ROLEPLAY HQ - our-most-disappointing-timeline

The trees blurred around Nainda as she ran. Her horse had been taken out some distance back, but she couldn't say for certain how far she'd gotten since then. It had been all she could do not to get trapped beneath the fallen steed and instead to keep running. An activity her dress and corset were very much not made for. She had no choice but to stop, stand, and fight. All the years she'd tried to live peacefully, and now that option had been torn from her. In the forest around her, voices came from several directions. She should have been safe, following the rules of her exile. Instead, her homeland had decided it was not enough to forsake her. They needed to export witch hunters, too. Her hands went to the curved daggers that hung at her sides. More ritualistic than anything, but they could do in a pinch, and as magic foci. Her eyesight had never been even decent, and the sunny weather that day was not doing it any favours either, so all she could rely on was the sound and the feeling of the auras around her. Not reliable enough. Without warning, there was a shout directly behind her. Not a word she could understand, but an ancient spell in a language long dead. She turned too late, to a blinding flash of light. ~~~ The forest floor had never been this hard. She landed on solid stone, of an unfamiliar, rough texture. Rain dripped on and around her, soaking the loose strands of green hair to her face. She screwed her eyes shut, useless as they were bound to be for the next several seconds. Unfamiliar sounds rushed by to her left, pitch increasing then zooming downward. A strange, acrid scent accompanied the noises. Busy as the city was, even on a rainy evening, almost nobody in their vehicles paid much attention to the strangely dressed, pointy-eared goth woman laying on the sidewalk. Especially not enough to notice the way she had appeared out of nowhere. @MMS (Martin-Maraiste)

Louis hadn't slept, again. It was becoming a recurrent thing, to his despair. Well, he did sleep a little, but only a few hours and the rest of the night he had been awake unable to sleep. So instead of just turning around endlessly in his bed, he used the time given by his insomnia to edit his latest video, and tried to ignore the buzzing sound of a mosquito flying around his ears. When his alarm rang, it's with a deep sigh that he kicked away his blanket and opened the curtains to a grey, windy and rainy scenery. He didn't even bother checking his watch while he was getting ready, for he had been working for so long that he had perfected his routine. He thought that today would be just another boring day, a rainy one on top of that, which meant more work for him. Leaving his flat, he walked under the rain for a moment before arriving at the convenience store he worked at. Greeting his colleague, he shook the water out of his hair the way a dog would do. Nothing out of the ordinary yet. He got changed and took his place behind the counter, waving goodbye to the colleague who was more than happy to be going home. With another sigh, Louis checked what tasks were left to do and when he glanced outside, he thought he saw a flash of light, or something similar. Rubbing his eyes, he grumbled he was too tired for this and went back to work. @Al the Killer

Nainda opened her eyes. Colours, such as they were here, had begun to replace the darkness and resolve themselves into vague shapes. Hardly any that she was used to. Wherever she had found herself, it was dreary and utterly unfamiliar, like a completely different world. The buildings seemed to have been constructed of stone, iron, and glass. Even the glass seemed clearer, flatter, unlike the leaden windows back home. As she slowly pulled her aching body up to stand, she had her share of regrets. Regrets at trying to remain peaceful and just running. Had she fought back to begin with, she would have lain waste to the hunters while she'd had the terrain's advantage. Pacifism had never panned out well for her. And regrets at not having a cloak with her to prevent the rain from soaking her dress and causing it to cling uncomfortably to each ample curve. Among the strange, disorienting noise, there was an unsettling quiet that took her a moment to pin down. The voices of her patron had gone, along with the horrifying visions of past contractees' lives they often sent. It would have been a relief, in her own world. Now it meant she was completely alone in a strange land. There were still auras, indicating that her magic still functioned, but they were faded, and she could feel no magic outside of her own. A human man brushed past her, seemingly in a hurry. "It's not Halloween," he grumbled, but didn't slow. "Pardon?" She had no time to really ask him what in the world he meant by that, as he was already gone. She looked up once more at her surroundings. A rectangle of colour hung above the door of the nearest building. Through the large windows, she could make out several human figures and auras, including a dark-haired man behind a counter. A public place, she assumed. Potential shelter. She walked toward it, jumping at the mechanical beep that sounded as she opened the door. But she could waste no time, and stepped into the shop. @MMS (Martin-Maraiste)

Greeting the incoming customers and ringing their order, every movement was done without a second thought before he announced the price. His lazy eyes barely moved to see the customer's face, it wasn't of any use anyway. Just seeing their hands was enough and if someone stole something, it wasn't any of Louis' business. Just keep pretending today is any other normal day, he was telling himself when the door announced a new customer. But Louis didn't bother checking out the newcomer, for he still had people in line waiting for their stuff to be rung up. His efficacy showed when he started to ring up someone else's items as the previous one was paying. Thankfully, at this time of the day, there were no grandmas making their weekly shopping in the small convenience store at the corner of their street. Just people grabbing food for the day in a hurry before heading to work or school. When he was done with the last customer, well, the last one in line, Louis finally raised his head and had a global view of the shop. His eyes initially brushed past the last person who had entered, but he ended up looking back at them as he had nothing else to do. And to be frank, the green of their hair paired with their...different outfit style made for quite something to see. @Al the Killer

Not much to do but browse the shop, Nainda did exactly that, trying to pretend she knew what she was doing and where she was. She had no clue what most of the things inside were, as they were all covered with some strange wrapping, shiny like metal but flimsy like parchment, and most of it brightly coloured. Her pointy ears twitched every time the door heralded the arrival of another person. Everyone here seemed to be human, and some looked at her as though they'd never seen anyone who wasn't before. Most of them, however, were too busy staring at the weird rectangles in their hands to notice her. She'd found a basket of not-quite-fresh fruit and picked up an apple as the one thing that looked familiar. After all, she didn't want to waste the time of the merchant, who seemed to be staring at her now that everyone else had left. She looked over at him, ice blue eyes locking on him but still seeming ever so slightly out of focus. Something seemed... off about the gentleman, but everything felt odd now. She didn't question it as she approached the counter. "Pardon me, dear." Her voice was soft, holding its usual, warm politeness as she set the apple on the counter. It was clear, but gave a sense of age well beyond her appearance. "Are you the merchant here?" @MMS (Martin-Maraiste)

