asgardeventide | oo1 ♠audio♠ 521 @ 0419 🚬

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oo1 ♠audio♠ 521 @ 0419 🚬

[ Dead air. ]

Now.. how does.. [ beep. ] Uh...

[ Dead air for three minutes. ]

God-damn-it!

Okay -- Hullo? [ He's got the audio working again! ]

Look, if you can hear me.. anyone.. My name's DeWitt, listen.. I don't know what kind of business this place thinks I can handle but this whole fighting a war of the gods and energy sharing thing isn't really something I'm familiar with.

Now.. [ beep; Booker accidentally activated the video function and Asgard gets a quick view of his 1910s brown shoes. The broadcast was soon back on audio only. ] If someone could just.. give me a few pointers I'd be appreciative.

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Booker!

[The voice is young, a little bit excited, but- well. Definite recognition, until she realizes that Booker is definitely not remembering this place, which means he won't remember her or Joel.

There is a somewhat awkward pause as she catches her breath, then tries gamely to push onward.]

I mean, hey. I'm- Ellie.

[ Booker stares intently at the display from his bracelet. His brows high on his forehead and his eyes wide with all the surprise of someone calling out to him in recognition.

Yeah, he definitely caught that.

It doesn't take him too long to respond but when he does it's evident in his tone that he's unsure of this: ]

Ellie.. hi.. [ The left corner of his lips purse, causing a fat dimple to crater between his cheek and chin. Then he huffs softly before: ] So, we met then?

Uh, a couple of times.

[He'll almost be able to hear her shoulders jerking upwards, the verbal shrug.]

You helped us out. It's the kind of thing you remember.

[ What kind of goddamn place is this? What's the point of bringing me back here without my memory.. what's the angle? I don't like being toyed with.. and this is significantly awkward. ]

Listen, I'm sorry I don't remember. Apparently it's something to be expected. Talked to someone just barely who was trying to explain this very thing to me.

[ With that aside Booker wonders just what kind of agreement he had with Ellie--and who is "us"--helping someone out didn't mean he was shooting for some altruism all of a sudden. ]

Do you think you'd mind explaining what happened? How I helped, how we met before?

Hey, woah, not your fault. It happens. A lot more than you'd expect. And you just had my back in a couple firefights, that's all.

I, uh... I was friends with Elizabeth. And I guess you and Joel got along just fine. Anyway, yeah -- Joel lost his arm, and I guess you let him have one of your skyhook thingamabobs. It was cool of you.

[ FIREFIGHTS! Booker was somewhat relieved, consciously recognizing the situation wasn't that he had gone into debt with this girl (damn she sounds young!) which was his usual motive for helping someone out. Subconsciously the reason was much deeper for his relief, being the fact that he did his best not to get close to anyone. Making friends, people he cared about, that sort of stuff was a thing of the past--

not that he did that all entirely too well to begin with, but doing that now was only going to get potential candidates hurt. ]

I reckon the fight was something to do with the general war and chaos that afflicts this city from time to time? I joined the City Patrol group this time around, so I could imagine I'd be in a situation to help you out then if I was a part of that group last time. [ He thought about his words and decided to better say: ] Not that I wouldn't help you out regardless.. just strange trying to put myself in a place I can't recall. [ Next thing he knew he'd be making memories where none existed... ]

Joel I can't recall either, nor a skyhook thingabobs--Elizabeth yeah.. [ He nodded his head and pursed his lips as he didn't want to be too entirely open with his thoughts about the quirky girl. ] I had some business with her before I ended up here.

Ah--[ Wait.. Elizabeth is acting just as new to this place as I am... ]--did you say you were friends with Elizabeth? So she was here too? I mean .. before, I just came across her not too long ago and she was acting freshly placed herself.

Edited (what is appropriate word choices ;3;? /fixed word) 2014-10-08 06:22 (UTC)

Try all the time. And... I don't think we had the groups the last time you were here. Things were a little less crazy, no weapons registry or curfew or anything. But the war wasn't so close back then either.

[Rapid fire. Info, info, trying to get him up to speed, as if she does this all the time, enough that it doesn't throw her anymore. Then again, you put an adaptable teenager into a warzone and she'll find a way to make it work.]

Don't worry, plenty of other people don't remember being here the first time. Well. I mean. Worry, I guess, but not too much. Your head's okay-

-Elizabeth's back?

[ Yeah, worry.. definitely have to. If I was here before and long enough to make some form of acquaintances then I could have made a few enemies too. I better be careful who I trust. ]

Yeah, she might be in the same spot I'm in.. she never mentioned being here before.

[ Plenty of other people don't remember being here for the first time.. ] Does this.. coming and going and forgetting thing happen a lot?

Not all the time, but enough that it kind of sucks when it does.

[The volume of her voice lessens, verging on mumbling, as if she doesn't want to acknowledge how much it sucks. Like that might make it suck less.]

... how's Elizabeth?

[She sounds even less sure of this, but thoughtful. As if asking Booker is preferable to asking Elizabeth herself.]

Definitely puts us at a disadvantage.. those who remember those who don't. [ Shit. ]

Elizabeth--? [ Booker swallows and pushes aside quick responses that may be unfavorable to the poor girl--But Christ.. she's special ain't she? Next to trying to describe intimidating songbirds that are made of gears and the tower life she's known all of her life, "quirky" just doesn't do her justice. Booker thought Elizabeth to be half home yet more out the door than anything. Can't really say that.. could I? ]

She's in good spirits.

