[Action | Video]

[telsen]

[Video]

[Telsen got through the hologram's explanation of where he was before reality smacked him in the face and he went with his usual method of handling fear: running away. He bolted out of the bay, leaving damp footprints as he went.

Oh no, oh no, oh no! He ran into a small park and promptly tripped over the leg of a bench, crashing to the ground in a heap. The phone skittered away onto the concrete path alongside the box from the pod. Ow! He lunged for the phone, trembling as he moved his fingers along the screen. Maybe-

The video feed starts with a shot of a narrow, planty face with a scratch across his nose and bright, watery blue eyes behind smudged glasses.]

I don't know what's going on- I don't know, I don't know! Where is this... No, no, no, I want to go home.

[He dropped the phone so that the camera could only see the sky above. By the sound of it, he'd just started crying. It's kinda pathetic really, maybe if one shouted he could hear them.]

[Action]

What looks to be a fusion between a pretty black flower and a pool noodle in fancy clothing is curled up in a park not far from the bay. He seems oblivious to passersby, his head down and shoulders shaking. The box from the pod is tipped over nearby and the phone sitting on the grass beside him.

Comments

action

[sarcastass]

He really didn't like leaving the mansion without a guide, but he was at loathe to drag along anyone else to assist him. After all, a good few billions years being totally independent makes asking for help a little.... awkward, especially when it's for something as mundane as 'if I sit in this house for ten more minutes I will start eating people to pass the time.'

So out he was, having managed to wander all the way to Genessia City, the black cane tapping loudly across the pavement of the paths in the park.

It was the gentlest of sounds from our poor, sad pool noodle that caught his attention first, the demon lingering just far away enough to not look immediately involved with... whatever was going on there.

Oh but be it far from him to keep his business to himself.

The cane found the phone and box, tapping against those lightly, less to find them really, just to get some attention.

"Are you injured?"

[Video]

[shy_mage]

[Who was this guy to judge that reaction? Really, he was just confused what was happening, because most people didn't react like that. So he thought maybe he was being chased or something.]

A-Are you hurt?

[telsen]

Telsen yelped, so lost in his own misery he hadn't noticed Szel approach until he tapped his cane and didn't really register that fact until he spoke. He looked up, hands curled to his chest and face damp. And this guy was blind, a mercy, really. He didn't have to see how pathetic Telsen looked, even if he could probably take a wild guess. Telsen was still sniffling.

"No. No. I'm, um, I'm no, no I'm not hurt." His voice was thick and he scrubbed at his face vigorously. Stupid crying.

"So uh- Uh, you're... real?" He might not be, it was a risk.

[sarcastass]

No, he couldn't see him.

Buuut the sound was enough to inform him it was probably the most pathetic thing he'd witness all week. He won't bring it up but he's definitely thinking it, Telsen. All the sniffling and sounds involved had the blind man digging out a monogrammed handkerchief, which he held out to him.

"Oh good." At least he won't have to pretend to care about that.

"An interesting question, I'm sure everyone is fairly sure they're all personally real."

[telsen]

Hic.

[The crying turned to a muffled sound of surprise that then shifted to sniffling. With a rough scrabbling sound he scooped up the phone and looked at it from the side, so only part of his tear streaked face was visible. He was glowing bright blue, same color as his eyes.]

What? I um- no. I hit my nose but- I'm not hurt.

[shy_mage]

D-Did someone chase you and s... scare you?

[He really wasn't being judgmental here. People could be scary! Like people that ate people.]

[telsen]

Telsen took the handkerchief with a mumbled "thanks" and rubbed at his damp cheeks. His eyes were still dangerously wet, thankfully another thing that Szel couldn't see. Small mercies.

He knows he's pathetic, it's awful. He hasn't even gotten up yet, loser.

"I'm not sur-sure about it right now," Telsen muttered as he looked around. It sure looked real but illusions looked pretty real at the time, that was the point.

"But but but, you know what I mean?"

[telsen]

[Telsen glanced away, the glow on his face brightening with his embarrassment.]

...No-no, no. I um, I just got here. Yes.

[sarcastass]

Don't worry, he's just sort of figured that the crying wasn't going to stop just because he stuck his pretty face in here. He'll deal with the blow to his ego as gracefully as possible.

"I know. I can tell you with the utmost certainty that I'm real, and where you are is real too. For better or for worse."

He doesn't move to join Telsen on the ground because ew no. It's dirty down there, he's all dressed up and warm why would he do that.

So he offers a hand to help him up.

At least then he won't have to worry about fucking sitting down in what could be muddy snow to talk.

"I'm going to guess you're new here."

[shy_mage]

[He was still trying to figure it out. Most people didn't run out screaming and stuff, so something else must have happened.

After a moment he realized...]

D-Did you have a bad dream?

[telsen]

Telsen hiccuped, because he needed the added embarrassment that brought.

"...Yeah..." He took the hand and got to his feet, knees shaking from the lingering anxiety and shock. For someone over six feet tall, he was shockingly light, like a bit of driftwood when one expected a regular ole log.

