† save me i'm going crazy

[cruxified]

[There is a dark figure on the Plane. He doesn't move at first, and if it wasn't for that hair, he might even blend in. He seems preoccupied with a printout of Braxiatel's welcome brochure.

Suddenly, Kratos is pelted by a golf ball flying out of fucking nowhere a.k.a. that one black hole. He catches it before it hits the floor, stares at it, and regards the Plane with an icy glare. Very flatly:]

I am not here to play games. If you have any useful information about the Astral Plane that is not contained in the brochure, I am interested in hearing it.

[ooc: IN B4 PLOT]

Comments

[collector]

[Braxiatel lifts an eyebrow, because, uh. Whoops.]

To start, it is generally inadvisable to play golf with the black hole.

[cruxified]

[Were he a little less of a tightward, he might actually find that funny. But all Braxiatel gets is a slight lowering of his brow.]

Yes, deliberately tossing objects into an abyss is an urge many people cannot suppress.

[He makes a note to check it out later anyway.]

[darkercalling]

The twins who own the shop have disappeared. No one's seen them.

[Aaaand, that's his useful contribution.]

Unless the brochure says that now.

[cruxified]

Hm. [He folds the brochure neatly and tucks it into a pocket.] It seems to be somewhat outdated. That leaves us with the woman named Meredith Sault if there are problems.

[He's not inviting any, but this sort of thing never goes smoothly in his experience.]

[darkercalling]

[Riku shakes his head.]

From what everyone else says, she's not around, either.

[collector]

[Crack a smile, Kratos. Braxiatel continues calmly onwards. He is used to such things.] The information in the brochures is meant as a suitable cursory introduction. Well. Broderick's is, anyway. Nathan's follows his own logic. There is further information, but regrettably, very little has been done to collate that information. [This makes him slightly exasperated. One day, he will make a system. One day.]

[realitymods]

[For once, when Meredith appears, she isn't cloaked. She is in a ballet dancer's costume, complete with pointe shoes. What is under the hood is a woman with blue-grey eyes and dull brown hair, pinned up for the dance.]

I'm sorry I haven't been present. Other matters are taking my time. Please greet our new guest kindly for us, Riku.

[And as quick as she appeared, she is gone.]

[cruxified]

[Never. Kratos Aurion doesn't smile, the world just angles itself to make it look like he is.]

It served its purpose well, but a few updates might be needed if that is the case... or perhaps a different compilation altogether.

[cruxified]

[What. Now he's unsure if he actually met her before stumbling into the Plane or not. His memory isn't usually this fuzzy, and he doesn't sleep, so what the hell...?

The voice-- okay, yeah, maybe. Man, this place is trippy. Kratos doesn't say anything for a good three seconds, instead studying the place where Meredith appeared.]

It seems that all conversations are monitored.

[... What the FUCK was she wearing, anyway?]

[darkercalling]

[What. What in the. What.

Riku is staring in much the same fashion as Kratos, and shakes his head slowly.]

I didn't realize that. ... Was she wearing a...? ... [He crosses his arms and shakes his head again.] Nevermind.

[cruxified]

It looked like a costume. Was it familiar to you?

[If he recognizes it otherwise, he's not saying anything, and just casually studying the smaller lineface instead.]

[darkercalling]

No, I've never seen her before. Especially not wearing a costume like that.

[He momentarily wonders how many others had actually seen her face... hmm.]

[cruxified]

She knew your name.

[He is Captain Obvious here, too.]

[darkercalling]

[Shrug] Like you said, apparently conversations get monitored. Or, maybe she just knows because she's in charge.

[cruxified]

Perhaps both.

[He looks around.] Time seems to be relative here. It would be difficult to know just how long it has functioned the way it does.

[His arrival might even be linked to something happening in his world, but he's not sure.]

[darkercalling]

Yeah. When you're here, time won't pass where you came from. [Pause.] I don't know much about this place. I just come here when I need to.

[cruxified]

Is there some draw to it?

