there's always someone new to take their place

[realitymods]

[A thin man appears on the Plane with no to-do. There's no fanfare or applause. He scowls and looks around the expanse of space before opening what appears to be a bottle of pills, shakes two out, and pops them in his mouth.

The man's dress puts him in this odd area between business and casual. Sneakers and worn out jeans. White dress shirt, grey suit jacket, grey tie. Brown hair brushed back and in a short ponytail. Studious glasses in front of brown eyes. Mid-30s.

The scowl turns into a brief smirk.]


There's been a change in management.

[His accent is a thick, Chicago one.]

I'm Raymond Keys. You can call me Mr. Keys, Dr. Keys, or if you're feeling a bit friendly, Ray. I don't care what you use. If you have any questions, ask 'em now. You people make me sick, and I'm not sticking around longer than I have to.


(Plot officially ended. And I'm posting this on the heels of Scribbles' because I can, but I imagine it's some time after the machine has rebooted.)

Comments

[lamb_of_gold]

A change, hm?

[realitymods]

That's what I said. Should I have been clearer? Maybe a sign with some neon lights.

[promisedsomeone.livejournal.com]

[This guy has only been here for a minute and Asch already hates him.]

Where is Meredith?

[realitymods]

Working. She has a damn life, you know. How lucky she must be to have things to do other than be at the beck and call of a bunch of freaks.

[He rubs his temple.]

You can go yell in the shop for her all you like. You'll probably see the new proprietor first, though.

[ainsophaured.livejournal.com]

[Aster's primary concerns lately had to do with his world. There's an underlying curiosity about the Astral Plane and how it works. Being able to talk to someone in charge is an opportunity he won't pass up.]

A change in management? What is it you do?

[realitymods]

I'm the go to man for my employer.

[He pushes his glasses up his nose.]

I do whatever he wants me to do, because, hah, I don't really have much of a choice. When he wants you to do something, you do it.

[ex_fatalist246]

[Satoshi holds up an old Tarot Card: Justice.] Do you know this?

[realitymods]

Yeah. Some kid came into my office ages back to get the instructions to dispel a curse off them.

[bonnypiperlad]

So ye would be the one in charge now?

[realitymods]

More or less. It'd be accurate to say Jed is in charge of things on our end, but, well. He never shows up in person for anything, so it's on my shoulders.

[anoblesavage.livejournal.com]

What happened to the ones you have replaced?

[realitymods]

No clue! Surprise, I don't care. I think I'm going to be saying that a lot. It's so much fun dashing people's hopes of that one specific answer. But whatever, I'm not privy to that information.

[collector]

Should I ask if this is voluntary or involuntary service?

[realitymods]

For once? Voluntary. But even if I declined, I'd be stuck doing it anyway.

[bob-fraser-snr.livejournal.com]

Bob Fraser, Royal Canadian Mounted Police. You look a bit green, son, would you like some bark tea?

[realitymods]

I always look a bit 'green'.

[Ray half smiles.]

But anyway, I prefer coffee. Never got a taste for tea, just not my thing.

[best-served-hot.livejournal.com]

[Not that he misses any of them at all, wherever they may be, but hey.] Any particular reason for the change, or shall we blame it on boredom and fickle natures?

[realitymods]

My 'employer' has had an interest in this place. He hasn't told me why, but he just slipped in and put us all wherever he wanted. [And then, deadpan.] I'm positively thrilled to be here.

[cuteliar.livejournal.com]

...Why are you in charge?

[realitymods]

Why shouldn't I be, kid?

[A polite, yet hostile smile.]

[oliverplus]

[Oliver approaches cautiously but with a friendly expression all the same. he looks Ray in the eyes immediately, much like he did with Weber and the King, hoping to put his empathy to good use before Ray notices what he's doing]

Hey. [waves] Uh...what do you mean, we make you sick? Have we met before?

[realitymods]

[Ray's a teeming mass of annoyance and a sense of wanting to just get out with some tiredness in and out.

He sneers.]

We haven't, Mr. Day, but your presence is literally sickening. As in, if I hadn't taken my medication to dampen my senses, you'd be giving me a migraine, maybe make me a little dizzy.

[bit_impossible]

[if he sounds way too chipper, it's because he is. he's SO glad to be rid of those powers (and, well, that responsibility, but he won't ever admit that.)] So Ray! Does that mean you're the new management? Because if you are, you might want to see someone about that illness you get around us. Curious illness, though. Sounds like the sort of thing people get when they're pretending to be out of the office just to avoid an unpleasant conversation. Still! Even if you aren't in charge, I would go see a doctor--not me, of course, or any of my other selves, mind--about it. Never know; could be something serious.

[realitymods]

[He stares with a look of disapproval.]

Is this how you greet everyone? Mock their illnesses? Do I look like an idiot to you, Doctor? [He scowls.] Oh, no, of course. I enjoy being sick nigh constantly! I skip out on getting it cured because it's so much fun!

[ravenchaser.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. [Gin sounds almost amused and his facial features contort with his smirk, though his shadowed eyes remain apathetic.]

You'll be glad to know feeling's mutual, I'm sure.

... so, what is this place?

[realitymods]

Ah, new? This is the Astral Plane. Go read one of the brochures some of the freaks here have written. I've heard they're so very useful.