I searched beyond the clouds

[unasked_for]

[Fenris is stalking through Mayfield today, looking uncomfortable and irritable in the clothing Mayfield has provided for him. There must have been a time before he wore his armor constantly, taking it off only to clean and repair it or for sleep, but those days have been forgotten. It feels like walking around without his skin.

Skin which is, of course, devoid of the lyrium markings. He still feels phantom pain, as though they are there, and the shock is fresh every time he looks down and sees only unmarred skin. And this is, of course, only speaking of his own personal issues; there are plenty of other things around Mayfield (like cars) which are only adding to his aggravated bafflement, only serving to make him feel that much more out of place.

He is, to put it mildly, not adjusting well.

But he's determined to explore this town, even if he's given up on finding anything so unlikely as satisfactory answers. He wants to know where the important locations are, where his home (and the Arishok's, who's the only person thus far he trusts here) lies in relation to everything else, and in particular where the post office is. He also wants to get a feel for the other captives of this place...which is easier said than done, given that he's usually only social when prodded. Or drunk.

Feel free to approach the grumpy elf!]

Comments

[buildstherobots.livejournal.com]

Oh, you haven't been here nearly long enough to look as irritated as you do, especially not after the bullet you just dodged.

[Why, yes, Dist can tell that you are new! How? New people are the only ones who don't seem to know where they're going. Besides, there's been a flood lately, and he feels it's a safe gamble.]

[unasked-for.livejournal.com]

[Fenris stops short, studying Dist with a mixture of suspicion and bemused resentment. As if he needs his confusion added to.] And just how do you know I'm new?

[Beat.] The what I just dodged? What are you talking about?

[buildstherobots.livejournal.com]

Bullet. It's a ballistic weapon-- look, never mind.

[Dist tosses his hair a little and sighs, a little huffily.]

I can tell you're new because you're wandering. You're not going anywhere, you're just figuring out where things are. I could spot you a mile away; you're not even trying to hide it.

[unasked-for.livejournal.com]

I didn't realize I was being so closely observed. [Fenris folds his arms over his chest.] Is there some reason I should hide it?

[buildstherobots.livejournal.com]

Not particularly. In fact, you're lucky you caught my attention.

[Dist lets the implications of his following random strangers hang without comment, choosing instead to grin broadly and reach into the inside pocket of his coat.]

It's the best possible scenario, really, given the unfortunate circumstances of being trapped here. I just so happen to have penned a letter for wayward newcomers like yourself.

[And he holds one of said letters (http://buildstherobots.livejournal.com/12857.html) out for the man to take.]

[unasked-for.livejournal.com]

[If Dist was expecting gratitude or relief, he won't get either. In fact, Fenris doesn't even reach for the paper; he simply scowls at it resentfully.]

...I can't read. [There seems to be no alternative to admitting this.]

[bedroombattling.livejournal.com]

[Oh. Awkward times. That's the perfect time for Bianca to show up, right? She was walking by with her Snivy in her arms before she spotted Dist and the other man. She gives a wave and walks right up to interrupt their conversation, holding out Snivy so Dist can see.]

Dist! Oh, Dist! I wanted to show you something. [[!] She turns to look at Fenris.] Oh! Sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt.

[buildstherobots.livejournal.com]

[This is actually the best timing, because otherwise Dist would be relentlessly mocking Fenris right now. He's not particularly subtle.]

Ah, Bianca, how wonderful. This one is to stay, this time?

I was just talking to... ah, your name?

[He turns back to Fenris as he speaks, trying not to smirk. Not very hard, though.]

[unasked-for.livejournal.com]

[Fenris' gaze flickers briefly to the girl, but if he finds her interruption rude, he makes no acknowledgment of it. He doesn't really stand upon social niceties, anyway.

Besides, Dist has more of his attention. He can see the man's mocking amusement in his eyes - it's very similar to the sorts of looks Hadriana would give him, at her most superior. His fists clench of their own accord.] Fenris.

[He looks down at the paper Dist is holding. Perhaps he should grab it and ask Noel to read it to him...she seems agreeable enough.]

[bedroombattling.livejournal.com]

Yes. I think so. Snivy came in the mail...which is funny, because he used to be a Servine. Oh, well. I'm sure he'll evolve later.

[Bianca turns to Fenris as well. Snivy doesn't seem interested in either man, though, since he hops down and turns away from them both.]

Oh, are you new here, Fenris? It's nice to meet you, too. What were you guys talking about?

[buildstherobots.livejournal.com]

They change form?