His blue eyes met hers and a shiver ran down his spine, his instinct whispering to him that she was special. Something was off about her; the way her hair looked so naturally green, the way he could tell she had what he assumed were super realistic pointy ears, or even the way she had walked around the store looking a bit lost in a way he had never seen anyone be. Letting out a soft chuckle and the hint of a smile when she called him "dear", he crossed his arms on the counter and leaned forward a little, his eyes barely acknowledging the apple only to be fixed on her. "You could say I am," he replied, deciding almost instinctively to go along her choice of words. For having seen his fair share of cosplayers, strange people and ones with different styles, he somehow could tell she wasn't in any of these categories. But he couldn't quite tell why. Maybe the way she spoke, the way it came out so naturally. He didn't know. But he was determined to play along, at worst what could happen? @Al the Killer

His reaction was nothing short of puzzling. Was he laughing at her? She hadn't addressed him in any way she wouldn't have addressed anyone else. Was it because the sign outside would have made everything obvious, had she been able to read? She tilted her head to one side, but went along with it as though he had given a simple 'yes' in response. "Oh, wonderful." She smiled, a gesture as warm and polite as her voice. She dug into the pouch at her side. Normally, no matter where she traveled, an apple never would have cost more than a couple of copper. She'd run out of copper pieces, and only had more valuable currency. "Unfortunately, this is the smallest I have." She held up a small disc of true silver. "Will this be alright? In all honesty, I came here to get out of the rain for a while, but I did not want to waste your time. Everything else in here is... different from what I am used to, though." She chose her words carefully, unsure of how the people of this place woud react to strangers. Or to magic, for that matter. Probably not well; even in her original homeland, where non-seer magic was largely frowned upon, there had been a constant presence of it that simply didn't seem to exist here. There was something else, though - a constant, low hum of something, just audible beneath everything else. She just didn't realize that something was electricity, and not magic. @MMS (Martin-Maraiste)

Her smile captivated him. It was all he could think about for a moment before his eyes fell on the silver disc. Squinting his eyes a bit, it might have been the only sign that she was destabilizing him. Was she for real? Either she pushed the role-play extra far, or she truly was a stranger stranger than other strangers he had seen working at this job. Still, he kept going along, holding out his hand for the small silver disc and thinking of what to do and say next. "You should also grab an umbrella, if you're planning on going back outside." With his chin, he pointed to the umbrella stand at the beginning of an aisle. There were mainly dark colored ones aside from a couple more colored designed for kids, as well as folding ones. Thinking hard about how to keep her in the shop longer, he dared asking where she was from. He was expecting maybe something like the next biggest town or some small village, not thinking that anyone would go as far as make up a name on the spot. @Al the Killer

Nainda looked back over her shoulder, just now noticing the umbrellas. "Right. Yes, of course." Being thrown into this situation had really thrown her off, it seemed. She was normally more observant. "One moment, please." She walked back to pick up a black umbrella, then returned to the counter. The question wasn't entirely unexpected, given how clearly she was an outsider. "Freyshire," she answered. "It's a small village in Locuria, though I am unsure of its location in relation to... Wherever this is. As it is, I have not returned there in many years, and have been traveling." Screw it, time to ask outright. "I know this may seem strange to ask, but where are we? I have never seen a place like this before." @MMS (Martin-Maraiste)

While she was picking an umbrella, Louis slipped the coin in his pocket and wrote something in the log book him and his colleagues used. It was to keep track of what had been done, when it had been done, if one was taking something from the aisles to eat or drink, etc. They kept it hidden and in French, so their superior wouldn't be able to read it. "Freyshire huh..." he repeated, pensively. It did sound British alright, and as far as he knew it could very well be an actual village. But the mention of "Locuria" did not ring any bell to the young man and he was forced to admit that she was a very skilled role-player... or was she? Leaning back on his squeaky chair and relaxing his shoulders a bit, he shook his head to make her believe it wasn't strange to ask. It wasn't so true, but he did get a couple of lost foreigners from time to time so it wasn't totally unheard of to be asked directions or similar things. "You're in Castlebridge, upper north Britain, a city dominating the surroundings from its twin hills which on each is built a castle." It seemed like he was reciting a text as his voice fell to a more monotone tone. "It's raining half of the year and the other half you just wish it was raining," he added with a little chuckle. It was a bit of a stretch, but it summed up the current climate pretty well. Either rain, or high heat with barely any wind. @Al the Killer

None of the names he was saying sounded familiar. Nor helpful - she did not have the sort of reputation where asking the local nobility for assistance would go over well, so she would not be approaching the castles. The kingdom they were in sounded cursed, but not unbearably so. Nainda looked down at the umbrella, considering her options. She could wander, but the climate wasn't ideal for doing so. Perhaps she could wait until it was at least less rainy, then get an idea of her surroundings, and how to return home. For now, she picked up the apple. "Thank you for your assistance, dear," she said, though he hadn't done much. "One last question, if you don't mind... where would the nearest inn happen to be?" She could use a glass of wine and a whole lot of rest at the moment, even if it was still morning here. @MMS (Martin-Maraiste)