Telsen steps back, both looking and feeling awkward, one hand already draw to start picking at the back of another. Pick pick, he dug under a thin black leaf with his nails.

"This is stu- stupid." He shook his head. "Stupid stupid, I don't like this."

[telsen]

[Telsen hiccuped again.]

In a way...? No no, that's not what you meant, sorry, no. Yes but no. I'm um- This happens a lot right? People showing up here? It's freaky!

[sarcastass]

Szel was just a few inches taller himself, but it didn't really matter if he couldn't see who he was looking at. Considering all he had to guess with was his weight and the shape and size of Telsen's hand, he could still reasonably ball park it.

About the same height? Pretty close, he assumed. He didn't even attempt to pretend to try and make eye contact, his head was vaguely turned either to the left or right at all times.

"I'm afraid it's the truth. I know this must all be terribly shocking to you, I just arrived a few weeks ago myself, it's all very unfortunate. I'll certainly do my best to try and explain everything to you.

Luckily for you, I'm probably the most informed person you'll find here."

[shy_mage]

I-I think so.

[Oh! Oh, maybe that was it.]

D-Did the hologram scare you? I-It's okay, it can't hurt you!

[telsen]

As Szel couldn't see him, Telsen didn't feel obligated to stand still. So he didn't. He walked around Szel, looking every which way as if it would provide some answers or escape. Escape would be the best. Pick pick pick, he worried away at the back of his hand.

"Why's that?" Telsen turned to look over his shoulder at Szel, a sudden wave of fear and mistrust rolling over him. At the same time, he really wanted to trust the stranger that just appeared and gave him a handkerchief. He rocked back and forth on his heels, deciding if he should risk that or not.

He could listen, at least.

[telsen]

[Telsen's little rosebud ears started to ease themselves close. Oh man he really, really was pathetic...]

Right. Okay. But uh, this whole place. Whole place, it's all scary isn-isn't it? Being here?

[shy_mage]

Hmm...

Wh-When I first woke up, I was scared. B-Because... Because I couldn't teleport anymore. S-So I tried to find a better place to teleport, but... But that didn't work.

[Thinking back on it made him a bit sad. He still hadn't gotten back.]

Th-Then I had a bad dream and that was scary. But... But if you stay away from Everglade, y-you should be okay. There's lots of nice p-people everywhere.

[He did his best to try and be reassuring.]

[telsen]

Everglade? What's wrong with it? [Telsen heard all the reassurances, but the nervous shit that he was, he fixated on the one thing that might be wrong. Was something going to come out and hurt him? This was important to know! Right now!]

[shy_mage]

Th-They let people eat people th-there! S-So... So don't go there!

[He was terrified of the place himself, and frequently warned people away.]

Y-You should come to Fayren instead. I-It's pretty, and has nice woods, a-and... and there aren't any cars.

[telsen]

[He looked at the screen full on now, eyes wide and dark bark an ashy grey.]

Eat people? [His voice cracked and he cleared his throat. He was a courtier, he could handle knowing shit like that, get it together.] Right, right, I won't go there. Fayren? Uh, I read-read this, um-

[He looked away and paper crinkled as he looked at the pamphlet.]

Right. Right, okay. It's calm- what's a car? I don't like this place. [His words ended with a soft whine.]

[shy_mage]

C-Cars are big machines like... like a carriage. B-But they go too fast and they're scary.

[Honestly, he was fine with most technology, but just disliked the cars.]

Th-There's an inn called "The Marsh Woodsman". Th-The owners are nice, and they cook good. There's...

[He glanced around, clearly in a very 'wood' place, wherever he was.]

There's my home, b-but... I might only have b-blankets left.

[Not that he minded if Telsen wanted to stay. He just didn't think they had enough in the way of supplies to provide a great room at the moment. It would be pretty bare.]

[telsen]

I can- I can find someone, it's fine, it's fine. [Telsen looked away again, still grey. Oh man his chest felt tight, this was a lot for him to take in all at once.]

You've uh, you've been here a while? Have a home and everything? We just uh, live here? That's how this goes?

[shy_mage]

Y-Yeah, I haven't been able to t-teleport yet. So... So I made a home here!

[He was trying to be upbeat. He even got up to show him his home.

Which might seem familiar, because as he showed off the room, then looked out the window to show off bridges and such leading from one tree to another, it was pretty clearly like sylvari housing.

Probably because Trahearne made it and all that.]

W-We're putting in lots of rooms for my f-friends when they show up.

[telsen]

[Telsen looked even greyer than before, oh yes he recognized that artitecture. It was unique, it hadn't existed at all until 30 years ago and now it was here? He felt like he might puke, good thing he didn't have much in his stomach.]

Is that- is that so...? Why- [He shook his head.] How is your home like that? What did that?

[shy_mage]

T-Trahearne helped me! H-He's really nice. He's my friend.

[And he seemed super stoked about that. But really, he was super stoked about all his friends.]

D-Do you want to meet him?