(no subject)

[jewelofborune]

WHO: Ce'Nedra and OPEN
WHERE: In front of the MAC
WHEN: April 4, afternoon
WARNINGS: none
SUMMARY: Ce'Nedra's from another era. She's basically stunned. Help a girl out.
FORMAT: Tagger's choice.

Ce'Nedra was overwhelmed.

She hardly had room to be scared or angry, or perhaps she was both of these things and more, but the emotion was so compounded that it had stunned her into silence. She simply stood, straight and unmoving, staring up at the vision before her. The structures were so incredibly huge that she risked falling backwards to look up at them, and... And everything! This was either a dream or it was sorcery.

She was afraid to move any further. She'd left one building only to be faced with this, which she couldn't wrap her mind around. For all that she was well-educated, this was no land she'd ever heard of. Nearly every detail of the place was unfamiliar, at best some altered figment of what she did know. Was there point in trying to reason through it?

A dream, a dream... Never mind that she felt awake enough, if dizzied by the attempt to take everything in so suddenly.

In one hand, she held the items that the voice had given her. She knew that they were meant for her, because her name came printed on the little, metal disks. Perhaps she shouldn't have given it. The other hand lay near her throat, fingers on her pendant, thoughts reaching out for Garion, Polgara... Anybody, but there was no answer.

And so she couldn't think of a thing to do but keep trying. She knew she was out of place, well-dressed in fashions that nobody seemed keen on, here. Backwards place, with people giving her glances that suggested her suspicious in some way. Irritating, frightening... But she couldn't act. She simply continued to stand as regally as possible, looking wide-eyed into the vision before her.

The people were understandable, at very least. She would keep her ears open and figure out the best course of action. Perhaps it was perfectly possible to keep a level head. Although... She was rapidly beginning to doubt it.

Comments

[paints_lanterns]

Rapunzel probably stood out even from the oddities of the crowd and the city, as she half-hurried along the street, barefoot despite the weather, in a somewhat plain pink dress. Her short hair shifted in the afternoon breeze, and her green eyes glanced around as she walked, taking everything in...though not quite with the wonder she'd had a few months before.

She went by the porter building every day during lunch, when she was volunteering at the clinic, just to check and see if people had come back. So many she knew were gone, and she could admit it was a long shot...but she enjoyed the walk, and what did she lose, really? She could ignore the stares from the people, and the ones she did know certainly seemed to like her, as she waved at a newspaper booth attendant and two waitresses in an outdoor cafe, who both waved back.

When there was actually someone standing outside the porter building she hesitated...there never was when she went by, through luck or timing, and yet. Given her clothing, and her expression. Could the girl be anything but an import?

Rapunzel stood there on the edge of the sidewalk for a moment, her arm hooking around her waist as she tried to decide what to do, before she sucked in a little reassuring breath and hurried over to the shorter girl.

"Excuse me," She smiled what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Did you just arrive? Are you alright?"

[jewelofborune]

Ce'Nedra had started looking into nothing, apparently, as the sudden arrival of another person startled her. She blinked and wasn't sure how to answer for a moment, held her tongue at the urge to tell the other woman that she ought to mind her manners, and simultaneously fought the urge to spill out half-panicked babble.

"Yes, I... Well, no." Beat. She takes a breath. "Yes, I just... Arrived. I'm not quite sure I'm alright."

[paints_lanterns]

Rapunzel couldn't help but smile more at that, she remembered that feeling well, honestly. "I know what you mean. When I first arrived, I sat on those steps," she points at the steps behind them. "For a few hours, all wrapped up in my hair, waiting for the crazy dream to end." Absently her hand came up to tug at her short hair as she spoke, though she didn't seem to notice.

"Right, anyway, Hi. I'm Rapunzel. Uhm...did you listen to the woman in the cei-" She paused, frowning at herself. "The...computer woman...who tries to explain things? Inside, I mean." She never could get those terms right.

[jewelofborune]

She attempted to follow the lines of statements and questions. She didn't get everything, but she wasn't completely sure it mattered. Wrapped up in her hair, somehow, or not, the stranger had at least commented on something identifiable.

"Oh, the lady's voice?" She started, turning to look back at the building she's left earlier. Computer woman? "I didn't see her. She didn't answer me when I tried to talk to her."

