001 (action/video)

[betri]

A. ACTION: GENESSIA CITY

[There is a young man (one might say a "boy") at the Bay, arms folded across his chest as he rubs his chin in thought. In front of him, the hologram of Weiss Schnee repeats her message, and for the third time the boy reaches up to wave a hand in front of its face.]

... Okay, either you're a blind, deaf spirit, or... a message. Yeah.

[He looks around worriedly, as if hoping to see a certain someone nearby - but there's no one to be found, or at the very least not who he's looking for. Those with exceptional hearing can hear him mutter:]

Where are you, dad...?

========

B. VIDEO

[Thanks to the easy to follow instructions in the pamphlet for newcomers, it isn't a huge undertaking for Atreus to get the device working properly, and the video feed begins focused... A little too close to his face, but these things take time and practice, right? He's smiling, but it's more polite (and nervous) than genuine.]

Hello?

...

Well, I think it's working... So. Hello! You know, again. I guess a lot of people are stuck here too, right? My name's Atreus, and I have... so many questions, but I'll start with one. That ghost lady who welcomes everyone mentioned something about how sometimes gods show up here.

Is that true? How many are here right now?

Comments

[howamanlives]

[Masaru's duties may put him in Attleton, but Genessia City is where he got his start. He takes to the docks sometimes to check up on things... and that's when he overhears the newcomer. He turns, and hurries over.]

Uh, hey there kid. You just got here, right?

[betri]

[He turns in the direction of the voice - bristling a little at "kid", standing a little taller, but he hides that bit of annoyance behind a nod.

He makes sure to keep a small distance between them, though - you never know.]

Yeah, that's right.

[howamanlives]

[You're smaller than Masaru is, so you're "kid" for now, buddy.]

Well, my name's Masaru. If you need help with anything, I can provide it, maybe.

[betri]

I'm Atreus. Honestly, this is all... a lot to take in. Like...

[He opens his arms wide, turning in place to quickly gesture at everything around them.]

A lot. The way everything is built here is so... different.

[howamanlives]

Ah... well. Tell me what it's like where you're from. Maybe I can figure out how to introduce you to all of it.

Action:

[highpitchednoises]

[ Regan was still job hunting, even though she didn’t need one she could easily enroll in the school and take lessons and al that happy kid fun, but after being homeschooled for so long, she didn’t know how she felt about a classroom environment. Not to mention, she wanted to help out with things at home. Today, however, she’s not really job hunting. Today is a day for exploring and listening. Her cochlear device works, and god knows how much she’s missed sound.

Her own hearing is still limited to a sort of noisy awareness that there are things going on around her, so she doesn’t hear Atreus speak. She does see him, though. It’s a kid roughly her age. How could she not notice. Removing her whiteboard from her sun-patterned backpack and cracking open a black marker, she writes him a message. ]

Hi. I’m Regan. I’m deaf and I really hope you know sign language.

Action:

[betri]

[He perks up a bit at the sight of someone his own age - honestly, he can probably count the number of times he's met other kids on one hand, and he wouldn't even need all of his fingers. He watches with some curiosity as she pulls out the board to write on (both the board and the marker are fascinating, mind you), and in a moment her message is written out for him. He opens his mouth to answer--

Oh, right. Deaf.

Instead he holds his hands out, nodding towards the board and marker.]

Re: Action:

[highpitchednoises]

[ Regan has prepared for moments like this. Moments where people want the white board and while she'd be fine with it in other situations? She simply turns the back of it to face Atreus, a pre-written message on the back. ]

I read lips. Just speak carefully. I'll even teach you a sign or two, if you want. Okay?

Action:

[betri]

[Oh! Okay, that's a neat skill to have. He nods in understanding, talking a little slowly.]

My name is Atreus. I don't think I've ever heard of sign language, but I'm pretty good at learning things. Can you show me?

Re: Action:

[highpitchednoises]

[ There's an excited nod and a grin from Regan before she's writing again. ]

Atreus, nice to meet you. Did I spell your name right? I can teach you how to sign that.

Video

[youfool]

Hello Atreus! I'm Ted.

While they're happy to be called such, it's about as meaningful as saying you're a brunette. I wouldn't take them any more seriously than anyone else; if gods have a reputation of being especially significant they've so far never lived up to it.

Video

[betri]

... Well, maybe that depends on the god, right? It's not like they're all exactly the same.

Have you seen any here, though? Recently?

