outer_divide | Audio/Action | The ship | Monday before the riots

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Audio/Action | The ship | Monday before the riots

[Currently a petite strawberry-blonde teen is clutching the pendant hanging from a ribbon around her neck as she scuttles between hiding places in the ship and stares with wide-eyed curiosity mixed with finite fear at the names located on the other pods located all around her. Yes, she is looking for specific names and is both dreading and hoping she might come across one she recognizes. There are thousands of pods here, however, and the fingers of her other hand begins to clutch more firmly at the small device she found with her clothing where she had first awoken. After a short hesitation, Chloe presses a button and brings the device to her lips.]

H-hello?

[A hesitating pause, then Chloe seems to find her courage--and outrage.]

Wh-whoever is in charge here, I really don't appreciate being left in the dark. Where am I, and why am I here? Wh-where is my Aunt Lauren, Derek, and the others? Haven't you done enough? Just l-leave us alone!

[If she was thinking clearly, she would realize the Edison Group never would have left Chloe her Swiss Army knife or can of mace... But she was kind of freaking out after waking up naked and without her pendant around her neck.]

Or else.

[Those two words sounded almost like a growl--something Chloe may have loosely picked up from her werewolf boyfriend. Despite the threat, her panicked mind silently taunted her: 'Or else what, Chloe?']

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You do not need to threaten, jo-chan.

[The voice on the other end is impossible to tell whether it's male or female. It does sound a little amused, but not really malicious.]

Whoever you think you are talking to, you are not. You're in another universe, because yours was damaged in some hard to explain way, and those people who 'have done enough' to you probably aren't here.

[Almost as an afterthought, she adds,]

My name is Tenoh Haruka. I'm from Japan, in the nineteen hundred and ninety decade. Who are you?

Jo-chan?

[Curiosity and confusion swiftly turn into denial and paranoia. Another universe? Hers being damaged inexplicably? Enemies suddenly gone when Chloe wakes up in a place like this one? A crazed little giggle escapes her before she can fully hold it in.]

N-n-nineteen ninety Japan?

[There is definitely a somewhat hysterical note to Chloe's question, despite her trying to remain outwardly calm. 'I'm in a looney bin. They think I'm crazy again, or something. Maybe I've really lost it.']

H-hi. Nice to meet you. I'm Chloe, from the U.S. I come from the twenty-first century.

[And those words sounded so small to her, and suddenly Chloe's dazed mind wondered if she really was the freak.]

Jo-chan. A name for a girl when I do not know her name. In Japanese.

[There's that good-natured amusement. It might even be a little bit flirty. Just a little.]

But now I do know your name. Chloe-san. You will not be the first one from further in time than I am.

[She's a little more sober when she asks:]

Are you all right? Do you need someone to come lead you out of the ship? Ah-- that place full of pods where you are. If you are still there. It is a little like a maze at times, I know.

[The echoing quality of the audio makes it seem like she's in the ship, but Haruka figures she could be wrong, too.]

Oh.

[Well that made more sense than it didn't.]

I--I won't?

[Blood was rushing through her ears. Something big or strange was definitely going on here, and Chloe was almost too frightened to find out which. If she had been admitted, how would she ever get out? This Haruka person seemed nice enough, however. Chloe couldn't tell if she was speaking to a guy or a girl, but the relaxed manner of voice was oddly comforting.]

I'm fine. I think I can find the exit on my own. I just--

[It might take her a minute. Or a day. Or many days for her mind to wrap around what was really happening here.]

H-Haruka? Can I ask you a question? Why are there so many pods here? What do you think is going to happen to all these people?

Because that ship was rescuing a lot of people from a lot of universes before she crashed on this planet. I'm one of them. So will anyone you meet on this network channel. We know a little more than you do, after being awake for a while, but not everything.

[She pauses for a beat, considering whether Chloe really is "fine", and then there's the sound of furniture moving in the background that says she doesn't actually believe it.]

I'll come get you. At least I can show you where the Flop is and who to talk to if you want a job, and maybe it will be easier to answer questions when you can see me.

So there are many of us here. How did they choose who to rescue, though? And do we know who was driving it before the ship crashed?

[Yeah, Chloe will say she's fine until her face turns blue--whether it's mostly true or not.]

Oh. Okay. Only if it isn't any trouble.

[It would be nice not to be alone. Could she trust this stranger, however? Was this Tenoh Haruka human, or something more? At least she'd have her own personal tour guide.]

The Flop? A j-job? H-how long do you think everyone is going to be staying? I need to get back...

That ship has been crashed here for a good century or more, Chloe-san, and all of us in it.

[That's even more sober, with the air of someone who knows they're imparting unpleasant news.]

