freeskies | (no subject)

I do. I'm out of class till Friday.

I know a cafe, and I can bring a tablet. Around four, maybe? I'll send you the address.

Around four, then. I'll be there.

[At the appointed time, Penelope is waiting outside the cafe, leaning casually against the dark wood exterior. It's a homey place, called 'Cagliostros' and has a seeming old-world flair. She's been there a little while, as it's not far from the fire station, so she'd gone to drop off some snacks to Freya.

She nods casually at Franklin as he approaches, and while she's not exactly thrilled to be seeing him...it is better that someone used to info-gathering gets the information she has.]

Franklin. I hope this place is up to your exacting standards.

[actually, it's quite to his taste, but while his standards were exacting, he'd learned long ago to be flexible. He pulls off his sunglasses as he steps close to her.]

Penelope. You shouldn't worry about my standards in this one instance. After all, it's your information I seek, is it not?

No, all I need is a space quiet enough to hear the sound.

Shall we?

As if I wouldn't come with a copy, and headphones.

[She is swimming in Fuji flash drives after all.

Pushing the door open without another word, she leads the way into a place that looks something like a tea-house from 19th century Venice. All wood, with dim lighting and booths with draw-string curtains. All in all, a nice place, complete with beautiful smelling coffee and tea.

Leading him to a booth after ordering a cup of a thick Persian-blended Chai, she sets up a tablet for him.]

Okay. So, I had my Go-Pro on me. And I've checked out the video since. It's pretty wild, and should at least give you some context as to how weird Unreality can be.

[Something tickles at her nose, some spice or other, and she lets out a little sneeze, quickly covering her face and looking around for a napkin or something...]

[that was unfortunate, it had been awhile since he'd seen a place without napkins at the table. Interesting. He turned to his bag, reaching into one of the pockets, and pulling out a small package of tissues. He pulls one out and offers it to her.]

Always come prepared.

[but more about that unreality bit...]

[Now naturally she takes it and cleans her hands and nose up before slathering them with hand sanitizer.]

Thanks. I think I ran out.

[With that she starts setting up the tablet, plugging in headphones and sliding them over to him.]

It's a pretty long video, but I've got bookmarks put at the main points.

For context, we were in a space station full of different biomes. The biome I dug around most in was an undersea one.

[he's about to respond, when a puzzled look comes across his face. He knows her. Or at least, something similar's happened between them before. But with a handkerchief, not a tissue. A soft exhale.]

Hmm... So you were correct about the memories.

[honestly, he'd passed his first one off as a dream. Trapped in a sealed off area of a fortress? That could have easily been a daydream. But this was... harder to ignore with Penelope right in front of him.]

They do come quickly, don't they?

[Penelope, for her part, blinks and leans back in her seat with a shudder, the memory flashing through her. That's not a comfortable thing for her, not in the slightest. It ties into several other memories, filling in a few gaps. The other her knows the other him. And she's not alone in that, apparently.]

They...do. It's always clearer with people your other self knew.

[Differentiating that, from the start.]

What did you see?

You, doing something quite reckless.

[ok, that's not all of the memory, but that's the main part, isn't it? Of course, he tugs at his watch for a moment.]

Well, I suppose that wasn't all. But it was a rather brief memory. A minute or less, but I do know who I saw.

[it was her.]

Mmm.

That's not really anything new.

[Reckless endangerment of herself is as common in her memories as confusion and fear.]

Did it involve...?

[She lifts the crumpled napkin, almost like it's significant.]

[a nod, and then he places his hand on his chin, considering.]

Not quite so explicitly, but the gesture was one and the same. I suppose you also remember something of the sort?

Now? Yes.

[A snort, and she drops the napkin.]

More to the point, I remember you. We traveled together, or our doubles did.

I can't imagine how that might have went.

[yes he can: he's thinking not well, if he was as much a loner then as he is now.]

But more to the point, this is useful to know. I'm not sure how, but I can't imagine being alone with memories like these would be simple.

