001 | time here all but means nothing, just shadows that move across the wall.

[encourage]

You know, I have better things to do than daydream. Do I daydream?

[ Sakura has to stop and consider this, since she doesn't think she does so much anymore. Hadn't she been going to the store? The weird one, one of the first rebuilt after the attack, that'd made no sense when she'd stopped in to see how things were doing. Who had she even met at the time? Why had she come in again? ]

Not that it matters. Come on, wake up, stop staring into... oblivion? What kind of place is this to dream about?

[ Dreams are what make sense, if this is more of a nightmare after current events. No floor, endless stars? Points of light in darkness and buildings that feel more like child's building blocks strewn about an area, held up by nothing she could actively grasp as being there and concrete left her unsteady. What had -- been mentioned before? She pinches herself, flinches, and frowns. ]

Ouch! I knew that trick wouldn't work.

[ Things could stand to be a little more familiar. Sakura runs a hand through her hair, schooling herself into meditative breathing. Look. Observe. React accordingly. ]

All right, the stress has finally gotten to me. I'm standing in the middle of space, and there's an information booth. I wonder if it has any tips for how to locate your sanity when it's gone missing.

[ She makes herself stop again, largely because she's talking out loud to herself, and this isn't as helpful as she wishes it was. Time to pretend an audience! ]

Hey, if anyone can hear me, a little guidance would be appreciated! You've got a really nice place here, but there's a few dozen appointments I have to keep and a Hokage I need to check in on, along with most of a hospital to help run, and a war to prepare for, so as much as I'd love to stay, I need to get going.

[ Another pause, and she looks upward toward the sky that isn't the proper sky, and sighs. ]

Or I can use the information booth and file a complaint with whoever's in charge. [ Adjusting the gloves on her hands, she smiles. ] In a manner of speaking.

Comments

[lamb_of_gold]

Filing a complaint won't be of much help, I'm afraid, however you won't miss any appointments while you're here.

[encourage]

[ She slides into a ready stance as she attempts to pinpoint who was speaking. Looks like someone's here and listening, and willing to make that clear. ]

Oh? How does that work?

[lamb_of_gold]

[Mu's only a few feet to her side, not really making an effort at hiding himself. He's as relaxed as one could expect, which is to say very.]

Time stops while one is here. I'm afraid I don't know how.

[encourage]

Time... stops.

[ She isn't even close to believing that right now. ot to mention, for all he's relaxed, she isn't, and doesn't appear to be getting any more so. ]

Who are you? And if you don't mind, where exactly is here?

[lamb_of_gold]

It does. If you wish to see for yourself, then simply think of home.

[It's easy to read her posture, and Mu keeps his distance.]

Mu name is Mu, and this is the Astral Plane.

[explains]

[Someone caught most of that and that's a little sad. Because it means she needs the explanation again, which he doesn't mind offering, but it also means she's probably going to have the same reaction as last time. Guy approaches from the side, smile friendly and benign as he waves a greeting and stops a short, comfortable distance away.]

Haha... Well the kiosk's a good start at least.

[Welcome back? Welcome? Which is the proper one to use in this situation?]

Hey there.

[encourage]

[ If she knew that she knew this once, she'd be happy to not run through the whole gambit. Unfortunately...

Sakura takes a half-step to the side, facing Guy head-on. It's good that he's kept his distance. From the tense line in her shoulders to the delay in any verbal response as she takes stock of him (quick, seconds to reach a conclusion of "I'll handle what I need to"), she's a fighter out of her element and not at ease.

Not that she's terribly imposing at barely over five feet, with a shock of candy-pink hair. (Then again, you know those short pink haired ladies...) ]

Hey. A kiosk, huh? Same thing as an information booth, right?

[ Her shoulders relax a fraction. See how totally okay she is with this situation? Yeah. Sort of. She almost sees it, too. ]

Who're you?

[explains]

[Fighter. If she's the same or similar as the one before, field medic, freaked out, and this time he has an idea of what things to assure her on first. As for taking her lightly, he's unlikely too. Tiny girls are not to be underestimated (girls in general aren't) even if Guy himself is pretty tall at just over six feet.]

Right.

[He keeps the smile and his distance, hands resting on his hips but not at his sword.]

