[video]

[lazyjustice]

[There's a ten foot tall Marine, jacket draped over an arm and looking put out as he stands on the edge of Fayren. He is not mad so much as disappointed. He has only been able to return home a few scant days before being pulled away again and all that he has seen and done and knowing what he has yet to do has made him out of sorts.

So he stands, blinking into the camera of the comm for a several minutes as if not fully aware it's on. But finally he rubs the back of his head and sighs again deeply]

Maa, well... I suppose there isn't a tall district around here.

[holding out hope. Though from all that he has seen this world--as so many other places--have been built for the six or so foot and under crowd.]

...Oh... I'm Kuzan. [since there's no reason to assume anyone knows him] Pleasure to meet you.

Comments

[youfool]

"Pleasure to meet you too, Kuzan the Giraffe!" Ted sounds perky, though he has to wonder where Gen finds these weirdos.

"I think I'd remember someone like you. Are you a newborn?"

[lazyjustice]

Giraffe....? Well, whatever. He supposes he would be.

The question makes him pause.

"Do you mean am I new here?" hands in pockets and he regards the place. "I'm pretty sure." Though one couldn't ever be entirely sure in places like this. "You are?"

[youfool]

"Mhm. Well, in that case, warmest welcomes. How are you liking it so far? Had any troubles I might be able to help with? Oh, I'm Ted, by the way."

[lazyjustice]

He hasn't really been here long enough to tell. But he's polite if nothing else so:

"It's interesting... But accommodations might be...troublesome." He nods, acknowledging the name. "Are you from here or elsewhere?"

[youfool]

"Heh, 'interesting' is right; almost an understatement. Well, sadly I can't do anything about lengthening suits or public transit, but you seem resourceful; I'm sure you'll manage. As for your question, it's hard to say. I mean, obviously I've got one of these." He jingled the necklace all the real people were supposed to wear as a marker. "And I have memories and even an old possession from the world I knew. But aside from memories and mementos, I can't actually prove any such country of origin. For all I know for certain, I've been in Genessia all my life."

[lazyjustice]

He nods and fingers his own necklace; unsure of what to make of it right now. It's possible this information will come in handy at some time or another or it might be useless. But he'll keep it just the same.

Still as for the rest of it, he sighs. He can make do. He is resourceful. But it's also a monumental effort. Can't he be sent somewhere just to have a vacation? Someplace with a nice beach, free of pirates or anyone else who would compel him to act, a nice pina colada and some busty smiling women to serve him?

...Well... perhaps not.

"Hmm who knows..." said philosophically about Ted's origin. "As for the rest of it, can you recommend a hotel? Or a place to buy a bicycle?" Though he'll have to find a way to modify it, too. Still he doesn't mind spending some time on a smaller bike so long as it doesn't collapse under him.

[youfool]

"The Spirits know, likely, but they're very coy. Let's see..." Ted's playing with his phone, trying out the coordinates feature and pinging them over. "The Amagi Inn is located very close to the bay; goodness, I recommend that place so often I ought to make commission. I've never heard a single complaint, at least. I don't know any bike shops specifically, but the Hamete Strip Mall has just about everything. Both located in Genessia City, naturally."

Poor guy; any car would be out of the question, financially and logistically. At least it'll be good exercise.

[lazyjustice]

Spirits, is it? It's always spirits. "What kind of spirits are they?" He hopes there are no vengeful pirate ghosts involved. ... Although if there were he would consider it almost a kind of penance. Almost. Morals are complicated things when you share the burden of the world.

"I see..." he notices the pings on his device. He's not quite sure what to make of it since there wasn't anything like that at home or in the other place. Regardless, he can tell a map when he sees one and they have never been any trouble for him.

"I suppose the doors are mostly average size..." Which-- technically he's average for a tall human but they seem few and far between anywhere else but home.

Video

[skilledwithwords]

What's a tall district?

[She really wants to know.]

Video

[lazyjustice]

A district that's more accommodating to tall guests.

[also hello. How refreshing to meet a pretty woman]

Video

[skilledwithwords]

[Levy smiles at his explanation.]

I don't know why I was expecting more than that. I'm really short so I don't have that problem but I think most doors are 7 ft tall.

Is that a problem?

Video

[lazyjustice]

By about three feet. [it's not impossible but it's not comfortable either] I end up feeling like an accordion.

[but oh well]

Would you like to get some tea, young miss?

[somewhere outdoors preferably]

[youfool]

"Haha, Genessia might humble you, asking you to bend always. It's no place for the proud and stiff-necked." A joke to lighten the more gravitas discussion ahead.

"As for the Spirits...well, as I said they're very mysterious. I've only seen them once, almost a year ago. Presumably they're the ones running the show, though they don't appear to be as malicious as that sounds. Quite the opposite, really. They seem almost...desperate, in a way. Needy. Like even showing themselves is a risky exertion. That, I believe, is why they brought us here to begin with. Because, in some degree, we're stronger or more solid or more...lively than they are, and it's all they can do to hold the place together. Like we're the glue holding the card house steady.

...But that's just the feeling I get. Like the Spirits themselves, it's not very definite."

[lazyjustice]

He smiles in acknowledgement of the joke. He has never considered himself either. At least not in the past decade or so-- or to excess. But bend and flex he shall since it seems he has no choice in the matter.

As for the spirits. If that's true it's an idea that resonates with him. Kidnapping because of no other way to call out for assistance. In an effort to live perhaps. Exist. Maybe draw off energies of the lively? Though he hasn't seen any suffering nor does he seem to be experiencing any.