Hm. [ He clears his throat. ] Uh, well.. she said there's a caravan later this day to .. [ Oh hell, what was that name.. Youtard? Hootyard? ... ] collect supplies, if you're headed out that way we may run into one another? Or you and Elizabeth..

It also makes us sound like a crazy stalkers. Which is super fun for everyone.

[Listening to Booker hem and haw over describing Elizabeth only makes Ellie want to laugh, but she swallows it as best she can. It has the effect of making her voice lighter, more breathy, but at least she's not snickering.]

Sure. Sounds like something Joel might even want to get in on. I'll see if he's up for it.

[It's been a lean time for hoarders.]

[ He knows a thing or two about sneaking around people, watching them.. but she sounds somewhat more joking than not so that annoying pinch of yearning for familiarity he forces back down an inch in his gut. ]

Right, maybe seeing you both.. [ Funny saying this in "audio" mode. ] might work out some memory.

It might, but... it also might not.

Some people really, really fucking hate it when somebody shows up who knows too much about them. I don't blame them, it'd be really weird.

[ . . . What does she know about me? Booker is quiet a moment before he answers. A whole new feeling of uncertainty washes over him. ]

Think you could tell me what you know about me?

Um...

[Ellie gives an extended little hum, trying to place what she does know.]

That you're good with guns. No problem with fighting. Or killing. And you watch out for Elizabeth. She seems like she trusts you, and I get the feeling you'd do a lot for her.

So, not a lot, but enough to know that it's good having you on my side, and I sure as hell wouldn't want to fight you, buuuut I don't think we'd ever have to.

[ Alright, so that's not too bad.. right? ]

... [ Wait. How did this Elizabeth become so intertwined in my life? She was means to bury the debt, it was suppose to be simple.. so to speak. The job should have been somewhat simple, right? Find a girl, bring her to New York, get paid, and move on with his life.

If he would have known this was going to take him to Asgard maybe he should have really turned the man down. ] Hn. ... hm.

[ Fat chance, there was no climbing out of my debt without this job. ]

No, I reckon we don't have any reason to raise arms against one another. You been nothing but helpful.. And I appreciate it.

Hey, you're welcome.

[Awkward silence passes for a few seconds, before Ellie naturally, easily fills it in.]

What group did you end up joining, anyway?

[ Booker lifts his hand and rubs at his chin, then scratches gently beneath his bottom lip down to his chin. ]

City Patrol--[ I'm feeling over my head.. ] Although I'm beginning to think I picked an arduous position in this place. [ He can't remember if he already asked her or not so he asks: ] What group are you in?

[Ellie groans aloud, the starts laughing.]

Great, now it's gonna be tough to break curfew.

I'm, uh, part of the group that does the dangerous shit.

[ Good thing Booker doesn't give a goddamned about curfew. ]

Oh good, I apparently avoided that then. Maybe I did choose wisely.

[Ellie tries to cover her laugh with a snort.]

Nah, you're gonna see plenty of action, don't worry.

I never put too much stock in God or Heaven and this isn't the first time I've encountered those who called themselves gods and those who promised heaven or hell. Whatever it is they brought me here to do, I don't have intentions on doing it for them. Necessary or unavoidable as that task may be, I'm just looking to get through it.

It may very well be my preference to bear witness to whatever action might come forth. Unless it's between me and surviving, I don't have grandeur plans for heroism.

[ Though she may have not been asking him a serious question, or a question at all, Booker is moved enough to express his discontent with his particular circumstance -- though he does understand they're all plucked and pulled from their worlds the same as he. ]

I know I haven't been here long, well... this time around and none of what I did or seen before is with me this time, but this already seems like a mission made for machines not people. And that doesn't sit too kindly with me.

[ The fact these gods decided to disregard him by yanking him out of his life to drain his energy - or whatever - was only pissing him off. He sure as hell didn't feel like he owed these gods anything, this world anything...

But then a thought struck him like a cold chill to his spine--

Elizabeth.. Could that be the reason this girl followed him here, or he her? To entice himself somehow to this world, to make him obligated to put forth effort and duty? For the off chance that he may yet still leave with the girl and obtain financial freedom from his heavy debt? If so, even worse for these gods to manipulate him in this way.. ]

[Ellie sits quietly through his stream of consciousness, listening and filing stuff carefully away like she always does, observing much more than people tend to give her credit for.

It mostly fits with the Booker Ellie knew from before. Very much like Joel, not being interested, not appreciating being drafted or used for anyone's purposes... a stance that Joel very much still has, though Ellie has started to care, to invest herself.

She really can't do anything less.]

Did they tell you anything about why we're really here? What the war's about, what's actually at stake? This is about us, too.

[ Booker thinks he knows what's going on here, despite what's said or what's left unsaid. From what he's learned so far, in the short time he's been here (..this time around), is that a whole lot of people were pulled not just from all over but different times, different worlds.

Whatever this is still doesn't have Booker convinced that in the end he should be at all honored in being here. ]

I'm more interested in what this means to you, what you feel it's about.. because whatever they tell us, show us, give us, or take away from us.. doesn't make me a believer. It could be that this whole design is a parlor trick--

and we are mice to hawks. [ There's no doubt in Booker's mind that these "gods" are higher beings, powerful, and much more advanced than he's ever known any society to be--but that still doesn't mean they're not capable of lying. ]

Probably. But I've seen enough shit here to know that they're gonna get completely fucked up if we don't help.

... and the powers they gave us sure are real.

[She gets a little quiet then, lets out a slow sigh.]

Have you ever been in a war?

oo1 ♠audio♠ 521 @ 0419 🚬

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