Crossing one arm on his chest and using it to prop up the other one, he kept his hand close to his mouth, his thumb playing with the little facial hair under his chin that was beginning to grow back. The second time around, he did not react to being called dear, as it was now clearer that she used it in a serious manner. Tilting his head slightly to the side, he thought for a moment. His mind had adapted pretty quickly and he was thinking of the nearest hotels, in a way, he still refused to believe she wasn't role-playing at a very advanced level. "There's the Winter Sword..." clicking his tongue, he shook his head slightly. "But it's gonna be.." He was starting to think out loud, a bad habit he never really tried to get rid of. Biting his bottom lip, he snapped out of his thoughts and leaned back forward, his eyes locking onto hers. "I don't think they'll have rooms available, but if you're looking for a place to rest, please be my guest." Realizing how it could sound, a man inviting a woman to come to his place for what he still assumed was an invested fantasy role-player, he raised his hands to push away any idea she might have. "Not meaning anything more than a bed, food and water for a bath, of course." @Al the Killer

At least the tavern names here sounded normal. But the tips of Nainda's ears lowered slightly as he mentioned there wouldn't be any vacancy, an extremely natural gesture. The offer didn't exactly help. She couldn't shake the impression that something was off about this human, that he couldn't be trusted. Still, he didn't seem armed, particularly experienced in combat, or magical in any way. So in several regards, she was more dangerous than he was. As long as she didn't let her guard down too much, she should be fine. After a moment of thought, she nodded. Maybe she couldn't trust his intentions or his words, but she could trust herself, at least. "That sounds acceptable," she agreed. "Thank you again. I suppose I should wait, instead of pulling you away from your shop early?" She picked up the apple. This would do, for now. @MMS (Martin-Maraiste)

His eyes picked up a slight movement, a change in the area of her ears but with the fatigue he wasn't able to tell if he was dreaming it or not and thus did not inquire further than an extra glance. He shook his head and smiled lightly. "It's okay, other employees can fill in if I call in sick." Or at least, Angèle will, he added to himself thinking of his friend. It's not like I've called in sick too often, so it should be okay if it's just this time. Pulling out his phone from his pocket, he started typing a message to the other girl telling her that he needed her to cover for him because he had something important come up. Although at this hour she should have been sleeping, she replied almost immediately and Louis' phone vibrated in his hands. "A friend will take care of the shop, are you sure you don't want anything else though? It's on me." @Al the Killer

Yet more unusual wording. Nainda didn't ask what 'call in sick' was supposed to mean (at the very least, he didn't seem to be ill), instead nodding along as though she understood this dialect perfectly. This place was, without a doubt, completely unlike anywhere she had travelled before. Possibly a safe place to stay. Probably not though. She tried, and failed, not to stare at that rectangular device as he fidgeted with it. When it buzzed, she straightened her spine and knew there was no way her surprise wouldn't be noticed. So she might as well ask. "What is that?" she asked, still looking at the object. "I saw a few other people staring at them, too." But she had yet to answer his question. She looked back over her shoulder at the mostly unfamiliar wares. "I'm not sure... I think I dropped my water flask earlier." She definitely had. "I may need a replacement." @MMS (Martin-Maraiste)

Her surprise to the phone buzzing was mentally added to the list of odd-yet-not-unheard-of things about her. And the list was starting to get long. And to his surprise, she asked the question that probably put an end to his list. Or was it just the last drop before his credulity couldn't do anything to hide the truth? Was she...really asking what a cellphone was? Where was she from? Or rather, what era was she from? His blue eyes widened in surprise and incredulity, but he said nothing. What the hell have I set myself into... he asked himself before shaking the thought away. Regaining his composure, he turned the screen to face her. "It's called a cellphone here. It's uhm... like a messenger or a traveling pigeon, but way faster." The comparison he made showed that if he had realized she come from a foreign land, he was still willing to help her understand this one. After the phone buzzed a second time and he quickly typed a response, he got up and walked out from behind the counter. His black trousers were still a bit wet on his thighs but it didn't really show due to the color of the fabric. His shirt was forest green with an orange logo of the supermarket on the heart. Compared to her, he definitely looked more frail, but his clothes were in accord with the decor around them. Walking to an aisle, he picked up an item then walked to another aisle and picked a second. Getting back to her, he held out the two items in each of his hands. In his right, a bottle filled with a clear liquid and a label that showed water droplets. In his left, what looked more like a jug but with the top covered. The latter sounded empty but seemed made of a more resistant material. "Which one do you prefer?" @Al the Killer

Nainda tilted her head as she saw his surprise. So it seemed these 'cell phones' were incredibly ubiquitous objects here. Perhaps she had found herself on another plane of existence after all. At least he was still willing to explain, and that was really the best she could hope for. "I see. So it's a sort of magical communication device. Somewhere between scrying and a messenger crow?" Just saying that made her miss the flock she had befriended back at home. Erwias especially. She stood back, keeping quiet while he sent out another 'magical' message. Once he stood, her height may have been more obvious. At nearly six feet tall, she would have towered over most human women in an actual Medieval setting. Unsure of what else to do, she followed after, squinting at the two items he held up. An unfamiliar, but full, vessel for water, and a basic covered bottle, still a bit different from what she was used to, but less so. She opted for durability, taking the seemingly empty vessel carefully from his hand. It could always be filled later. "Thank you, dear." Just then, it struck her that she'd forgotten to ask something else. "My apologies, but I don't think I quite caught your name." A huge detail to overlook if she was going to be a guest in his home. "You may call me Nainda." An elven name, and not of a particularly common dialect, either. @MMS (Martin-Maraiste)

He was about to walk back to put the plastic bottle in its aisle when she asked for his name. He had forgotten as well, even though he was hosting her for the night, and maybe more nights after that until she finds a way home or....something. He had no clue what she would do. All that he knew was that somehow, fate had made their paths cross. Not a big believer in such things, Louis was just determined - and honestly a bit stubborn in a way - to find out why, though. Carefully repeating her name to make sure he got it right, he let out a small chuckle before introducing himself. In comparison, his name sounded way less...special. "Louis Anderson. I'll be there if you have questions or concerns." he added the last part in an attempt to not make the situation awkward and once he was done speaking, he put back the bottle where it was supposed to be and slowly walked back to the counter, glancing at her. @Al the Killer