Of course that may not be true at all. Words can be spoken by anyone for any motive and as Ted says, the spirits are indefinite in intention. So who can know?

"I suppose I don't mind helping them in that way." He flicks the green stone on the chain absently. "I've been one other place whose spirit had a more ambitious plan in mind. I prefer this."

Temporarily at least.

"Are there any dangers to keep in mind? Any kind of dark creatures that stalk the night? Pirates? Monsters? Irritating officials?" He smirks at the last one.

[youfool]

"Oh? What was their plan?" Kuzan might learn the hard way that any idle tidbit of information was something Ted demanded to be fleshed out, if only for the sake of curiosity. Ted's glad he's feeling some free-floating benevolence to their potential captors; Lord knows Gen needs more of that.

"Plenty; it's a dangerous world. For starters, don't go too far to the borders of any city. You'll wake up in the hospital that way. Avoid Everglade always, especially at night. Humans are legally allowed to be killed there. Dracula is the one running that place; he's an evil vampire lord. But I repeat myself. There's a virtual reality simulator in Nova City for purposes of training, but if you make the settings too perilous, you might wind up biting off more than you can chew.

Just about everyone here seems to have some sort of destructive power or skill at arms, so you'll want to be polite if nothing else. Not that you seem to have any trouble in that department, mind. Fayren's under harassment by a group of terrorists known as the Hands of Decay, who like to target mystics. If you read the paper, you'll find bounties lodged against terrible criminals weekly. And those are just the ones that make the front page, mind. There's more where that came from in other, lesser bounty boards.

On top of all that, what the world lacks in natural disasters it more than makes up for in supernatural ones. To give one example of many, explorers unearthed ruins filled with dangerous monsters to slay. Another time, the King held a party where people's worst fears were made manifest, and..." It slowly dawned on him that he wasn't really selling Genessia in the most positive light.

"...not to say that the world isn't enjoyable! Really these events are relatively quite rare, and we enjoy peace most days. The danger can be fun, and can bring out virtue if it's met the right way, which is usually the case. Just keep your wits about you and ask for help when you need it, that's all."

[lazyjustice]

"Maa well... it's complicated." Kuzan doesn't mind passing info along since he gets it in kind; it's just where to begin. "Precisely this spirit's end game is hard to say. But ostensibly he kidnapped others into his world to find shards of a powerful gem that would perhaps bring him back to life."

Kuzan spreads his hands in a shrug. After that, who can say what his motives were. Though he can guess.

He raises his eyebrows at the description of the dangers of the place. They are many and complex. There are a thousand ways to get into trouble, it seems. But Ted's words at the end make him chuckle.

"Noted. It's like my world. Or any world I suppose when you get down to it." Complex ties of justice and injustice, ways to be foolish, and ways to be honorable, too, he supposes.

"Thank you for your advice. As for myself, I'm generally not in need of help." Though he knows to keep on his toes at least. Even the strongest can be crushed if they are unwary. "But I can provide it, if needs be. I'm a Marine...an officer of the law..." Such as it may be.

"Maa though I much prefer to have a vacation...." said wistfully but resigned. He will help where he is needed, but he'd rather be sunning himself with the aforeunmentioned busty women.

[youfool]

Genessia was curiously unable to find any ugly women, so he's in luck there. Not that pure, virginal Ted would point that out. "Hah, relax when you can. And you're welcome, of course. Funny, I was just talking to a large lawman the other day. Grim fellow; carried around an equally large fork or something. Called it a 'jitte'...but yes, this world tends to demand courage, if nothing else. Oh! Before I forget. Will you tell me what 'Kuzan' means?" He's got a thing for names.

[lazyjustice]

Kuzan stares at him for a moment. Seemingly startled by something. Then rubs his head. First the unimportant part.

"Kuzan means something like perseverance in the face of adversity." No he's just making it up. But as he doesn't know himself, it's the only answer he can give. And names have their own meaning and connotation after a time depending on who is using them or hearing them or why.

"Would this grim fellow happen to have a love of cigars even though he looks like he hates every moment he's in?"

[justicereigns]

Go away.

[ISN'T HE THE BEST FRIEND? AREN'T YOU GLAD YOU HAVE HIM AND SAVED HIS SORRY BUTT SO MANY TIMES?]

[Smoker sucks at friendship.]

[lazyjustice]

[you're ugly mug is the last face he wants to see. Didn't he send you off to G-5?

Time must be screwing around again because judging by the scars and the haircut, Smoker seems older-- so perhaps he's already there]

You're the last face I want to see.

[might as well say what he's thinking.

He reclines where he is, which is to say, the ground]

Been here long?

[justicereigns]

[Yes.]

Long enough.

[>:| Did you really expect information from Smoker? I mean. Come on. Really?]

[lazyjustice]

[no not really but small talk is a habit]

Anyone else we know?

[but you can give him something.]

[Video] COINCIDENTALLY AT AROUND THE SAME TIME AS SMOKER

[enchantressofore]

Kuzan?

[ That name... ]

You do not know someone by the name of Smoker, do you?

[Video]

[lazyjustice]

Oh look he adopted another one. [Smoker and kids. Honestly]

Maa... well... I do. Reluctantly.

You wouldn't happen to be a well intentioned klutz who is good at swordplay. [it's not even a question]

[justicereigns]

[Small talk is for pussies.]

Three Whitebeards so far. Portgas among them. All commanders.

Everyone's up in arms about recent capture torturings, by a man named Battler who turned on his friends and comrades. He removed limbs and worse. Likely, still at large, but a good 1/5th of the population seems to be motivated by their own justice or otherwise, so there's a pretty heavy duty infrastructure looking out for him now.