[Bianca had never explained Pokémon evolution to him. He makes a note to ask later; her world sounds interesting.]

Ah, I was just explaining to our new friend what he can expect, now that he's here. It's just a part of my generous spirit.

[He turns back to Fenris, clearly proud of himself. He hasn't put the letter away.]

I could have her read it to you?

[unasked-for.livejournal.com]

[A child reading to him. Fenris is perfectly aware he's being subtly condescended to. His lip curls, revealing a hint of bared teeth, but...the girl seems oblivious, and he needs to know.

But he won't forget this, Dist.] ...if she is willing.

[bedroombattling.livejournal.com]

Hey, wait a second. Didn't we speak the other day on the phone? [Her ears, they are one of her few talents. She smiles at Fenris. Mayfield...isn't really affecting her much.

She's also completely oblivious to the tension and what's going on in the conversation, but she's always willing to help, so she takes the letter from Dist and starts reading.]

[buildstherobots.livejournal.com]

[This is, quite possibly, the most subtle way Dist has ever earned an enemy. It isn't even a planned insult; Bianca's there and he's lazy, so why not let her do the work for him?]

That would be perfect, yes. I think you'll agree that my work is providing a valuable service to our otherwise uninformed newcomers.

[unasked-for.livejournal.com]

[Fenris listens to Bianca's voice, eyes narrowed. There's so much he doesn't understand in it - acid rain? Television? Hazmats? - but enough that he most certainly does. The post office and the postman are what really hold his interest, however.] ...they can take your memories from you?

[bedroombattling.livejournal.com]

Oh...I heard about that. It happened before I got here. Dist probably knows more. Or are you talking about the drones...?

[buildstherobots.livejournal.com]

[Is that deference? Oh, it's sweet.]

They can take anything from you, memories included. They took my eye.

[That's why he can lift up his glasses and tap on it without a reaction.]

It seems to be the same amount of difficulty for them. Easy as chopping off a body part.

[unasked-for.livejournal.com]

That is...troubling. [And he certainly looks troubled. He'd had a vague plan forming, and this throws it into disarray. He lost all his memories once already; he won't risk that again, even if the risk might be otherwise profitable.] Perhaps you can tell me, then. Do they keep our possessions and the like at the post office? Can they be taken back by force?

[justiceinamask.livejournal.com]

[Grumpy? Well, that's okay. Flay doesn't seem to care - or maybe he... actually hasn't noticed. It's hard to say. Either way, he sees someone who is rather obviously lost (or at least not sure where he's going) and of course that means he should approach!

It should be noted, of course, that he does have his uniform back - so alongside the mess that is his hair, his clothes look rather like someone's taken them out to battles... though the fabric itself looks fairly new. Strange. Oh yes, and he definitely still has his ridiculously sized sword strapped across his back, too. Pay no mind.]

Hey! You alright? You look pretty lost!

[. . . Yeah, he's a bit loud, too.]

[unasked-for.livejournal.com]

[Fenris...stares at the man who's just approached him. He's seen some strange outfits in his time, but Flay's is particularly unusual. And impractical. And, more to the point, not at all like anything else he's seen in town.

This is one of his fellow prisoners, then...with, most likely, an outfit from his own world. A man who's had his own property returned to him. In short...someone worth questioning.]

Your clothes...and your sword. The town returned those to you? [Right to the point.]

[justiceinamask.livejournal.com]

[He looks confused, for a moment, glancing at the hilt of his sword. Huh. Well, at least the guy doesn't seem to be completely new... that would probably end pretty disastrously. No one really seemed to want the redhead explaining things.]

Hm? Oh, yeah. You'll get them back as time goes by. The town seems to have these weird... freaky happenings that are pretty much unavoidable. Usually, you get something back after them. [A straight enough answer, at least, and he shrugs.]

... Well, and then there's the Post Office... but the things they take seem a bit much to get back one little thing.

[unasked-for.livejournal.com]

So...endure a trial, and be rewarded? If returning the things stolen from us to begin with could be called a reward, I suppose. But at least there almost seems to be some logic to it, now. [He's speaking half to himself.

When Flay mentions the post office, however, he meets the man's gaze squarely.] What do they demand of you there?

[justiceinamask.livejournal.com]

Well, kind of. It doesn't seem to matter if you die during the event, you just have to... still be here at the end. [He shrugs, thinking a moment.] I guess you come back after a day or so if you get killed, here.

[The question catches him a little off-guard - well, no, it's more the meeting of their gaze, since most people kind of avoid his for some reason - and he shrugs.] I think it probably depends. When Anna got her sword back, they took something like half of her fingers. I haven't been there, myself.