My name's Gailardia. I'll answer if you have questions, though I bet I can predict what's worrying you most. [Unfair advantage, but he'll tell her why later. He grins instead, to make it seem more cheesy, more relaxing.] You can get home. And before you ask, you won't lose time there--as long as you're here, time stops back home.

If you want to give it a test, think of going home, you'll be there. Think of this place again and you'll be back. Easy, right?

bear with me on this

[encourage]

[ And suddenly, no Sakura. ]

[encourage]

[ Then there is Sakura. ]

[encourage]

[ Then there's no Sakura. ]

[encourage]

[ Then there's Sakura again, this time looking distinctly disturbed. ]

The bird was still midflight between being here and being back.

[ Now he knows why the out and back again. Sakura doesn't trust things easily, and she looks for some kind of echo of pattern to what she encounters in her life. ]

How is that possible? What is this place?

[ Her voice drops down low, eyes scanning the great big... everything she can, then returning to Guy's face. Something concrete. ]

Where're my manners? [ She won't win awards with this smile, but it's small, polite, and attempting to normalize. ] It's... a very strange pleasure to meet you, Gailardia. I'm Sakura.

[ Remember that whole handshaking thing? She's doing it again, but only after removing her glove. It's an intent motion, one she doesn't think about.

She's going crazy. Man, did it have to be like this? ]

My turn for spam

[explains]

[He's patient, calmly waiting for her to finish her test. He sympathizes, really. At least he was greeted by some people he trusted. Still trusts, present tense.]

For where, that's easy. It's the Astral Plane. Though the how is a little trickier. I could theorize but...

[bonnypiperlad]

[Maybe it's a good thing she's looking up just then, as she actually has a chance to see the young man in the kilt who has suddenly materialized out of nowhere...and not exactly at ground level.]

...tor!

[Fortunately, he's not far above the ground and should be fine. Of course, there is the possibility that he might land on Sakura in the process, but it's easy enough for her to get out of the way, in theory.]

[encourage]

!!!

[ Partway between leaping out of the way or deciding to do something, Sakura ends up taking action by leaping at mysterious falling skirt, seeking to nab whatever (whoever) it is in her arms to come to a not-exactly-graceful-but-not-flat-on-your-bum landing. ]

[bonnypiperlad]

Oof! [Graceful it may not be, but it is definitely effective - and much better than the fall Jamie had been about to take, all things considered. Mind you, he hadn't been expecting that at all, and stares at her in surprise, startled into not moving. Enjoy your armful of Scotsman, Sakura.]

H-hey? Where did ye come from?

[encourage]

[ She does, in that sense that she's inwardly pleased to have not dropped him on his rear and ended up on the ground as well. Sakura moves to set him on his feet, since odds are he's bigger than she is, and it's awkward to keep him held like this. ]

I'm about to ask you the same thing. People don't tend to fall out of the sky without reason.

[ She glances upward, then down. ]

For a certain definition of sky.

[vengefulagent]

[Washington, a tall man in full body armor (but with no weapons yet), happens to be passing by the information kiosk when he spots someone reacting very much like he did when he first arrived. to save a bit of time, he picks up one of the paper brochures after going through the different menu options, and walks over with it]

Here, this might be able to help, and I can try to answer any further questions you might have. [holds the brochure out to her] You can call me Agent Washington.

[encourage]

[ Sakura's looking this man over, as she's never seen armor quite like that in her life. Vaguely similar things out of some of the waterlogged countries (amusingly), but otherwise markedly different.

She accepts the brochure with an inclination of her head. ]

Sakura Haruno. Thank you, Agent Washington. Your assistance is appreciated.

[ And suspect, if only because what kind of place has her mind gone to? ]

[vengefulagent]

You're welcome, Miss Haruno. [watches her for a second] So...do you have any questions? [because he has questions for her. he's still building his Plane security taskforce]

[encourage]

Oh, countless. Most of them aren't worth asking out loud.

[ A wan smile. ]

Do you have any others for me?

[hisoldgirl]

You are not actually in space. An approximation of a sort, but not truly space.

[encourage]

[ Pardon her pause. ]

I don't think anyone can really be in space.

[hisoldgirl]

No? Why would you think that?

[encourage]

It's -- space. There's no way to get there, and if you did, what would be there?

[ some worlds don't even dream of space travel -- yet. ]