But as it travels through dimensions, once we repair it again, we can put you back where and when you left, don't worry. I will be there in half an hour. All right? I will answer any question I can, then.

Wh-wh-what?! A ce--a cuh--

[A century?!]

B-but my family... No. No. That can't be right.

[Chloe refused to believe it. She didn't look ten years older. She couldn't imagine her Aunt and her dad missing her for ten long years. Couldn't imagine Derek...]

No. I won't believe it.

[Dimensional travel? Chloe had once seen what she believed to be a demon dimension--but this was beginning to be too surreal. Someone was feeding others lies here, and Chloe was going to find out who, and to what end.]

O-okay. Sure. [Her tone suddenly goes from panicking to rather aloof.] I'll see you in half an hour, then.

[Maybe. Chloe was still debating if this was a trap--if she would be fed lies and expected to play the part of a good little mindless captive. She wasn't going to play along, however. Maybe on the surface. It made things easier that way. Chloe would never stop searching until she found the answers to what was really taking place here, however. This was all much too convenient.]

[Why is it that Haruka is doomed to have no one believe her when she tells them these fanastical things? Ah, well. She hangs up, and heads out. She is there in about half an hour, pulling up outside the ship on a rugged-looking motorcycle, which she then leaves outside to venture in and hunt down Chloe.

At least the girl isn't too hard too find. The pod chambers might be huge, but there's only a few of them, and walking, talking people kind of stand out.]

Chloe?

[The voice is familiar, anyway, and the face looks like it fits: androgynous to the extreme. She does have a smile, though, even if it's slightly apologetic.]

Found all your things?

[Jumping, Chloe whirls toward the sound of the voice. Haruka didn't exactly look how Chloe first imagined, and it was still impossible to tell if this person was a boy or girl.]

Yes. That's me.

[Clutching her found belongings, Chloe offers a small shrug.]

If this is everything, then yes.

If it was everything in that locker at the foot of your pod, then yes. Though I suppose since you aren't naked, you had to have found something.

[Grinning some, Haruka motioned for her to come along into the hallway with her.]

I've been off this thing for months, now. Half a year, maybe a little more. I know it must be frightening. Or angering. To wake up here with no idea how you got here. But you're not alone, at least.

[She shrugs at that, herself.]

Yes. This is everything, then.

[Excuse Chloe while she blushes profusely at the naked comment.]

S-so I take it everyone w-wakes up that way? Good to know I didn't get special treatment.

[Seeing no reason as to why not--yet--Chloe quickly moves to follow.]

Not alone? Don't you find it disconcerting?

What, to be here instead of Japan? Yes. But if I were in Japan, I would be dead, so this is better than nothing. Besides, my partner is here, in one of those pods.

[She jerks her head back in the direction Chloe had come from, then leads the way down the hall-- not too brisk, despite her long stride, mindful of letting Chloe keep up without having to jog.]

And I am used to it, by now. This is as much of a home as anywhere, now.

Your partner? Do you think--

[Chloe's eyes are already scanning the pods as they pass them. She almost stops--wants to--but pushes herself to follow Haruka. It'll take her a very long time to look at the names on each one of these pods.]

I see.

[And while Chloe understands, there is a definite pain and sadness to her tone. While she may not have a home any longer, she certainly has a family, and she needed to get to them.]

[She gives Chloe a pat on the shoulder, sympathetic to the impulse, but not letting her stop right now, either.]

There are people from probably twenty worlds and times here. You may find someone you know. You may not. But you can't wake them up, if you do. Trying might kill them. Look later, once you're settled in a little.

[Trying might kill them? Paling, Chloe gulps, then slowly nods to show she understands. She doesn't, though. She doesn't understand why she or anyone else is here. She's determined to find out, though.]

Okay... Then what can you tell me about this place? The world and it's... 'Inhabitants' I guess you could say.

[Hey, Haruka already told her why they're here... not her fault Chloe doesn't believe her.]

The world is called Verdana. The people who live here are normal human people, no magic or powers or anything like that. Some things are better than Tokyo, some things are worse-- they don't have sports cars.

[That earns a disgusted snort. Haruka misses her fast cars.]

There is a military town at the foot of the mountain, just called the Old City, and the ruins of another past that. You can't go there, there is an energy wall keeping people out and the plague in. Most of us live in Poseidon, down by the ocean.

Magic or p-powers? What kind of powers? ...I take it you come from a world that does?

[Then again, Chloe knew both existed, so aside from meeting her very first 'alien' species, this could all be a sinister plot put on by the St. Clouds. Maybe. If real life was like the movies. Ugh, Chloe needed a new favorite past time.

Chloe grins at the mention of sports cars.]

