the times they are a'changing

[retropolis]

WHO: NELSON GARDNER and YOU
WHERE: Around the City! Locations specified.
WHEN: January 28th - February 2nd
WARNINGS: Will edit if needed.
SUMMARY: Nelson copes with the unpleasant surprise of arriving in faux-New York almost fifty years in the future the rational way: varying levels of hysteria and despair.
FORMAT: Tagger's choice.



It wasn't often that Nelson's asthma acted up -- not noticeably, not for years -- but he had been having on-and-off hyperventilation attacks of increasing severity since he arrived in this... wherever he was. He coughed and gasped and the pain in his chest seemed to tell him (scream to him) that whatever this was, it at least wasn't a hallucination. He knew plenty about pain, after all, and you didn't feel it from simple fantasies. That knowledge didn't help his confusion any.

In a way it was both everything he wanted and everything he didn't want all in one (hah) breath. A team of heroes could protect the world (a team of the right heroes), but what good did a whole city of them do? How could they do more than stumble over each other and cause more problems for themselves and everyone in their paths? It was tactically clumsy, at least from Nelson's perspective. More than anything it was overwhelming. How could anyone stand out this way? But that was a selfish thought. He was old and he was out of shape -- really, if he hadn't been obsolete already this seemed like the final nail in his coffin, and the worst of it was that this city looked like every social ill Nelson could imagine multiplied by ten; where was he? What had happened to New York? Just looking at the communicator in his hand perplexed him. It was apparently some kind of combination telephone and walkie-talkie, which was already beyond his comprehension.

Get ahold of yourself, he coached himself, willing himself the confidence to stand up straight again and walk steady until he could find somewhere to sit, or someone that could help. Of course he could do this -- with his USMC experience, he could do anything if he stayed alert, confident, optimistic… and strong. He was going to put his best foot forward and try to meet this situation with all the dignity he could muster.

Or if not dignity, at least steady breathing.

( I can be contacted on PM or plurk if further planning for any thread is wanted. Obviously most of these scenarios are pretty flexible; I'm open to location changes and/or time jumps occurring (e.g. they meet at coffee, then go to a movie, or the tag-in doesn't occur directly after the specific moment the set-up implies but rather an hour later) after the initial set-up unfolds, or if someone else has tagged and using a different time of day or slightly different (but nearby) location makes more sense. Tagging multiple days is also totally fine if desired! )

Comments

[retropolis]

Oh, no need. It's been long enough. [ His tone is regretful anyway. He glances at Gil. ] But what?

[invoking]

[ He averts his gaze. ]

The Porter has the power to bring even the dead here.

[retropolis]

[ Nelson stares. He sounds a little upset when he speaks again. ]

What are you saying?

[invoking]

[ His lips are dry. ]

The Porter can bring them back to life here.

[retropolis]

H-- [ WHAT. ] How?

[invoking]

[ Gil fidgets and then raises his arms, trying to calm him. ]

I-I don't know! It just can.

[retropolis]

[ Nelson exhales sharply, trying to calm himself as well. He breathes a bit hard and shakes his head. He forces himself to say something else, anything else: ]

Th-that's remarkable.

[invoking]

It's... yeah. [ He almost says "strange" but catches himself. ] Its power is incredible. Who knows what else it can do?

[retropolis]

[ A look of mild bitterness replaces his one of distress. ]

It seems like it already does quite enough.

[invoking]

[ Now he feels guilty for bringing it up. Perhaps it's too much for this newcomer to take in so soon.

He shifts his weight from one leg to the other. ]

I didn't mean to talk about it so casually.

[retropolis]

No-- [ He shakes his head again. ] What am I getting upset for? I'm sorry. It's really nothing.

[invoking]

It's fine. It's okay to feel upset in this place. [ He thinks when people are cheerful about it, then something is seriously wrong. ]

[retropolis]

I-I suppose. [ He still feels ashamed about kind of losing it for a minute there. ] Does it happen often? The dead--?

[invoking]

Coming back? [ He almost wants to touch his neck. He refrains from it, though something pulses there. ] Even if you die here, there's a chance you may return.

[retropolis]

Oh no. That's... [ He exhales again and rubs the bridge of his nose. ] still remarkable. I can't imagine why.

[invoking]

I don't know if there's an explanation. [ He shrugs, suddenly not too comfortable with the conversation he started. It's his fault, though. ]

[retropolis]

I don't much like the thought of seeing dead friends again. [ He sighs slowly. ] Ghosts from the past never do go away as it is.

[invoking]

You don't? [ That comes as a shock. ]

[retropolis]

[ He shakes his head slowly. ]

... I don't know what I would do.

[invoking]

Perhaps... taking the opportunity for time you may not have elsewhere.

[retropolis]

[ He looks at his hands. ]

I'm not sure it would work.

... As nice as it would be.

[invoking]

... Who knows. [ The people who could show up here any day... that is something frightening he's almost forgotten about.

He slips a hand into his pocket, clenching the little plastic bag harder than he means to. ] I'm probably keeping you from something, aren't I?

[retropolis]

Oh, no. I have nowhere to be. [ The saddest part of all, really... ] How's your leg feeling?

[invoking]

[ He realizes it's a stupid question after he's asked it. ]

It's fine now. [ He sort of bends the knee just to show it's working fine. ] Do you live at the MAC?

[retropolis]

Good -- I was concerned. [ He nods slowly. ] I can't afford to live anywhere else.