1st Heart - Arrival

[stronguponme.livejournal.com]

[And suddenly, Jackie pops on into the Astral Plane. He's got one hand held out, as if he was twisting a knob, and for a moment there is a rather shocked look on his face.]

That's never happened before.

[His hand drops to his side, and for a moment he is completely silent. He takes the time to slowly scan his surroundings, still with a fairly stunned look on his face. He gives his head a quick shake, trying to see if he'll wake up. No success. He then takes a few steps forward and reaches his hands out, as if looking for a wall or a door. When he comes in contact with nothing but space, he drops his hands to his side again, and turns around.]

Right now, I can only think of three possible explanations for this. One, I'm dead. Really dead. Two, I'm having one of those out of body experiences. Or three, I've been whisked away to the Land of Oz. And unfortunately for me, I left my ruby red slippers at home.

So, is there a Yellow Brick road hiding somewhere around here, or am I just SOL?

Comments

[didorothy]

No Yellow Brick Road, sorry, and none of the witches have green faces. I'm a bit disappointed, really.

[tosses a coin, catches it, looks at it, a well-practiced motion that's nearly automatic for how little importance Sam gives it]

The correct answer is number four. You've been dragged into an experiment, and this is the Astral Plane.

[stronguponme.livejournal.com]

[And this is one hand, instinctively reaching towards the left side of his waist. But that's about it.]

Experiment, huh? Well that's much better than being dead or in Oz. At least it has a fitting name.

I can't seem to recall even volunteering to be part of an experiment though. So on that note, where do I get off? And how?

[brigadiertardis.livejournal.com]

This is most certainly not a children's book. It is some sort of nexus, a temporal distortion, and you've been trapped within it, much as the rest of us have.

[chapelsend.livejournal.com]

Hell, iffin they do that up here, I can't see how they'd keep th' bricks.

[lights up a smoke, blows some smoke, and stuffs his hands into his pockets] Newcomer, huh? Y'all ask th' same damn questions.

[stronguponme.livejournal.com]

I kind of figured it wasn't a book. Seeing as how the Wizard of Oz wasn't based in outer space.

I not fond of being trapped.

[harmonixerdemon.livejournal.com]

[Mentions of OZ and yellow brick roads are confusing for Yuri, but compared to the rest of this place...] You're not dead or anything. This is just the Astral Plane.

[stronguponme.livejournal.com]

Then it's a good thing I wasn't counting on there being one, isn't it?

[Slips his hands into his trench coat and near his waist. Just in case.] I suppose I am. And you'll excuse me if I'm concerned with asking unique questions at this point.

[stronguponme.livejournal.com]

Lucky me. Not dead, just walking around in outer space.

[harmonixerdemon.livejournal.com]

You get used to it after a while.

[chapelsend.livejournal.com]

[Wolfwood is packing but he's got a shoulder rig, so his hands were no where near his .45. Besides, he's busy looking more at the stars then at Jackie] Ain't like I blame ya. Jus' sayin'.

Th' name's Wolfwood, an' you can say I'm th' local priest o' th' Plane.

[stronguponme.livejournal.com]

See, that's the thing. I'm not keen on spending enough time here to get used to it. So where's the exit?

[stronguponme.livejournal.com]

Figured that was it. [Is not going to look away just yet.]

Father Wolfwood, huh? [A pause.] It's Jackie. Jackie Estacado.

[chapelsend.livejournal.com]

[looks at him and laughs, shrugging] If you want, but most jus' call me Wolfwood. I hear th' 'Father' bit an' I start lookin' for someone older.

Nice t' meet you, Jackie. [reaches up for his smoke, knocking off ash, then waving at the stars] As far as anyone knows, this place gots no end an' we can bring a lot o' stuff up here. I've brought a bar, there's a piece of a beach, someone's got a desk, and I think there's a playground too. An' it's simple t' get back. Jus' think 'bout goin'- [Wolfwood pops out and is back]

I hate when that happens.

[witchmaker.livejournal.com]

Lots of new faces here lately! Everyone's alive here from what I've seen, I doubt you'd be the exception.

[harmonixerdemon.livejournal.com]

If you want to leave, just think about going back to where you came from. It's that simple. Time won't pass there while you're here either.

[stronguponme.livejournal.com]

Fair enough.

You too. [Watches and doesn't even flinch at the reappearing/disappearing act. But internally he's rather surprised.] Sounds simple enough.

[Takes a moment and tries. Disappears. And moments later, reappears.]

Now that's a special kind of strange.

[stronguponme.livejournal.com]

Right, got that now. Simple? Sure. But when does any of this start making sense?

[harmonixerdemon.livejournal.com]

[Shrugs] Don't know. I still haven't managed to figure out much about this place. I don't think anyone else has had much luck with figuring it out either.

[chapelsend.livejournal.com]

[needs another cigarette too now and grinds the butt out on the bottom of his shoe before getting out a new one and lighting up]

As far as we figure, time moves pretty slow up here, so iffin you need a moment, pop up here an' take it. We've also been noticin' that home's restrictin' how far you go from it. An' most people here come from different places or times. Some are even talking animals.

[look right at him, just a steady, blank kind of stare] Some o' us come from different worlds even.

[stronguponme.livejournal.com]

Alright then. So not Oz, not dead. Could be worse, then.

[stronguponme.livejournal.com]

Talking animals. I'm not nearly as amused by that as I think I should be.

[And he seems to have an absent pause for a moment.] Other worlds. So this place is one big gathering spot for...well, everywhere? Gotta say, that's pretty insane.

[stronguponme.livejournal.com]

Fun. Just the kind of situations I like. Trapped and knowing precious little information.

[witchmaker.livejournal.com]

It's not so bad. We have a movie theater and a bar, at least. And there's a decent amount of nice people here. Has anyone told you how to get back home yet?

[chapelsend.livejournal.com]

Cy's okay, but I'd watch th' hynea. Way too smart thinkin' for her own good, if you ask me.

An' that's a good a guess as any. I've been here for a bit an' seen all sorts pop up here. Most ain't no trouble, but sometimes we got a few problems.

[harmonixerdemon.livejournal.com]

At least there's no one trying to kill you here. Well, normally anyway.