"Louis Anderson," Nainda repeated, committing the name to memory. "Lovely to meet you, dear. " It seemed that knowing someone's name did not stop the habitual nickname she gave nearly everybody. Except children, who were 'sweetie', or people she was attracted to, who were deemed 'darling'. She had her system, and it worked well enough. "And I truly do appreciate the help." She followed him to the counter, but stayed on the customer side of it. Her attention turned to the strange little jug in her hand. She assumed she'd have to find a well, river, or pump to fill out later on. For now, though, they seemed to be waiting for the other merchant, so she wandered the aisles. "So, these strange bags..." She picked up one as an example, a bright red satchel that showed a rainbow of round things. "Are they meant to contain food?" @MMS (Martin-Maraiste)

As they waited for Angèle to come, Louis checked a few things at the counter so he'd make her life easier. It wasn't much, writing down how much money was in the register for example, or tidying up the already tidied up counter. Leaning forward on the counter and taking a look through the windows, he let out a sigh when he saw that it was raining still. And it didn't seem to slow down either. Sitting back down, he rested his chin on his hand which was propped up. His eyes followed Nainda as she walked through the aisles. Nodding at her question, he agreed. "Most of them, yes." Getting up again to walk to her, he pointed to the bag she was holding. "These one are sweets, those over there are dried fruits." he pointed further down the aisle, just past the brightly colored bags. @Al the Killer

'Sweets' was rather vague, didn't narrow it down at all. So the only way to know was to try the mystery candy. She kept the bag in hand, then walked over to the dried fruits, in case she needed something she knew she'd enjoy to forget about whatever awaited her curiosity in the sweets bag. Apricots would do nicely. Still, she couldn't get over how strange everything around her seemed. Brighter, louder than her own world, but also less alive. Both a different world and a different time entirely. "What year is it?" she asked at last as she approached the counter once more. "I know that's a strange question to ask, but everything here feels so..." She squinted up toward the magical bars of light floating by the ceiling, then thought better of it, blinking the dots of colour from her vision. "...Different." Like the apparent signs of magic that still gave off no magical energy. @MMS (Martin-Maraiste)

Walking back to the counter with her, he wrote a bit more in the notebook, adding what she picked out. He knew that he shouldn't, but he leaned on the counter, half-sitting on it. Not very professional, but he was sick of sitting in that used chair that gave you nothing but butt and back pains. Tilting his head to the side, he looked at her with round eyes for a moment. He hadn't yet fully come to terms that she, indeed, wasn't from here. From this world. There was no way she could know what year it was. "It's uh, November 19th of 2025. And it's approximately..." he checked the watch on his wrist. "10 am." He was about to ask her something when the chime of the automatic door rang and a young, blonde woman entered the shop. "Phew, what a weather, I'm soaked!" she exclaimed, wiping away the water from her raincoat and face. She was almost the same height as Louis, but she seemed taller for she had long legs. Finally looking up, her gaze stopped on Nainda for a long minute, detailing her from head to toe, including what she was holding in her hands. Biting a tiny bit of her lip, she quickly moved her attention to the dark haired man. "So, what's happening Louis?" But he didn't answer, simply closed his eyes and let out a relieved sigh. "I'll explain later, something came up." To someone watching the scene, it wouldn't have been immediately obvious that he was referring to Nainda. Disappearing in an adjacent room to the counter, his voice came out a bit muffled as he rummaged for something in the dimmed room. Not long after, he walked out with a different top on. This time, it was a grey woolen cardigan, still darkened by the rain earlier. Resting a hand on Angèle's shoulder, he gave her a small smile before turning to Nainda and motioning for her to follow him. @Al the Killer

2025... way too high a number to be accurate, right? Even unaging due to her contract, Nainda had never expected she'd be around long enough to see a year like that. No wonder so much had changed; regardless of what world it was, this was one that must have been around for far longer than the one she'd come from. She stared at him for a moment, but her attention was torn away by the stranger's arrival. She turned toward her and offered her usual polite smile. "Hello, dear." The looks she was getting from everyone she encountered were starting to make a lot more sense. Nobody else looked like her normally here, did they? Her appearance had been unusual even in her homeland, but in a world like this it must have seemed altogether outlandish. Even so, the something that came up still had it in her to be friendly. "You must be the other merchant here?" Then Louis disappeared into another room, leaving the two of them alone. She would make no attempt at further conversation if Angèle seemed at all disinterested in chatting. She'd definitely be more careful. She assumed the less obvious she was about coming from another world, the better. Once Louis came back out, she followed him to the door out, opening the umbrella once they were clear of it. Doing so took a moment of struggle, as the mechanism was different from what she was accustomed to, but it eventually snapped out and expanded. "There." She lifted it up to cover the both of them. It was still a bit cold, since she didn't have dry clothes, but at least she wouldn't be getting more soaked from the rain. "So, before your colleague showed up, you seemed like you had something more to say." She lowered her voice, unsure now of how safe it was to be overheard. "What was it? Or should it wait until we arrive at your home?" @MMS (Martin-Maraiste)

Left with little to no explanation, she politely smiled back at Nainda, nodding. Who was she? Why was she speaking like that? She couldn't help the pinch of jealousy she felt when her gaze detailed her forms in her wet clothes. She hesitated to give her her raincoat but before she could make a decision, Louis came back. Letting out a sigh and briefly closing her eyes, she gave them both a small smile. "Count on me." And with that, she walked to the room while the two passed the door. Stopping outside, a bit sheltered from the rain, Louis let Nainda figure out how to open the umbrella. If- no, since she came from another world, he'd help her fit in until she finds a way back but that didn't mean he'd baby her. He had no idea how old she could be, he assumed she was old enough to figure out how to open a foreign umbrella. Leading the way, Louis' eyes darted to the people around them in a slightly anxious way. With just a glance it was as if he was daring them to say or think something bad about her. Exhaling slowly after she spoke, he shook his head and couldn't help the small smile that drew itself on his lips. "It's alright, I was just going to ask about your home...world." He added the last word a bit quieter than the rest, not sure if she had realized it or not. He was pretty sure she had figured out she was in another world, but he didn't want to make assumptions. The pair walked down the street before they turned at a corner into a smaller street. Different shops were lining the sides but few people were in them. After a while, they crossed a street and took another turn. Finally, Louis slowed down in-between two buildings. Pointing to a door, he took his keys out of his pocket. "Here." @Al the Killer

Nainda also kept alert on the way there. On the watch for any signs of danger, unsure of how likely it was to encounter a threat that demanded she fight back in this world. All she got were a few weird looks, but people left them alone. Still, she'd let herself relax once she was positive she was somewhere safe. Until then, she had to be ready for anything. She nodded at Louis's explanation of what he'd been about to say. "Then that is something I will tell you about when we're inside," she promised, partially because the strange metal things - which she concluded had to be some form of horseless carriages - passing by made it challenging to have a quiet conversation. "But I will need to hear more about this one, as well." She wasn't even sure of where she'd start with finding a way back to her home world. Was returning even a good idea? She'd had her share of friends there, but she'd had to leave friends behind to start a new life before. It was a tragic fact of life. At the same time, this new world was an unknown factor. Known danger would always be easier to withstand than the unknown. As they stopped at the door, she stepped back to let him unlock it, looking around at their surroundings. It definitely looked like they were in the sort of alleyway people walked into to get robbed. She doubted that factor changed in any given city or world. Still, she waited for the door to be open, then gestured for Louis to lead the way inside. Once there was a roof over her head, she closed the umbrella. Luckily, it slid and clicked shut easily, and she shook the excess water off in the doorway before securing it with the strap that hung from the cloth. She turned toward the hallway, taking in the doors and considering the size of the building itself. It seemed unlikely that he owned the entire thing. "Now, which one is yours?" @MMS (Martin-Maraiste)

Opening the front door, he held the door open until she was safely inside. The hallway was narrow and seemingly rather old but it was still in good condition. It was made of both wood and tiling, keeping the temperature pretty cool. On the right directly after the door were the mailboxes, a couple of them visibly crammed with newspapers and magazines. Not bothering to check his, Louis walked further down the hallway, his steps faintly echoing on the tiles. Fumbling for the right keys, he pointed to the wooden stairs with his chin. "I hope you don't mind stairs," he tried to joke, putting the first foot on the step that let out a creak, the kind of creak old and worn out wood makes when put under pressure. To him, getting to the fifth floor was daily exercise and he seemed unfazed when he reached the last floor, his breathing barely disturbed. Stopping to wait for Nainda, he pointed out the treacherous half-step leading to another hallway lit up by a single light-bulb hanging from the ceiling. Down that hallway were three doors, one on both sides and one straight ahead. Walking to the one on the left, he glanced at her before unlocking the main lock as well as the extra lock above it. Finally opening the door to his apartment, he invited her inside before closing the door behind them. The room was rather small but somehow Louis had managed to make it look bigger. The thing that usually struck people first was the video-recording area, composed of a rather decently sized microphone, foam on the wall, a white light and a camera on a tripod on the desk where was also his computer. All of that was in the far left corner, in the right one, behind a set of two bookshelves laid down on top of one another was his bed, double and modest. Closer to the door was the kitchen and a half-opened door that lead to the bathroom. @Al the Killer

"Stairs are fine," Nainda assured as she followed after him. After all, she was used to them, and in narrower and more winding stairwells than this building seemed to have. Yet she still gave the first step a disapproving look as it creaked under her, as though taking the noise as a personal insult. She stayed silent in the stairwell and the hallway, only speaking after she'd stepped into the flat and he'd closed the door behind him. "It appears..." Smaller than she'd expected, but she tried to think of a more polite phrasing as she looked around at her surroundings. "...Cozy. I hope my stay will not disturb anyone else in your household?" There didn't seem to be much furniture, but that still didn't rule out the possibility of family or a spouse occupying the same space. "I will try not to impose for any longer than necessary." She stepped toward the desk with the strange machinery set up. The screen looked almost similar to the 'cellphone' from earlier, but far larger and with several wires attached to other, even less familiar items. Still, she took care not to touch anything, as she would not make herself at home unless invited to do so. "You wanted to know more about the world I came from, yes?" she asked. "It is very... different. Magic is common, for one, where I have sensed a notable absence of it here, aside from my own." She turned away from his computer set-up to face toward him. "So I am assuming that things like those horseless carriages outside or your cellphone are not the work of magic, but simple technology, similar to a spinning wheel or printing press..." She trailed off. "I am unsure if those items would be familiar here, and a world is a lot to explain to a person. Is there anything in particular you would like to know?" @MMS (Martin-Maraiste)

Leaving the keys in the lock to prevent anyone from mistaking his door for theirs, - which happened surprisingly more often than he initially thought when moving in - he let out a chuckle at her compliment. "It's small, but it's plenty enough for one person to live in," he replied, answering her question. He couldn't help but feel somewhat flattered that she thought someone else could be living with him, but he kept quiet about it, not wanting to seem full of himself. Observing her observing his setup, he took off his shoes and decided to let her finish talking before asking her to remove hers as well. All wet that they were, he wanted to avoid ruining the wooden floor; it was a rental after all. Once she turned around, Louis' eyes detailed her once again in the light of what she had just told him. It made much more sense now, everything made more sense. Taking two small glasses from the drying rack next to the sink, he filled them with a transparent liquid from a small green bottle and offered a glass to her. "Soju," he informed, "A sort of alcohol from South Kore..a." Realizing that she couldn't know about the different countries, he gulped down his glass before going over to the bookshelf and frantically looking for something. "You're right, there's no magic here. Though I guess you could say that to our ancestors, it might look like magic now." Pulling out a book, he walked back to the kitchen and opened it, turning the pages until he arrived at a large map that took both pages. Holding it out for her to see, he pointed to Britain. "We're here." He wasn't sure she could read the different names on the map, was her writing system the same as his? "Can you read it?" @Al the Killer