Violently.

[Penelope offers a tired, almost put-upon smile.]

I've remembered a lot of really, really dangerous places. And even more fighting.

[he's been to warzones, and countries without a particular love of his profession for the express point of writing embarrassing stories on them. While he raises his eyebrows just a bit at the point, he doesn't seem to have as much of a visceral reaction to it.

Besides, there were other, stranger parts of the memory that concerned him. Such as his attitude about being arrested. It wasn't exactly hard to connect that memory with his previous one-- he was a criminal. And one that was hard to impress.]

I see. Then, perhaps this once, I will ask you spare me the gory details. We came here for other matters, did we not?

[Penelope arches one eyebrow and nods, flipping the tablet around.]

There is one thing. Before I show you this, I think you need to know that there is someone else that I've shared visions with, here in the city. Well, a significant one anyway. My girlfriend remembers chocobos too, but we haven't had any overlap yet.

Officer Noah Gabranth, who recently lost his Retrospec connection, is someone from that world that our doubles are. If he gets his connection back, he'd be someone to step lightly around.

[Which is an ominous statement but...]

[one he can't really appreciate just yet, especially without memories of the judges. But, he does humor her warning. He gives her a quick nod, and a serious look that meant he would take her warning to heart.

But that was all.]

Of course, though... Hmm. Well, perhaps, that is for another discussion at another time.

I am very keen on this video you've promised, Penelope.

[A nod. and she flips the tablet into play. Giving him This thread as a little show.]

So I see you made quite the friend... [he almost sounds as though he'd be joking, but the look on his face is serious.

In fact, he pauses and rewinds a few times on parts that he finds particularly interesting, for one reason or other. The first swimming, the appearance of Bruce, the garden. These are the things that draw his attention.

Still. Despite his initial statement, he looks... perturbed.]

... I see what you were hinting at.

Bruce? Yeah. He was great.

[How can an octopus not be awesome?]

And yeah. You see? Things can be...weird. To be frank this isn't the most insane thing that's happened to me since Retrospec started fucking with my life, but it's close.

[he leans back, and places a hand to his chin as he puzzles over the video. The footage was raw enough that he doubted it was photoshopped. But there was a part of him that wondered...

He looks up at Penelope, and then waves a hand at her.]

Then, since we are both at a similar crossroads, shall I propose a partnership?

I admit that I may not have helped with our... previous interactions. But I've a strong suspicion that you and I will remember more about each other as time goes on.

[Closing her eyes, Penelope folds her arms and rests them on the table, thinking that over. Sorting out what she knew of this guy. He'd been present in the fight with Noah, and appeared in the background more than once, he'd given her advice, and other people talked about him at times. The rabbit woman in particular. That made things complicated, because as much as she disliked Franklin Brewer and his disdain for fluff pieces, she knew he would probably wind up being someone important to her.

Slowly drawing a breath, she offers a hand.]

Fine. Just...don't treat me like you did before. I may not be a world-weary journalist, but that doesn't make my job any less valid. [Entertainment being what it was, after all.]

You are right though. I've got the same feeling. Like...an itch, I guess. We're tied together, undoubtedly.

The thought never crossed my mind. [he doesn't entirely sound sincere, but, he at least follows it up with more.]

Regardless, I believe we may be able to help each other. I can't abandon the story I've come here to investigate, and given what I've seen, experienced, and heard, I doubt my editor would be keen on the Retrospec story. But you've knowledge I don't, and proof.

That was well thought-- or exceedingly lucky. I'm impressed.

[Puffy cheeks. She knows you're not sincere. Ass.]

It was just normal for me. I was covering the convention, then stuff went crossways, and I had my go-pro with me. It seemed natural, and I try not to go anywhere without a way to record something, and in higher quality than a cell phone camera.

That said, I am willing to work with you, and share what I can.

[She slides the tablet back to her end of the table, and flips a thumb drive over to him.]

There's a copy for you. As a start.

no subject

no subject

<--Action.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject