genessia | 1st Theory | Semi-Accidental Audio

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1st Theory | Semi-Accidental Audio

[When the video feed initializes, it's obvious the user is 1, outside at night in Genessia City, 2, is currently just outside the Bay as the end of Weiss' holographic message can be heard in the background and then it starts again, and 3, that the user, a dark-haired and blue-eyed gentleman in what looks to be his mid-forties is awkwardly holding the phone in one hand and the pamphlet that explains it's use in the other.

He speaks, at first to himself, with a cultured English accent, though there's a harshness to his consonants that suggests English is not his native language.]

Remarkable! [He smiles in satisfaction and adjusts his grip on the phone so it's oriented correctly for a video address before continuing.] Hello, everyone, or what I assume to be everyone paying attention at any rate. These devices are rather clever, aren't they? [He shakes his head as though chiding himself for beginning off-topic.] My apologies. This is all so fascinating! I should say preemptively that it is a pleasure to meet all of you. My name is Charles Rieben, and I have, quite obviously to most of you I'm sure, just awoken in this "Bay" so usefully marked on this map. I admit the whole situation seems a bit...off-kilter, but nothing seems life-threatening for the moment, so I believe we have time for a chat.

[He pauses here, looking a bit thoughtful.]

I do have one pressing matter to ask of you all, though. Where might one acquire an Almanac for this place?

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The tale is extremely out of context, but it makes sense, at least enough to follow.

[He pauses, though, his expression carefully controlled. Something timewise struck him as off, but he'll be getting more information before jumping to conclusions.]

Who is Nathan, and is he from Albion, New York?

Nathan is an actor who was standing in for Antonio during the day.

[Airy shakes her head.]

He grew up in New York City. Gus had a hot dog stand outside of his dads office.

[She hasn't really gotten to the part about how she met Luther and Natalia since that didn't happen until after she woke up.]

Antonio is a vampire.

[He pauses for a moment.]

Antonio Santiago de la Vega.

[And that. That.]

How old is Nathan?

Yeah. He just went by Santiago when I met him.

[Airy feels nervous and starts to make coffee. She has a feeling this is going to be a long night.]

Um... Nathan is 25.

[She bites her lip.]

Do you not know how long you were gone? Do you know how old Luther is?

[For several moments, Charles' expression goes completely blank, still, statuesque, while he processed a growing fear.

After a moment, a smile touched his lips once again and the statue was once again replaced by a man.]

I know how long I was in the Fae realm, recovering. It would seem...there's a bit of a time discrepancy.

[He pauses for a moment.]

He must be a grown man by now.

[He almost kept the sadness from his voice when he said it.]

And Natalia... [He shakes his head.] What's done is done.

[Airy's used to being around vampires but its still an unsettling thing to see. It's like her phone became a picture for a moment.]

Luther's about my age. [She remembers celebrating his birthday. She'd gotten him a book.] I'm so sorry.

[Airy feels as if she shouldn't have said anything at all.]

I know Luther will be really happy to know that you're okay. [Assuming they find their way home.]

[A brief hint of sadness passes his vision at her newest information, but he doesn't comment on it. The girl couldn't understand, anyway.]

I'm honestly surprised he remembers me.

[Airy begins to feel more and more awkward. She gets the feeling that she won't be able to example what she means to say right now.]

He'd tell me stories about you...

He told you stories...

[When Luther was young, he often told many people stories, most of which were unintelligible.]

...such as?

He loved finding old books.

[A memory comes to mind and a smile touches Airy's lips as the scene plays again in her head. Her expression betrays more than she means to but it's one of her favorite memories of the time that her and Luther dated.]

I remember because he found a history book. It was... wow, I don't remember the book. I think it was European history just after the fall of the roman empire? It was cool because we stumbled on this used book store. [She pauses.] I digress.

