realityshifted

[a tall man in steel-colored body armor with yellow trim is currently very engaged with perusing the brochures at the information kiosk, a holographic version hovering at a comfortable height for him to read. after a moment, he waves a hand to dismiss the brochure, but underneath that helmet, he's blinking, unsure if someone is just pulling his leg or...]

[frowning, he starts looking around again at what's around him: the random buildings that shouldn't exist but do and outer space in every single direction.] This...can't be real. [in his heart, though, he has a feeling the brochure is telling the truth. it's all far too elaborate and thorough for it to be a lie, and the appearance of the shop on the Mother of Invention makes complete sense now (though he has a strong urge to report it to the Director anyway).]

[very quickly, duty supersedes any other curiosity he has--and anyway, he's satisfied the need for initial reconnaissance, so it's time to report in! he taps the side of his helmet, activating his long-range comms systems]

Come in, Command, this is Agent Washington. I seem to have...um... [he falters, unsure of how to go about explaining that he's suddenly on a plane of existence that is the meeting point for many universes without sounding like he's gone completely insane. so, he just settles for establishing contact and going from there] Command, do you read? [he pauses for a second, hoping for some reply, but only hears static. this doesn't please him, not one bit.] I repeat, Command, do you copy? [and again, he gets no answer. he grumbles under his breath]

[slowly] Okay...I'm going to assume everyone has gone to get a cup of coffee from the mess hall. Because we all know how great that stuff is. [he waits for a reaction to his sarcastic remark, but gets none]

What the hell?! [he lets go of the long-range comms button, his arm flopping to his side. his annoyance with those back home seem to have pushed everything else he read in the brochure completely out of his mind for the moment.] Someone should always be monitoring the comms! That's basic protocol. The Director is going to hear about this when I get back.

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[he lets out a little sigh. great. she isn't exactly the top person he'd pick to be stuck some place like this, but at least she's someone he knows]

Yeah. I gathered that. You'd think someone would bother explaining that. I should let this...Broderick Naismith know he's forgotten a crucial detail in his pamphlet.

[... She shakes her head.]

Fine. You can do that. I'm going to find someone in charge.

[takes a step forward] And I'm going with you. Mr Naismith and the person in charge could be connected in some way.

[What? Dammit, no! Ugh!]

Except that it said he doesn't know who's in charge.

I didn't say there was a direct connection. Just a connection. [and besides, the person in charge is far better option for his complaints than a brochure maker]

[She bites back a groan, but it still comes out as a sigh.]

Fine. Then let's go.

[thankfully--for him--he immediately dives into a business-like mode]

Right. First we should locate that shop. I'm betting we'll run into the same people I met before. [pauses] Um, you...did meet people in the shop, right?

Yeah, the guy with the notebook. Seemed more interested in it than his shop.

[slowly] Yeah... I suppose you could say that was one of the odd things about him.

[looks around, unsure of how to get to the shop--but not wanting to admit it] Actually, I think we should gather as much information as we can about things here before we go to meet the people in the shop. This way, we can be fully informed about the locations and other inhabitants of the "Astral Plane" so we don't waste our time and theirs asking menial questions that could fill a second brochure.

The inhabitants are annoying. That’s all the information I need about them.

[She’d roll her eyes, but given the helmet, there would be no point. Doesn’t matter, she’s not even bothering to hide the exasperation in her voice.] Are you going to keep changing your mind, or are we going to start walking? [She nods to a building in the distance behind Wash.] Closest structure is there.

[he scowls a bit, about to point out that he only changed his mind the once--but figures it isn't worth getting into an argument with her over it] You can stay there if you want.

[starts walking to the coliseum]

I guess we’ll see.

[She shakes her head and follows him, keeping her guard up and on high alert. It doesn’t matter if she’s already decided that most of the people here are borderline ridiculous or just plain annoying, she’s not stupid enough to assume she’s safe.]

[his guard is always up and ready when he isn't back on the Mother of Invention, his motion tracker on and everything. but as he nears the coliseum, he can't help slowing down as the structure looms higher, making him feel smaller]

This is amazing... I've never seen anything like this up close!

[She was not at all expecting that thing to get that huge, that fast. She’s left staring, wide eyed. She also picks up the pace a tiny bit, excited.]

That’s insane! It’s huge!

[for a moment, he forgets who he's with as he allows himself to give into the excitement he feels, and unconsciously, he picks up his pace too]

How did they even get this here? It's so...so intact... [turns to her, motioning at it] Do you think that's the same one that was in Rome?

[She shakes her head, still staring up at it.] No way, it’s gotta be some sort of replica, right? [Then again... okay, now she’s grinning a little. She nods at him.] Well, there’s one way to find out.

[he thinks about this for a second] Taking a photo of it for proper analysis will take too long--and how would we explain it, anyway? [he has his doubts this is the way, but he wants to stick close enough to procedure as he can...]

[... Okay. This long pause right here? You can probably feel her rolling her eyes and choking back a groan. She shakes her head.]

Yeah, no. Come on. [She's not quite running, but it's hard to call it "walking" at such a quick pace.]

[and he's left dumbfounded for a moment before he goes after her] What'd I say? [but he quickly catches up to her, allowing his momentary confusion to slide away from his mind. it isn't the first time he's received such a reaction]

[She doesn't slow down until she's only a few paces away, staring up at the walls in awe. She steps into one of the archways and places her hand against the wall.]

The whole thing still has its integrity... It's not even in danger of falling!

[he continues on in, slowly, gazing closely at the stone masonry]

Of course it isn't. It's been removed from its original location, so any dangers surrounding it--natural or manmade--have been taken away, as well. Makes you wonder when it was taken away, doesn't it?

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