Re: Video

[youfool]

True enough. [Because they're all heathen lies.] Odin, I think, showed up but recently, but has since disappeared. For gods they're very flighty. There may be a few milling about, but I've not heard, and I know most everyone that passes by. That should give you an idea of how little they register.

Video

[betri]

--Odin?!

[Sorry, Ted, but pretty much everything else fell on deaf ears the moment he dropped that name.]

Odin was here? What was he doing? Was he looking for something?

Re: Video

[youfool]

Ehehe, that's just it; they never do anything. His state wasn't much better than yours; new and bewildered, looking for familiar faces. Suppose he didn't find enough to stay, though he claimed a colorful career in defending Earth.

Ah, pardon! I meant Thor. Forgive the confusion.

Oh, Loki hung around for a bit too. Thankfully not at the same time, else there may have been some squabbling.

video:

[blueberryprincess]

[ There's a girl with dark eyes and very blue hair watching you very carefully, Atreus. Don't worry. She's quite harmless, unless you mess with people she cares for. Then the witch is out.

But this is a child. One who looks very capable and able to handle his own, but it's still a kid. So she's going to be kind as she films from outside her mothers house, tucking her wild blue hair into a braid as she speaks. ]

Hello, Atreus. My name is Evie Mills. Welcome to Genessia. I'm guessing you arrived alone like a lot of the rest of us did?

video:

[betri]

[To be fair, blue hair is probably nowhere near the strangest thing he's seen at this point.]

Thank you, Evie. Um... yeah. No one else showed up with me.

[Which is a concern all of its own, but he tries not to let it show.]

Do people's friends or family ever show up?

Re: video:

[blueberryprincess]

[ No, probably not. Tattoo'd stranger was p/ damn weird. ]

That's kind of worrisome. Not that I think you can't take care of yourself. You remind me of some of the children from where I was born; tough, easily underestimated.

[ Listen, she comes from an island full of Villains and their terrible children. She can see tough and capable a mile away. She can also see kind. This kid looks like an absolute sweetheart. ]

Occasionally. I've met a few people here who have people from their own worlds. I also have friends and family and people I care about here from another universe I was in previously. No one from my home, though.

[ A shrug from Evie as she finishes her hair, finally giving Atreus her full attention with a kind and warm smile on her face.]

It's hard to say if you'll have people from home arrive, but for your sake, I hope so. It's tough being somewhere unfamiliar without familiar faces around.

video:

[betri]

I can definitely hold my own. I'm not worried.

[He's a little worried. There were times he had to fight without his father, and he had gotten through them, but it was still a bit frightening to be separated from him so suddenly like this.

But staying rocked on his heels is not the way his father would have told him to respond. Stay alert. Be vigilant. Always keep one eye open, and always move forward at a persistent but cautious pace.

And, from his mother - be kind.]

It's alright. A... [he almost said "god"] ... man has to know how to adapt to whatever comes his way, right? That way if anyone I know shows up, I'll be ready to help them, too.

[Video]

[brat_from_hell]

[Oh hi, Atreus. Someone who appears to be about eight or nine years old replies.]

I'm not sure how many gods are here right now, but it's true that they show up here sometimes. Why?

[Video]

[betri]

[He's probably met more people that seem close to his age today than he has in a long, long time.]

Just... you know, curious. I mean, it must be pretty crazy, right? Gods just... walking around.

[Video]

[brat_from_hell]

It's not any crazier than people being pulled from all different worlds to some place they've never heard of. Or I don't think so, anyway.

[Video]

[betri]

They're both pretty hard to believe, I think. Did you meet any gods, yourself?

[Action]

[anniegetyourbun]

[While Annie's hearing surely wouldn't be classified as exceptional, she's got pretty decent people skills, and she recognizes the signs of distress in the way he turns his head, looking for something or someone. So naturally the friendly farmer is driven to assist! With her bag of groceries nestled in her arm, she leaves the sidewalk and heads toward the little warrior, waiting until his eyes find hers before offering a hearty wave and a big smile.]

Good morning!

[Aw, he's so small and cute. She doesn't see too many kids show up here.]

Need some help finding anything? I can show you around. Name's Annie! What's yours?

[Action]

[betri]

[He straightens up a bit at the voice, looking around to find its source before his eyes settle on her. She seems nice!

But people who seem nice can also be deceiving.

Still, he lets himself relax a little - no use in jumping at shadows.]

I'm Atreus. And... yeah, I think I need help finding pretty much everything.