Nainda left her boots and new umbrella by the door as she followed him to the kitchen. As she set the water bottle on the counter, she looked over at the washbasin. It was... fairly reasonable to assume that was what it was, even though she didn't see the usual type of pump to draw water up from the ground. Curious, she turned one of the knobs. Even though she'd expected it to bring the water, she still jumped once some began to pour out. Quickly, to avoid wasting it, she turned the water back off. He was standing closer than she'd expected when he started speaking, and she turned to face him. "Thank you, dear." She took the glass and stepped away to look more at the strange place. The kitchen was not fully unrecognizable in terms of setup, but certainly new. She took a sip of the glass and started to explain magic. "Where I come from, there are two main categories of magic. Ambient magic comes from the world around us, energies that can be freely drawn upon and used for the caster's purpose. It is extremely challenging, but can be used by anyone who puts in the years of study necessary. Wizards are the most obvious example of ambient magic users. Internal magic still draws from the world around us, but requires the user's own energy in order to do so; the forces it uses are not naturally available. The ability to use internal magic can be inherited, or obtained through a pact with some higher spiritual being. The magic of sorcerers, clerics, and warlocks all fall into this category..." She trailed off, still uncertain of how many of the terms she was using would even be familiar. Instead of talking more, she took another sip from her glass and walked over to where hed brought the book. If she squinted and leaned in, she could make out the shape on the page that he was pointing at.

4:16 AM

"I believe you called this kingdom 'Britain', yes?" she asked. "Unfortunately, I am - and always have been - quite nearly blind. I can see larger shapes and colours well enough, but finer details such as writing are indistinguishable. My reading ability does not extend beyond engraved or embossed runes." @MMS (Martin-Maraiste)

Squinting, he stared at her leaning in. Were glasses not a thing in her world? In a world where magic dominated, no one had thought of inventing glasses or spells to better one's vision? His mind was getting a bit dizzy from all the information but truth be said it didn't sound so different from a fantasy TV show or book. "Mmh..." he clicked his tongue and looked up at her with eyes filled with a glint of hope. "Would your magic still work here? Or do you like, not feel anything around?" Louis was starting to realize that it was real, but until he saw magic - or an attempt of it - he wouldn't truly buy it. Something was still holding him back. Rubbing his chin with his hand, he nodded pensively. So he wouldn't know if the writing was the same. But another idea grew in his mind. Maybe he could take her to an optician, or lend her his old glasses. He technically still needed to wear them, especially when working on his computer or reading in dim lighting but if it could help her see a bit better he'd gladly lend his help. "I may be able to help with that if the issue is what I think." he said as he opened a drawer of his desk and looked within it for a little rectangular box. Turning back to her, he opened it and revealed two lenses fitted in a black plastic frame. He put it on to show her before handing it out. "Sounds like how I used to be when I was a kid." @Al the Killer

Nainda considered for a moment. "Mine is internal, and I can still sense it despite the absence of ambient magic, so I think so," she said. She hadn't really tried. Hadn't really had a need for it yet. But she could catch the shift in his demeanor and guess what he might want from that question. "But a demonstration would be... Ill-advised," she added. "Entropic fleshcrafting can be a bit bloody and more than a bit unpleasant." She watched him search for the small box, curiosity growing with each second. Then waning as she saw what it was. "I appreciate the thought, but eyeglasses have never worked for me." But this was a different world, with more advanced technology. "I can try it anyway." She took the glasses, putting them on. There was no improvement in visual acuity, let alone enough to justify the dizziness that hit almost instantly. She soon took them off, setting them back into the box. "I was told it was a curse, inherited from my father," she said, mostly because her world lacked knowledge of genetic diseases. "But it is quite alright; I have done just fine as it is." She offered a reassuring smile, then finished off her drink. "I can wash the glasses," she offered. "Drinking glasses, not eyeglasses. Obviously." @MMS (Martin-Maraiste)

A little pout briefly passed on his face as she refused to try magic, "Entropic...fleshcrafting..?" he tilted his head to the side, not sure he was getting what she meant. A brief light of disappointment flickered in his eyes when he learned that eyeglasses were a thing in her world as well, he had thought otherwise. It dawned on him that there was still so much that he didn't know, both about her and her home world. Clearing his throat as he closed the box, he suggested, if she was feeling up for it, to go to a doctor. "It may be rude of me to suggest so, but if you have to gain something from this world, I want to help you see better." Putting his own glass in the sink, he fiddled with the sleeves of his cardigan, unsure if it was okay to have her do the dishes. He had never lived with someone aside from his family and he rarely had guests over so he wasn't sure about politeness rules. Hesitating, he looked into her eyes and finally agreed. "You don't have to, but if you wish to do so... please be my guest." @Al the Killer

Nainda nodded. "Entropic fleshcrafting," she confirmed confidently, then realized he probably had no clue what that was. "It draws on forces of entropy - think of it as disorder, if you will - in order to create changes to things that are or once were living. The most obvious and predictable use would be causing decay in living things or preventing or reversing decay in the dead. It can also be used to curse or to cure, harm or heal, but such processes generally come with less predictable side effects. Its use in healing would transform the patient into what has often been described by small-minded individuals as a 'monster'." She tilted her head to one side. "It has been mistaken for necromancy, if you have heard of that concept before, but cannot revive or reanimate the dead." It wasn't strictly true; she could, if she had to, puppet a corpse by manually expanding or contracting the various muscles, but the amount of effort required would hardly have been worth the effect. For now, she considered his offer about seeing better. She was still soaked from the rain and acutely aware of how strange her presence would seem. "Would that be wise?" she asked. "I have noticed that everyone here appears to be fully human. Half-elf physiology is unlikely to be terribly different, but would there be adverse reactions to your world's healers noticing me?" The last thing she wanted was to be treated as a mere curiosity, or worse, some sort of test subject. Still, she gathered up the dishes and started to wash them. The least she could do was help out around the tiny flat. A useful guest, rather than sitting around idle. .

3:30 AM

"If you are truly so disappointed about not being able to see my magic, though..." She trailed off, considering. People really didn't like when you dug up graves, and she got the impression that would be a universal truth. "I suppose something small would be possible. In the interest of me not having to open up any veins or repay your kindness with injury, perhaps there is a florist's shop nearby? Perhaps we could stop at a seamstress on the way? I have noticed that my attire is rather different from what seems to be the norm here." @MMS (Martin-Maraiste)

Truth was told, he was still lost at most of her explanation. The few things he understood, though, were that it changed things related to death and that it wasn't necromancy, as she had said so herself. So maybe, a genre of necromancers? He had no other clue, he had never been a big fan of D&D and its linguo. Crossing his arms on his chest, he stopped fiddling with his sleeves and considered the thought. "You're right... but we could play it off as plastic surgery!" The idea came as he spoke and he gave more details. "You know, here a lot of people, more and more, turn to plastic surgery to have some parts of their bodies changed. Often it's to have bigger boobs or ass, to keep a youthful face for older women... lots of reasons." he paused, walking back to lean on the drying rack next to her. "You could say you wanted to have a surgery done to change the shape of your ears." he shrugged and looked at her face closely, now that he was closer than ever before. She was beautiful. "It's not unheard of." Taking another look at her outfit, he walked to his wardrobe and searched in it for a few seconds before taking out a sweater just like his own and handing it to her. "This can do the job for now, we'll be going as soon as the rain dies down a bit." @Al the Killer

Nainda listened curiously to his explanation of plastic surgery. So when a surgeon cut someone open for the sole purpose of changing their appearance, they were 'a legitimate doctor' and 'helping people', but when she saved someone's life and accidentally gave them a lovely exoskeleton and some bonus eyes in the process, she was a 'heretic' and 'never to return on pain of death'. What a different world this was from her own. "A strange procedure, but at least it serves as an explanation," she said, having come from a world where surgery was far more dangerous and painful. Perhaps her original misgivings had been off; he seemed perfectly helpful. She'd still keep her guard up for a while, though. She accepted the sweater and held it up, not entirely sure it would fit right. But it would be better than nothing, even if it did turn out a bit tight. "Thank you, dear." She pulled it on over her head. The material at least seemed stretchy enough, and his sweaters seemed large on him, so it didn't turn out to be too tight. "Yes, this will do for now." She was somewhat aware of the assumptions people would make, seeing two unrelated people currently living together and wearing matching sweaters. Oh well; their thoughts were not her problem, and this jumper was cozy. "So, tell me more about this," she prompted, walking over to the desk with the strange devices in it. @MMS (Martin-Maraiste)

Watching her pull over his clothes, he felt a twinge of possessiveness towards her. For some reason, he didn't want to give her away, or let her go. It was as if he had been charmed by a silent spell and it had taken roots in him. It didn't dawn on him that this had always been a part of himself for all he could think of now were related to Nainda. Following her to the desk, he put a hand on the microphone and explained how it worked, apologizing for his mediocre explanation. "It records your voice and transforms it into an electrical signal," caressing the keyboard with the tip of his fingers, he continued. "I then arrange it on the computer, along with what I record through my camera." He pointed to the latter. "Are you familiar with similar techniques? It captures your image, moving or still." Pulling over his chair, he sat down and turned on his computer. "Do you want to try? Or see what it looks like once the work is finished?" @Al the Killer (sorry for the short answer!)

Nainda listened to his explanation. It was straightforward enough. What she didn't already know about, she could infer from context. What strange machines they had here indeed. It didn't look like much, but it seemed it could do the work of several different spells at once. "The closest I can think of that you would know about is a painting, but this is far beyond that," she admitted. "There are memory-capture spells that can bind visual and auditory memories to an object, through which they can be replayed, but only the most skilled artificers are able to use such enchantments." She stepped aside, standing next to the chair as she observed. Her ears twitched at the various hums and beeps of a computer waking up, some not even perceptible to human ears. She couldn't deny, her curiosity was difficult to satiate. Of course she wanted to know more. But she was cautious of any sort of recording of her existing in a world where she was a novelty. "I would like to see what the finished work looks like," she said, leaning forward for a better look. @MMS (Martin-Maraiste) (It's alright!)

Smiling softly from being able to talk about his hobby, he started his session - albeit he was the only user of this computer - and clicked a couple of time on the strange round-ish thing next to the keyboard. Finally, the screen showed a small black box that suddenly got bigger. Adjusting his speakers, he moved slightly to the side so Nainda could see better. "Ready?" And so, he played his last video, not yet uploaded. He had been told by classmates that he had a nice, relaxing voice, so he had decided to capitalize on it in some way. By some turn of luck, he discovered ASMR videos right when he was pondering what to do with his voice. Not confident about his singing, he had crossed out the idea of becoming a singer and he didn't really know what else to do. Blushing slightly, he covered his mouth with his hand, staying very silent throughout the video. Once it was over, he pretended readjusting his hair and looked away. "It sounds better when you wear headphones..." he tried to explain, unsure if she enjoyed it or not. Heck, if she liked it didn't matter as long as she found it interesting! @Al the Killer

Nainda nodded, observing the changes to the shiny rectangle in front of her. She kept her attention on the black box and gave a brief nod, wondering just what it was he created on this setup. "Ready." As it started playing, she wished she could say just what in the nine hells she was witnessing. She could not. Her head tilted to one side as her lips pressed together, her expression one of pure puzzlement as she tried to decipher just what the purpose of using that tone of voice and the various sounds in the video could be. How exactly was someone supposed to feel about this? As it ended, she was silent, trying to think of the most polite way to word the question. "You... Will have to forgive my cultural ignorance," she said after a moment. "But I understand nothing." It still sounded more judgmental than she'd wanted, when she was simply confused and a bit curious, so she opted for bluntness instead of attempted politeness. She glanced over at him, noting the redness on his face. While the content hadn't been explicit in any way, she could see how the audio could be interpreted as having obscene undertones. Just from the tone of voice itself. "Is it a sex thing?" she asked, gently and patiently. "I won't judge if it is - everyone has their own interests, after all - I'm simply trying to understand the purpose." Then, as an afterthought: "What are headphones?" @MMS (Martin-Maraiste) Not me trying to make him more embarrassed

All throughout the video, he hadn't been able to properly look at her, only stealing glances from the corner of his eye. Her silence was uncomfortable, Louis shifted a bit in his chair. Blushing harder at her question, he felt his lips dry out and holding eye contact with her became almost too much. "I-I guess some people use it that way?" he shook his head "But I don't do it with that in mind!" His flush came down a little as he explained himself. "Ears are generally quite sensitive...that's why." He wasn't sure it was a good explanation, but he was feeling too shy to tell her that it was only because he was self-conscious of his low 'morning' voice otherwise. Swiftly changing subjects, he grabbed another unknown object. "Headphones. The sound quality is better, you can hear finer sounds." Looking at her ears, he tilted his head, not sure if he should assume her hearing was the same as humans'. It shouldn't, since the shape of the ear was different, right? "People of this world usually don't have that good hearing." The moment he said that, he realized how brutal the general population was with their ears, stuffing it with earphones, covering them with headphones or generally not trying to protect them from loud noises. Maybe in Nainda's world, it was different. @Al the Killer

"I've embarrassed you," Nainda observed. Her tone wasn't apologetic, though. Mildly amused, perhaps, as though she was considering making it worse. Fortunately, she decided to be merciful for now. "More of a general sensory-seeking matter for the listener, then? Anyway, yes, human hearing is rather weak. I heard it just fine, though, so that's alright." She patted his shoulder. "And don't be so worried. You have a nice voice." She wandered over to the window to look outside. The rain had lessened, slowing from the downpour earlier into more of a drizzle. With the umbrella and her borrowed sweater, they would be fine. She had to admit, the idea of going out there, when she'd been hunted just earlier that day, was mildly uncomfortable. But that had been in a different world. Here, she was unknown. There was no Wraith, and no Locurian Inquisition. "Do you want to go out?" she asked, looking back at him. "It looks like the rain has calmed down out there, and this is quite a small home to spend all day indoors." She turned to face him fully, turning her head toward where she'd left her boots and umbrella. She'd never been able to understand how someone could not get bored staying inside all the time, but maybe it was different with all the machines this world had. Still, she preferred to go somewhere than not. @MMS (Martin-Maraiste)

Gesturing that it was alright, he nodded in agreement and put the headphones back where he stored it. Following her with his gaze, he barely glanced outside when she mentioned the improvement of the weather. "Sure thing, we can do that." Getting up, he rummaged through the pockets of a jacket thrown on the bed for a brief moment before triumphantly shoving a wallet in the pocket of his current pair of jeans. "We can buy some clothes while we're at it, at least until... until we find a way to get you home." Somehow, saying the last part of his sentence came as painful. Why? Was it because he just didn't want her to go? Or was it because he felt he had finally found someone he wanted to keep close? Pushing the thoughts away, he reasoned that she would likely want to go back to her world anyway. Putting on a slightly forced smile, he started putting his shoes back on. "Is there anywhere else you'd like to visit?" (i am very sorry for the very late and short answer!!)

5:04 AM

Gesturing that it was alright, he nodded in agreement and put the headphones back where he stored it. Following her with his gaze, he barely glanced outside when she mentioned the improvement of the weather. "Sure thing, we can do that." Getting up, he rummaged through the pockets of a jacket thrown on the bed for a brief moment before triumphantly shoving a wallet in the pocket of his current pair of jeans. "We can buy some clothes while we're at it, at least until... until we find a way to get you home." Somehow, saying the last part of his sentence came as painful. Why? Was it because he just didn't want her to go? Or was it because he felt he had finally found someone he wanted to keep close? Pushing the thoughts away, he reasoned that she would likely want to go back to her world anyway. Putting on a slightly forced smile, he started putting his shoes back on. "Is there anywhere else you'd like to visit?" @Al the Killer (i am very sorry for the very late and short answer!!)

Nainda looked over at him as he mentioned finding a way home, noting the hesitation in his words. Unusual. But she had her own doubts, mostly about the possibility of getting there. Translocation spells were outside of her usual abilities, especially spells large enough to jump worlds. In a world without magic, the odds of finding help were next to none. "That might be for the best," she agreed. "It may be a while." Was it even safe to go back? Did she have anything worth returning to? She supposed it all depended on how tolerable this world turned out to be. "So, clothes and a florist so we can pick up something I can demonstrate my magic on, since you wanted to see that... Unless the local cemetery will not mind a bit of creative experimentation?" It seemed unlikely, though. She walked back to the door and put her boots back on, then picked up the umbrella she had bought. "This world doesn't seem to use a barter or gift economy... do you actually accept gold as payment here, or were you just being polite?" she asked. Because if they were going shopping, it seemed important to understand the logistics of it. @MMS (Martin-Maraiste) (It's alright! I hope you're feeling better.)