Do you race, like to look sporty, or just like driving with the top down?

...So there's a military stationed here? Doesn't anyone get a bit antsy about that?

Energy wall? P-plague? Please tell me you're at least joking about that last bit.

Edited 2014-04-22 04:11 (UTC)

That's a lot of questions at once, jo-chan!

[But Haruka chuckles, showing she doesn't mind.]

I am serious about the energy wall and the plague. As soon as we step outside, you will see the energy wall, easy enough. And powers, any kind of powers. I have some, but they don't work on the ship. None of them do, for anyone. That makes it safe, but also a little difficult.

And I race. I am the youngest racer of cars and motorcycles in Japan.

[And she is obviously proud of that.]

[Yeah... Sorry about that. Chloe's full of questions. They land her into trouble more often than not. At least she has the good grace to blush, being called out on it.]

Y-yeah. Sorry.

[She smiles lightly in return to that chuckle, laughing with her.]

There's an energy wall. To keep out the plague. And aliens, and sleeping people from different worlds... and powers. Magic. And this is all common knowledge?

[Huh. Powers didn't work on the ship? Chloe lightly tried summoning. Nothing. Tried harder. Still nothing. Her brows rose. Huh. Dangerous, possibly, but also potential sleeping quarters. Maybe she could camp out here. Undisturbed sleep could be nice. If the ship was safe.]

So you have powers, and you don't mind the locals or anyone else here knowing? What if they think of you as a threat?

Oh, wow! I wasn't expecting that. Does your power involve racing at all?

Edited 2014-04-23 05:40 (UTC)

They have, off any on. Found us a threat. But we work hard for them, so that helps, and we try to integrate here, be a part of them as much as we can. Not everyone shares what they are and can do, but I gave up on trying to hide mine months ago.

[Especially since whatever keeps people from recognizing them, at home, just doesn't work very well here. Haruka takes one last turn, and there's the exit, sunlight shining through the open portal.]

Here. I'll show you what I do. And it doesn't have much to do with racing, though it does have to go with going fast.

[She shoots Chloe a grin, then trots out into the light and pulls out her transformation wand. This, she'll admit, she hasn't done in front of anyone, really... mostly she just stays transformed all the time, just in case.]

Uranus star power, make-up!

[And if you've seen Sailor Moon, you know what happens next.]

Most secrets don't stay secret for long. That's what I've come to find out, anyway. So you've been here that long, though? Who was the first person to wake up here? Does anyone know? And how long have we been here?

You're going to show me?

[Does Chloe sound excited? Because she is. To find people here, who are also different, makes this place feel just a bit like home. While that scared her--there could still be something sinister going on here--it also have her hope. Magic and supernatural things was something she could definitely relate to. Couldn't hurt to have friends with superpowers, either.]</ small>

...Uranus?

[Chloe's brows shoot up, then her mouth drops open as she stares at Sailor Uranus' transformation. So Haruka is a girl...]

You have magic that enables you to transform? Cool. Is it for a secret identity or something?

[Yep, most definitely a girl. A leggy one without much of a chest, but she likes it that way. It makes being athletic easier.

She grins over at Chloe.]

It was, in Tokyo. It doesn't work as well here. I use it here to be stronger and faster, and to use my power to defend others and stop those who would hurt them.

[She beckons for Chloe to follow along.]

My bike's down here. It'll get you down the mountain faster, and to Poseidon, if that's where you would like to go. As for the first one of us who woke up... I think that might have been the Oracle.

[The grin fades into a concerned expression. She still can't find the old woman. It worries her, a bit, when she takes the time to think about it.]

[Grinning up at Haruka, Chloe nods in understanding. There is definite respect in her gaze.]

Cool. That makes you sound like a defender of the people, or something.

Honestly, I don't have a clue where I want to go. If there's a safe place for us to go to, I might be willing to try it out. Only if we're free to come and go as we please. Otherwise I'm sure I can find someplace to hole up in for a while.

[An abandoned building, or high up in a tree somewhere.]

The Oracle? Can you tell me more about this person?

Just a soldier.

[Haruka shrugs off the praise, a little uncomfortable with it. She has, after all, done things she isn't necessarily pleased about to get things done.]

You're free to do whatever you wish, so long as it does not break the law. Coming or going in the Flop is up to you-- that is where we stay until we get a job, if we do. You won't have to find another place unless you wish to.

[She leads the way down the mountain path, towards where she parked the motorcycle.]

The Oracle is an old woman who refuses to give me her name. She did tell me to call her Cassandra, but that is not her name. She is Nem's mother. Or was, before he was killed. And she speaks in riddles and sees parts of the future, though she is not very clear about what she sees.

Audio/Action | The ship | Monday before the riots

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