[Somehow his tone is detached without being bored. He might as well be questioning a witness.]

[darkercalling]

Time to think. People to speak with that aren't from your world. Free food.

[collector]

We'll have to take a moment to work on that. Do you have any particular questions, Mr...?

[cruxified]

Kratos. [He doesn't give his last name. It doesn't matter anyway.] Do you know how long this place has been... open for experiments?

[Ugh, he hates that word and the memories that go with it. He shoves them down.]

[cruxified]

[Too much of that as it is, doesn't care, doesn't eat.]

I see.

[He's considering just disappearing and not coming back, but that's probably impossible. If they can bring him here in the first place, they sure as hell can keep him here if they want.]

... Thank you for the information.

[darkercalling]

[Riku nods.]

Don't mention it. I'm sure others know more than I do.

[Mainly because his focus is on business that isn't Plane business.]

[cruxified]

It's a start. [A polite nod, and he steps away.] If you'll excuse me.

[He heads off in some other direction, presumably to explore.]

[collector]

Approximately three years. Given the time differences between this place and home, it seems it has been difficult to measure. [Which is why Braxiatel keeps a clock on the Plane to keep track of it.]

[unto-death.livejournal.com]

[Well, crap. Botta doesn't want to deal with this guy, like, at all.

On the other hand, the ability to pop out at any time puts him and Kratos on equal ground, for once, and that's not an opportunity to be sacrificed.]

Are you truly? Or would you not rather turn a blind eye to it entirely?

[cruxified]

[That's amazing, Brax. Amazing and overprepared. Kratos looks mildly impressed for a lineface.]

That is rather specific for an estimate.

[collector]

[If Batman were a wealthy ladykiller—wait.

Braxiatel smiles.] I haven't been here the whole time, but Mu seems to take a good measure of it. He and one of the Doctors may well be the oldest of the test subjects. In this round, you understand. We are not aware if there has been a set before us or if there are other concurrent test groups.

[cruxified]

[Whoops, I'm not supposed to know you exist.]

... I don't have a choice.

[What, were you expecting an optimistic sort of answer?]

I doubt this place is worth my time... other than what is forced upon me.

[cruxified]

There could be records. It may be out of your reach, but perhaps not.

[unto-death.livejournal.com]

In that case, by all means, you're free to simply leave and choose not to return.

[He'll be grateful and relieved if that's actually what happens. Do Not Want. >/]

[cruxified]

Is it really that easy? I think you have more pressing business, and yet you stand here as well.

[DICK MODE: engage.]

[unto-death.livejournal.com]

[Botta smirks grimly.]

And leave an enemy at my back? I'm sure you'd prefer if I were that foolish.

[cruxified]

Your foolishness isn't my concern. [It's Yuan's.]

I don't need to be at your back, but it only takes a thought for you to vanish.

[collector]

I've been thinking lately that it would be of use for us to learn more about the system the Machine runs on. [He knows about those holographic screens Roe pulled up. He wants to know how to get them for himself.]

[cruxified]

Do you know anything about it?

[For all the questions, he's only interested in eliminating short-term danger-- the kind of cautiousness that comes from basic survival instincts and not much else.]

[collector]

We have an idea of its capabilities and a little knowledge of its processing, but little else.

[cruxified]

What about the shop?

[His gaze shifts to a nearby star approaching supernova. This place is beautiful, but it does little to move Kratos or his heart.

All he thinks about is memorizing the layout of this place, picking up any other extra tips that may help his escape, and then going back to his preparations.]

[collector]

Currently more or less unmanned, minus a vulpine creature that cares for it from time to time. So if you're inclined to steal any artefacts well beyond your comprehension, now is likely the time.

[cruxified]

One would be as likely to steal something useful as something dangerous.

[collector]

Hence the general lack of wisdom in such a choice. But it seems most have elected not to. [Of course he checks up on the shop daily. He is Irving Braxiatel.]

[cruxified]

And yourself?

[collector]

I'm a collector by profession. I never acquire anything if I don't know its provenance.