.

[not_as_i_do]

... Does something on this scale really happen every three months? I had only just arrived when the portals opened ... and I wasn't about to call two occurrences a pattern.

[traceofeffort]

Some of this stuff has made me a little paranoid, honestly. I'm absolutely willing to call two occurrences a pattern, and if I'm wrong I'll happily eat my words later.

[not_as_i_do]

When you put it that way, I think you've got some really solid logic there.

[traceofeffort]

The alternative is assuming everything is fine and not worrying about the block of dense forest taking over a city street, so. Better to be careful, yeah? I’m not that idealistic.