[unasked-for.livejournal.com]

You...what? [Fenris is staring at him. Not even the most powerful magic of his world can bring back the dead - well, not to true life. Corpses and skeletons can be raised through blood magic, but that's hardly resurrection. Demons sometimes promise it, or give illusions of it, but not even they can truly grant it.

You're going to eventually need to repeat that last bit, Flay. The first remark has his full attention.] This place brings people back to life?

[justiceinamask.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was surprised, too. It was... I'd seen Vayne do it once, but not like this. Besides, he doesn't have his powers back anyway...

I guess, for whatever reason, this place seems to need us alive. I'd say I wasn't quite dead, but I'm pretty sure I was. Whatever spell he used, Theo was pretty thorough. Not sure how much of my head was left, after all that. [And it's probably better that he didn't see it...]

[unasked-for.livejournal.com]

[Fenris isn't following most of this, and doesn't really try to. It's the overall message that's important, not the details.] You have died here. [It's in a tone of disbelief, but...the man is clearly no revenant, no corpse or shambling skeleton. He seems as alive and uncorrupted as Fenris.

How can it even be possible...?]

[justiceinamask.livejournal.com]

[All things considered, that's probably for the best. Latch onto the important parts and... try... to keep Flay on task.]

Hm? Yeah. I died... must have been a week or so ago, now? I just woke up in the house, like nothing had happened to me. Well, I mean, I remember it, and when everything went black, but it was still... really weird.

[unasked-for.livejournal.com]

I would...imagine so, yes. [Fenris...doesn't even know what to think about this. It sounds unbelievable, but why would a complete stranger lie to him? He can't see what Flay could gain from it. He's just going to be...kind of lost in thought, here.]

[justiceinamask.livejournal.com]

[Quite unbelievable, and someone with more invested in "giving a damn" might say something about it. As it is, this particular stranger just shrugs.]

At least it means we don't have so much to worry about, though. ... The whole town's pretty hostile, sometimes, so it's kind of nice to know that death's not permanent, haha!

[What, did you expect him to shut his mouth for more than five seconds? Sorry, Fenris.]

[unasked-for.livejournal.com]

Hostile? How so? Everything here seems...peaceful. Almost irritatingly so.

[justiceinamask.livejournal.com]

Well, they are, most of the time. But I guess there's something wrong with the milk, and the Milkman's some kind of crazy axe-murderer? A little girl named Lucy Smith seems to be running the place. Just a few weeks ago, the whole town turned into a huge mess.

.... I missed a lot of it, being dead and all, but I guess there was a huge battle, but it all turned out to be a lie.

[unasked-for.livejournal.com]

[This is the point where Fenris decides you're an unreliable source of information and just gives up on listening to you entirely, Flay.] I see. [This is completely noncommittal.]

[justiceinamask.livejournal.com]

[Your problem, Fenris. You'll understand when the time comes.]

Haha, well, not now, but you will. [Noncommittal? What does that mean? It means "Keep talking", right? Right???]

[desolavi.livejournal.com]

[ seki's sitting on the curb, people-watching again. (not like there's anything better to do.) watches this guy for a while. looks like he's searching for something. when he draws closer, ]

-- are you looking for something?

[unasked-for.livejournal.com]

[Fenris glances at the boy, then shakes his head.] Not exactly, no. I'm simply getting a feel for the layout of this town.

...though I suppose if you know where the post office is, I would at least wish to know that.

[desolavi.livejournal.com]

Post office ... [ leans back on his hands for a bit to think.

then gets to his feet and points down the street. ] I think the post office was uptown.

[unasked-for.livejournal.com]

I see. I will search for it there, in that case.

You have my thanks.

[desolavi.livejournal.com]

... are you new here too?

[unasked-for.livejournal.com]

...yes. How many people have just arrived here, exactly?

[crescented.livejournal.com]

[Consider yourself approached. Despite Mayfield trying to make Fenris look "normal", there's still an aura of something different...]

Aahh, someone looks a lil' outta place!

[unasked-for.livejournal.com]

To say the least. [Fenris sizes up the man who's approached him.] Though it seems we all are here, are we not?

[crescented.livejournal.com]

Apart from those drone bastards!

[unasked-for.livejournal.com]

There is...something fundamentally wrong about them. Whatever their claims, I feel they would be out of place anywhere.

[crescented.livejournal.com]

So where'd ya come from?

[unasked-for.livejournal.com]

The city of Kirkwall, in the Free Marches.