She looked disgruntled at that, because that was just bad manners.

[paints_lanterns]

"No, she won't answer. She's not-" Rapunzel hesitated. This was something she'd never really understood. The whole concept sort of eluded her. "...Real? Sort of." She smiled sheepishly and shook her head as if pushing the idea away. "But it doesn't matter, you don't really need to talk to her again. Uhm."

Rapunzel wasn't actually sure how to do this. The only person she'd helped acclimate before was Eugene, and he was...special. She knew what to do there. With a stranger though, a girl who looked younger than her and dressed in clothing similar to hers so...out of fashion. "I...what's your name?"

[jewelofborune]

In answering the question, Ce'Nedra took extra care to re-adopt her stance, good posture with her chin raised. She could ignore the oddities around her for the sake of old habits and doing things properly. "I am Ce'Nedra, Queen of Riva and wife of Belgarion, Overlord of the West, born Imperial Princess of the Tolnedran Empire and Jewel of the House of Borune."

[paints_lanterns]

Rapunzel looked suitably impressed...or possibly just confused, it was certainly one or the other. Her green eyes were a bit wide, at least. And maybe a tad skeptical, but she pushed that aside. A Princess, though! Or a queen. But a former princess? Someone she might actually be able to ask Princess Advice questions because she was one and she was pretty much terrible at it.

"Well, okay. I've never actually heard of any of those titles or places, but that happens a lot here." She hoped that didn't sound awful. "It's just, everyone here comes from other worlds and yes I know that sounds completely crazy but please don't freak out because people get really mad at us anymore if we make a scene." She looked very hopeful at the 'please don't freak out' part, seeing as she didn't want to start an import incident with a brand new, confused girl.

"It's very nice to meet you though. Welcome to the City?"

[jewelofborune]

Her shoulders might have slumped a bit under the exasperation of hearing her titles and her lands were unheard of. She drew in a breath and regained her posture quickly, however. Perhaps, since she knew this place should not be one that existed to her, it would be too much to expect people here to know of Tolnedra or Riva. That certainly did not discredit them. She could maintain civility; that much had been asked of her.

"The City? That can't be its name." She sniffed, taking another glance around. Yes, this place certainly had no reason to disrespect where she came from, all metal and stone and dirt. "'Imports' are goods, you know. Not people."

[paints_lanterns]

She saw that slump but made a point not to comment...no sense making the girl feel worse, after all. "Well, that's...what they call it. Someone told me it's called New York on other worlds, but here it's just...The City." Rapunzel couldn't talk, her kingdom was called The Kingdom, after all. "It's really exciting here though, and..."

She hesitated at the other comment and then shrugged, reaching up to tug at her hair again. "Well, here imports are...both. Because of how we arrive, I suppose. We are sort of...imported. Through the machine." She trailed off, looking around for a moment. Okay, time for some conversation control. "Did you, get everything you need from inside? You should have some little metal tags and a phone..." She fished her own phone out and held it up.

[slingshots]

[ Oh, she knows that look. Even from 8 stories above, midair between two buildings, there's no mistaking it. Even tourists don't stare around themselves with quite that much shock. And what are heroes for if not helping people, right?

A swing of her grappling line drops her to an open patch of sidewalk just a few feet behind Ce'Nedra, and a quick flick of her wrists detaches the ends of her cape from her calves and wrists. There's no need to look quite that much like a flying squirrel when meeting someone new. ]

Hi. [ She's stepping around from behind, head tipped in as friendly an air as she can manage with the whited out eyes of her mask. ] Lookin' kinda lost, there.

[jewelofborune]

[ Ce'Nedra jumps, having not registered the approach. She turns and attempt to suss out just where the young lady could have come from so suddenly.

And she registers 'young lady' on impulse. Upon further consideration... Well, she's still sure that it's a young, lady, but-- ]

What on Earth are you wearing?

[slingshots]

[ Oh, yeah. Definitely new. It's pretty well known that people in tights have the skies of the City thoroughly claimed. She straightens, friendly smile still in place. ]

My suit. It's knife-proof. [ Okay, knife resistant, but whatever. ] Why, what're you wearing?