So he told me this story about you. I guess he heard it from Natalia. [She can't refer to her as his mother since she'd trained with her.] He said that you had traveled across the country because someone told you about a very specific book that was possibly in a castle in Germany or Sweden? He didn't know what the book was but you were the person who'd do anything to learn the truth. Even if that truth was older than the stories that books tell. He said you found lost things and revealed them for people to see.

It always sounded really wonderful and he said that it's the reason why he collected history books. Not common ones but obscure ones. [Airy knows that it had let Luther feel close to his father.]

Transylvania.

[He smiles sadly.]

I never found the book. [Amadeus] Someone else found it first. [And he shakes his head.] He spins me to be some sort of superhero.

Is that really wrong?

[Her tone is soft and kind.]

I mean, you were trying to protect people. You started HQ and that's a home for a lot of people that'd be lost or dead without it. You might not be the hero that he told me about but I think that title still suits you.

[He smiles.]

HQ was an idea I fostered in the minds of those able to make it a reality. I didn't start it. I...suppose you could say I helped parent it. Nothing more.

Edited 2016-08-15 01:27 (UTC)

It's still amazing.

[He can't really deny that he had made a difference.]

See, I think that everyone has the chance to be a hero and there are a few moments in our life when it matters the most. You helped in ways that you probably don't know because of Gus I was saved and he tells me that's because of you too.

You didn't have to bring him back.

That's quite profound, Airy. You should really think about writing that down. [And he actually seems serious about that.]

Fergus was a man in pain, not a rabid animal in need of slaughter. It would have been inhumane to do anything but give him a purpose where he thought all was lost.

I will.

[She reaches for a piece of paper, scrawls it down and then writes a small note about Charles. Airy then takes a sip of her coffee.]

He hates being called Fergus... almost as much as Antonio hates being called Tony. Why do long lived species call others by their full names? Natalia called me Arianna constantly and I hated it.

[Whatever amusement he had at her complaining flickers for a moment at the mention of his wife's name but the sadness is very brief and he instead answers her question.]

In the old work, shortened forms of names were reserved for private conversations. It's a habit, I suppose.

I guess that makes sense.

[Airy frowns for a moment.]

I'm sorry... I'm not really helping am I. Is there anything I can do to help?

[He smiles kindly.]

What is it you feel I need help with, Airy?

That- really depends on the person.

[She thinks for a moment. She knows the loss that Luther felt and she's convinced, be it true or not, that his father is feeling the same pain.]

I'm decent company when I don't fall asleep?

It sounds as though you were decent enough company for Luther.

[There's no malice in his voice. If anything, he's thankful for it.]

How is it you found us again? Fergus saved you?

[Airy turns a red at the sudden comment. Not because the idea is embarrassing but she had just been called out by Luthers dad...]

Ah, yeah.

[It's hard to tell what she's responding too.]

Oh, yeah. Someone kidnapped me, his name is Darren but he worked for this vampire guy. I was getting Nathan coffee at the time and so he freaked out but had to wait until Antonio woke up after sundown who was then like, 'take me to your werewolf friend' and Nathan was all confused but apparently vampires can smell werewolves off of people and Gus had his hotdog cart and hotdogs are one of my top five favorite foods so Nathan took me there a lot. Then Nathan and Antonio found Gus and then Gus took them to HQ and I wasn't there for any of this so I'm paraphrasing but I made a bird that wouldn't leave Nathan alone and Gus said it smelled like me and they somehow used it to find me.

[She talks very quickly, hoping that this is enough to divert the conversation away from her and Luther.]

That's the short version.

You made a bird.

[That is by far not the only thing he took away from her rambling, but it struck him as the most important.]

...you're the Creator.

[He smiles.]

By all the stars in Heaven, they finally found you...

[Airy bites her lower lip.]

Did I not say that? I'm so sorry.

[She has a feeling she comes off as some random crazy person who dated his son and knows all these people that he doesn't know and then Gus.]

You did not.

[Not that he seems to care at all.]

Spectacular! Tell me everything. Was it Amadeus who took you? What plan did he have? Am I to believe he's been defeated, then?

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