[jewelofborune]

[ She looks down at the question, as if to double-check, because she was quite sure she outfit was perfectly normal and not some... Knife-proof, silly getup.

It was still just green broadcloth, two shades for two layers of dress. Simple, granted, but still perfectly lovely. She frowned.]

It's a dress.

[slingshots]

Yeah, guess so. Nice dress. [ aw yeah, master of casual and cool, right here. ] So, I'm thinking you're new.

[jewelofborune]

[ She just frowns a little more, not sure where manners went in this place. ]

You think well. I just... Arrived. Out of nowhere.

[slingshots]

S'pretty much how we all do it. [ And a touch of that casual air is sacrificed for curiosity with: ] What's your world called?

[jewelofborune]

[ She doesn't know how to answer the question for a moment. The whole world is just... ] The world. The Earth. [ You know. Whatever. ]

Countries have specific names. [ If that's helpful. ]

Let me know if this doesn't work/needs a bit of a different setup?

[spacetimeprime]

Vector Prime had also come from an era far apart from this world. He had come from a body far different than the one he now held. But if one thing hadn't changed, it had been his lack of caring in blending, and he was quite comfortable in colors that were far from standard - a mixture of gold, white, teal and burgundy that only changed in what the clothing pieces were, and rarely the colors themselves.

It was a concession on its own. He preferred Victorian fashion. But such got him more stares often than not, and while he hardly cared about that in itself, it was ill-conductive to a hobby he'd picked up; peoplewatching.

Sitting on a bench, his eyes skimmed the crowd, wandering from person to person as they went about their lives...before coming to a halt on a rather lost looking one. And one that seemed...a bit out of place.

Hm.

I assume everything works out via the power of RPtimephysics.

[jewelofborune]

Ce'Nedra's form of people watching was currently skimming her eyes over the weird-looking crowd and shooting dirty looks at anybody who was looking at her funny. That's how she caught him in his observations. She couldn't say much for his clothing; everything here was weird cuts and colors. He was starting, though, however politely.

Brow furrowed, part reactionary annoyance and part worry, she raised her hand to wave uncertainly at the stranger.

RPtimephysics solves everything.

[spacetimeprime]

Vector was curious and thoughtful, though attempting not to stare in too poor taste; whether or not he was succeeding, he couldn't tell. He'd at least learned a few cues from others' reactions when he /did/ stare too long...

After a moment, he half-raised his hand, offering a gestured greeting of his own and a small smile.

Damn good solution.

[jewelofborune]

Ce'Nedra paused at that, taking a moment to look around as though wary. She wasn't sure what she might be looking for, however, and returned a sidelong glance at the odd gentleman. Perhaps he was another person stuck here, like her. Upon close inspection, he did sort of stand out in dress. Aside, he'd looked friendly enough, and he was an older man, the category of humanity that she often found easy company in for their tendency to look fondly upon pretty girls.

One more glance around, and she lifted her skirts to approach the fellow where he sat.

"Are you another one, then?"

[spacetimeprime]

And that was all he needed to confirm his suspicions. "If you mean one also brought from another world," he says, looking up at her, "then yes. If not, I'm afraid I must ask for a bit more clarification in what you mean."

He's never much cared for trying to hide his status as an 'Import', at least not when asked, either.

[jewelofborune]

"I suppose that's what I do mean," she answered, although she looked half-hearted to admit it. She reached up to fiddle with a curl, frowning. Conversation on the subject wasn't so hard to strike up. Aside, she'd been looking for confirmation on what she'd learned thus far. "I find it a difficult thing to get my head around."

[spacetimeprime]

"Oh? You are not familiar with other dimensions?"

Her dress seemed...old, at least by human standards. If he recalled correctly, they'd hardly even dreamed of such things until recently, so perhaps it was not that out of the question. For one such as he who lived and breathed such things, however...

"I could try to explain it, if you wished."

[jewelofborune]

He was pretty much on the mark. Ce'Nedra wouldn't have used the word 'dimension' to describe just about anything, never mind the concept of other worlds. She shrugged a little and nodded, and, in keeping of her lifelong habits of treating distinguished gentlemen sweetly, she moved to sit down right beside him. She folded her hands in her lap and tilted her head so as to look perfectly attentive.

"Go ahead, then."